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Nairobi National Park + Sheldrick + Giraffe Centre Tour
This is the complete Nairobi wildlife morning: a private game drive in Nairobi National Park, the 11am orphan-elephant feeding at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and hand-feeding endangered giraffes at the Giraffe Centre — three signature experiences in one seamless trip. Rhino, lion and buffalo in the wild, baby elephants, and a giraffe kiss before lunch.
Free quote & itinerary within ~24 hours · reserve with a deposit · enquire at safaricapital.org/contact.
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Key takeaways
- Three signature experiences in one morning — wild game drive, orphan elephants, giraffe feeding.
- Sheldrick only opens 11:00–12:00 to the public, so an early start is essential.
- From US$219 per person (group of 5–6), park entry and both admissions included.
- The elephants and giraffes are the reliable highlights; the park adds genuine wild rhino and buffalo.
- Best for first-timers and families wanting maximum wildlife on a single Nairobi day.
What is the Park + Sheldrick + Giraffe Centre tour?
It is a private half-day tour that chains Nairobi’s three top wildlife stops — a Nairobi National Park game drive, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust orphan-elephant feeding, and the Giraffe Centre — into one guided morning. One vehicle, one guide, one price covering park entry and both admissions.
It exists because all three attractions cluster in the Nairobi National Park / Lang’ata area and the Sheldrick nursery only opens to the public for one hour a day (11:00–12:00). Doing them independently means three trips and a lot of traffic; combining them turns the whole thing into a single, efficient outing.
This is the most complete Nairobi wildlife experience short of leaving the city. For elephants-only or giraffes-only pairings, see the Park + Sheldrick tour or the Park + Giraffe Centre tour.
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How the morning is timed
Pickup is 06:00–06:30 for a first-light game drive, then Sheldrick at 11:00 and the Giraffe Centre afterwards, wrapping around 12:00–12:30. The early start is the whole trick — it buys 3–4 hours in the park before the Sheldrick public hour.
06:00–06:30 · Pickup
Collected from your hotel, JKIA or Wilson Airport in a private 4WD.
06:45–10:30 · Game drive
Enter the park at opening for the best light and most active wildlife — rhino, buffalo, lion, giraffe.
11:00–11:45 · Sheldrick
Exit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for the daily orphan-elephant feeding and keeper talk.
11:50–12:30 · Giraffe Centre
A short hop to the Giraffe Centre to hand-feed Rothschild’s giraffes from the raised platform.
12:30 · Drop-off
Returned to your hotel or airport; add lunch in Karen on request.
Stop 1 — the Nairobi National Park game drive
You get a genuine 3–4 hour game drive in Kenya’s first national park before the crowds — the wild half of the day.
This is a real safari, not a detour. Nairobi National Park holds free-ranging black and white rhino, buffalo, lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and 400+ bird species across open plains that back onto the skyline. Morning is when predators are active and light is best, so front-loading the park makes the sightings stronger.
| Animal | Likelihood | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black & white rhino | Common | The park’s flagship sighting |
| Buffalo | Common | On the plains and near water |
| Masai giraffe | Common | Free-ranging across the landscape |
| Zebra & antelope | Very common | Eland, impala, hartebeest, gazelle |
| Lion | Possible | Resident but elusive |
| Ostrich & birds | Common | 400+ species |
| Cheetah & leopard | Rare | Present but seldom seen |
| Elephant | Not present | None wild — add Sheldrick |
Stop 2 — the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The Sheldrick nursery opens to the public only 11:00–12:00, when orphaned elephants are fed and mud-bathed while a keeper explains each animal’s rescue story. Admission is by donation and included in your tour.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust runs the world’s most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rewilding programme, based at the edge of Nairobi National Park. The public hour is a single, well-organised viewing where you watch calves bottle-feed and play in the mud. It is the reliable emotional highlight of the day — sightings here are guaranteed in a way wild elephants never are. For the full visitor detail, see the Sheldrick visitor guide.
Stop 3 — the Giraffe Centre
At the Giraffe Centre you hand-feed endangered Rothschild’s giraffes from a raised wooden platform — eye-to-eye, and a guaranteed hit with children.
Run by AFEW Kenya, the Giraffe Centre is a conservation and education project for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe. The elevated platform brings you level with the giraffes’ heads so you can feed them pellets by hand (or, if you’re brave, the famous “giraffe kiss”). It’s a short, joyful finish to the morning. Full detail in the Giraffe Centre guide.
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What wildlife will I see?
You’ll see orphan elephants and Rothschild’s giraffes for certain (both fed daily), plus a strong chance of wild rhino, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and antelope in the park; lion and cheetah are possible.
The guaranteed animals are the captive-care ones — Sheldrick’s elephants and the Giraffe Centre’s giraffes. In the park itself nothing is guaranteed, but rhino and buffalo are common and this is one of Africa’s most reliable rhino drives. Wild elephants do not roam Nairobi National Park, which is exactly why the Sheldrick stop matters.
