Nairobi National Park was established in 1946, the national park was the first to be established in Kenya. It is located approximately 7 kilometers south of the centre of Nairobi. It gives visitors a chance to indulge in a real African safari experience at the footsteps of a major urban city. Kenya’s capital city, with an electric fence separating the park’s wildlife from the metropolis. Nairobi’s skyscrapers can be seen from the park. For those passing through the capital, the park is an opportunity to get a taste of the wild without ever leaving the city limits.
Nairobi National Park is perhaps best known for its significant black rhino population. This is the best place to see these endangered animals in their native environment. There are no elephants in this national park, but four of the “Big Five” are represented here (lions, leopards, buffalo and rhinos). Other wildlife commonly seen in the national park include giraffes, elands, zebras and wildebeest. As well, hippos and crocodiles can often be spotted along the Embakasi River.
The concentration of wildlife in the park is greatest in the dry season, when areas outside the park have dried up. Small dams built along the Mbagathi River give the park more water resources than these outside areas. They attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season. The park is the northern limit for wildlife migrations in the dry season.The park has a high diversity of bird species, with up to 500 permanent and migratory species in the park. Dams have created a man-made habitat for birds and aquatic species.
Nairobi National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Africa and yet it supports an amazing variety of wildlife. It is home to four of the Big Five animals. endangered eastern black rhino. In addition to lion and leopard, the park’s predators include cheetah and hyena while herbivores range from the Maasai giraffe to Coke’s hartebeest, eland, waterbuck, and impala.
Although there are some places where visitors are not allowed to get out of their vehicles, there are a couple of marked spots where you can stretch your legs and walk around, including a scenic picnic area at Impala Observation Point for having lunch. One of the best walking trails takes you to the hippo pools, where the largest concentration of these aquatic herbivores can be found.
A major highlight is the David Sheldrick Elephants Orphanage is located inside the park. Founded by Dame Daphne Sheldrick in 1977, the charity welcomes members of the public for one hour in the morning every day to watch the babies being bathed and fed.
