Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is a remarkable 117-square-kilometre wildlife sanctuary located just seven kilometres from the centre of Kenya's capital city, making it the only national park in the world situated within a major metropolis. Established in 1946 as Kenya's first national park, it protects open grass plains, scattered acacia bush, stretches of highland forest, and a section of the permanent Athi River, all set against the surreal backdrop of Nairobi's gleaming skyscrapers. The juxtaposition of wildlife roaming free with a modern city skyline visible in the distance creates a uniquely Kenyan photographic opportunity found nowhere else on earth.

Despite its relatively small size, the park packs an impressive diversity of wildlife. It is one of the most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries in Kenya, protecting a significant population of both black and critically endangered Eastern black rhino. Lions, leopards, cheetah, hyena, buffalo, giraffe, eland, and over 400 bird species all thrive here. The southern boundary of the park is unfenced, allowing the seasonal migration of wildebeest, zebra, and other plains game between the park and the adjacent Kitengela plains, though urban expansion increasingly threatens this critical wildlife corridor.

The park is also home to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (now known as the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust), located at the main gate, where visitors can watch orphaned baby elephants being bottle-fed and mud-bathing during the daily public viewing hour. Adjacent to the park, the Giraffe Centre in Langata allows visitors to hand-feed endangered Rothschild's giraffes at eye level. The park's proximity to the city makes it an ideal destination for early morning game drives before a flight, a half-day safari for travellers with limited time, or a meaningful introduction to Kenya's wildlife for first-time visitors.