Best day and season to go
Any morning works; the tour runs daily because Sheldrick’s public hour runs daily. The dry seasons (late June–October and January–February) give the best game-viewing and easiest tracks.
Weekends and holidays are busier at Sheldrick and the Giraffe Centre, so a weekday morning is calmer. In the dry months thinner vegetation and animals concentrating at water make park sightings easier; the green season after rains is lush and good for birds and newborns but tracks can be muddy.
Park + Sheldrick + Giraffe Centre tour prices
From US$219 per person for a group of 5–6, all-inclusive of park entry and both admissions. Smaller groups pay more per head because the private vehicle is shared among fewer people.
| Group size | Price / person | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $355 | Private vehicle, all three stops |
| 2 people | $279 | Per person, shared vehicle |
| 3–4 people | $235 | Per person, best all-round value |
| 5–6 people | $219 | Per person, lowest rate |
Included: Private 4WD with pop-up roof, professional driver-guide, Nairobi National Park entry (KWS non-resident fee), Sheldrick admission/donation, Giraffe Centre admission, bottled water, hotel/airport pickup and drop-off.
Not included: Lunch, gratuities, personal shopping and any optional extras.
Indicative 2026 rates in USD per person for non-resident guests on a private tour. Includes Nairobi National Park entry at the current KWS non-resident fee (US$80 per adult, effective October 2025) and attraction admission where shown; excludes lunch, gratuities and personal extras. Final price confirmed on enquiry. Last checked: July 2026.
What’s included and excluded
Included: private 4WD and driver-guide, park entry at the current KWS non-resident fee, Sheldrick admission, Giraffe Centre admission, bottled water, and door-to-door transfers from your Nairobi hotel or the airport.
Not included: lunch (easy to add in Karen), tips, and personal purchases. Kenyan residents and citizens pay lower park and attraction fees — tell us your status for an adjusted quote.
Pickup, gates and transfer times
We pick up from any Nairobi hotel, JKIA or Wilson Airport and enter at the nearest park gate. Karen and Lang’ata are closest to all three stops.
Because Sheldrick and the Giraffe Centre both sit in the Lang’ata/Karen area, guests staying on that side of the city get the smoothest morning. From the airport we still make the timing work with an early collection.
| Pickup area | Nearest gate | Approx. transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Karen / Lang’ata | Lang’ata Gate | 10–25 min |
| CBD / city centre | Main Gate | 20–40 min |
| Westlands / Gigiri | Main Gate | 30–50 min |
| JKIA (airport) | East Gate | 20–35 min |
| Wilson Airport | Lang’ata / Main | 15–30 min |
Who this tour suits
It’s ideal for first-time visitors, families with children, and anyone with a single free day in Nairobi who wants the maximum wildlife in one trip.
Families love it because two of the three stops are guaranteed, hands-on and safe. First-timers love that it packages Nairobi’s headline experiences without planning three separate outings. It’s also a strong choice for a long layover — see the JKIA layover safari if your time is measured in hours rather than days.
Two-stop vs three-stop — which to choose
Choose the three-stop tour if you want both elephants and giraffes; choose a two-stop combo if you only care about one and want a shorter, cheaper morning.
| Tour | Stops | Best for | From (5–6 pp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park + Sheldrick + Giraffe | Park · elephants · giraffes | The complete morning | $219 |
| Park + Sheldrick | Park · elephants | Elephant lovers | $175 |
| Park + Giraffe Centre | Park · giraffes | Families, giraffe fans | $179 |
| Park only (half-day) | Park | Pure game drive | $139 |
How to book
Email your date, group size and hotel and we return a fixed quote and timed itinerary within about 24 hours. Reserve with a deposit; balance on the day.
1 · Enquire
Send your date and numbers to tours@safaricapital.org or via safaricapital.org/contact.
2 · Confirm
We check Sheldrick availability, lock pickup time and send the quote.
3 · Reserve
A deposit secures the vehicle and slots; balance settled on the day.
4 · Travel
Early pickup, three stops, back by early afternoon.
Book the complete Nairobi wildlife morning
Wild game drive, orphan elephants and giraffe feeding in one trip — send your date and group size for a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Park, Sheldrick and Giraffe Centre tour?
Can you really do all three in one morning?
Will I see wild elephants in the park?
Is it suitable for children?
Is lunch included?
What if the Sheldrick public hour is fully booked?
Related tours & guides
Nairobi’s fullest wildlife day.
Wild rhino, orphan elephants and giraffe feeding before lunch — the complete morning. Send your date and group for a tailored quote.
Sources & last updated. Updated July 2026
Park facts (established 1946, ~117 km², Kenya Wildlife Service management) and entry fees: Kenya Wildlife Service (non-resident conservation fee effective October 2025). Sheldrick public hour (11:00–12:00, by donation): Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Giraffe Centre hours & admission: The Giraffe Centre (AFEW Kenya). Prices, fees and hours are variable — confirm before travel. Tour prices are SafariCapital’s indicative 2026 rates, confirmed on enquiry.