When is the best time to visit Nairobi National Park? Nairobi National Park is Kenya’s oldest national park, officially opened in 1946. The park is home to great concentrations of wildlife in proximity to a major world capital. The park’s creation was driven by the need to preserve Kenya’s rich biodiversity and provide a sanctuary for various species, including black rhinos, lions, and giraffes. The park is about 7 km south of Nairobi, taking no more than 15 minutes to get there from downtown. This unique location allows for easy day trips and short visits, making it possible to experience a safari adventure without having to travel far from the city. Its geographical location encompasses a variety of habitats, including savannah grasslands, riverine forests, and rocky outcrops.
Nairobi National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and various species of antelopes. Additionally, visitors can spot a variety of birds and smaller mammals within the park’s boundaries. The park’s most notable residents include the endangered black rhinoceros, which can often be seen grazing or resting in the park’s grasslands
Nairobi National Park has a cool and temperate climate. Temperatures are reasonably constant year-round, and it cools off considerably at night. There is very little rain in the Dry season from June to October. The Wet season of November to May is also characterized by two periods of rain. The short rains are heaviest in November, and the long rains are at their peak in April
However, the best time to visit Nairobi National Park is during the dry season. This is when you’ll have the greatest chance of seeing wildlife, as animals gather near water sources and in the dry grasslands. The dry season runs from June to October, which is the longest period, and there’s also a shorter dry spell from January to February. During these times, the park is easier to navigate, allowing you to enjoy your game drives without much hassle.
While you can visit the park year-round, spotting animals can be tricky during the wet season. The long rains typically happen from March to May, and short rains occur from November to December. When it’s wet, the park gets muddy, making it harder to drive around, and the tall grass and thick bushes give animals more hiding spots. This means they tend to spread out, making it tougher to see them.
Even though the rainy season might seem like a less popular time to visit Nairobi National Park, it actually has some great benefits. For bird watchers, the best birding time in the Nairobi National Park is during the month of April and November when the park receives migratory birds from European African countries in the park. April and November also feature the breeding season and a lot of animal species can be seen here. Enjoy the Jackson widowbird that is seen only from March to May and in fact, April is the time when the park is experiencing rainfall. Plus, because fewer tourists visit during the rain, you can enjoy a quieter experience without the crowds you might find during the busy dry season when game drives are in high demand.
Main highlights for a Kenya safari in Nairobi National Park
Game drives
One of the most popular and the main highlight of a safari in Nairobi National Park is the game drive. This guided experience allows you to explore the stunning scenery of the park while spotting a variety of wildlife, including Impala, Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Common warthogs, Olive baboon, Black-backed jackals, giraffes, leopards, hippopotamus, blue wildebeest, spotted hyena, plain zebra, cheetah, Thomson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, Common eland among others. While on your game drive, you’ll also get breathtaking glimpses of Mount Kenya.
Birdwatching
Birdwatching tour is also another popular activity offered to visitors while on a Kenya safari in Nairobi National Park. This stunning park is home to over 500 bird species, making it a paradise for bird enthusiasts. during your bird-watching tour, you will get to spot different colorful bird species such as Black-headed herons, Blacksmith lapwings, Common moorhen, Long-tailed fiscal, Ostriches, Restricted -range Jackson’s widowbirds, Secretary birds, and Bustards. Other bird species include; the Lesser kestrel, and Martial eagle among others.
Visit the Nairobi Animal Orphanage
Nairobi Animal Orphanage is situated within the park and is one of the main safari sites to visit while on a Kenya adventure safari in Nairobi National Park. The Nairobi Animal Orphanage is a treatment and rehabilitation center for wild animals like cheetahs, lions, monkeys, and others. Animals are usually taken here for treatment and rehabilitation and once they recover, they are released back into the wild. During your visit, you’ll have the chance to see various species of animals in this orphanage such as lions, buffaloes, leopards, Sokoke cats, baboons, monkeys, cheetahs, hyenas, warthogs, Ostriches as well as different bird species like Crowned cranes, Guinea fowl, Ostriches, Parrot and many others, which can be rehabilitated back to health after being abandoned and injured by the rangers.
Visit the Kifaru Ark- rhinoceros sanctuary
Nairobi National Park is one of Kenya’s most successful conservation protected areas. This park is a rhinoceros sanctuary, the purpose of Kifaru Ark is for anti-poaching. The sanctuary acts as a major breeding rhino sanctuary that is already generating a stock for reintroduction in the species’ former range and other upcoming sanctuaries and due to this success, it is one of the few National parks where a visitor can be certain of seeing a black rhino in its natural habitat.
A visit to the Ivory Burning Monument
Ivory Monument is one of the biggest attractions in Nairobi National Park where you can witness the ashes that were burnt from the ivory in the Nairobi National Park thus making your Kenya Safari a great attraction site to visit while in Kenya. the site is a place where the former Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi was burnt. Visiting the monument offers you a deep history of the life of Daniel Arap Moi as well as his understanding of his deep commitment to the conservation of elephants
