What animals can you see in Nairobi National Park?

Nairobi National Park is one of Africa's most unique wildlife destinations. Located just outside Nairobi city, the park hosts a wide variety of animals despite being only a short drive from skyscrapers and traffic — the only national park of its kind in the world.

Spanning roughly 117 square kilometres, the park is unfenced on its southern boundary, allowing wildlife to move along ancient migration corridors. The result is a genuine open savannah ecosystem on the doorstep of a capital city.

The headline animals

• Black rhino — the park holds one of Kenya's most successful and densest rhino populations.
• Lion, cheetah and leopard — all three big cats are resident, with lion sightings especially common.
• Buffalo, giraffe, zebra, eland, hartebeest and impala across the open plains.
• Hippo and crocodile along the river circuit, plus over 500 recorded bird species.

It is the only place on Earth where you can photograph a rhino with a city skyline behind it.

What you won't see

There are no elephants in Nairobi National Park — the area is too small to support them. For elephants you would head to Amboseli or Tsavo. But for a half-day introduction to East African wildlife, particularly for travellers short on time, it is unmatched.

See it on a half-day safari

Our half-day Nairobi National Park game drive is the easiest big-game safari in Africa to fit into a busy trip. See the Nairobi day tours →