Booking choice: The park, orphanage and giraffes day, from $40 per person. Check dates Tour details
Kenya's first national park sits on the southern edge of the capital. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) gazetted it in 1946, and it covers 117 square kilometres of plains, acacia woodland and river valleys. On a clear morning you can watch zebras graze with Nairobi's towers in the background.
This guide covers the 2026 entry fee and the court case around it, how to pay on eCitizen, the ID you need, what a game drive is like, what a Nairobi safari costs with the fees, the cheapest ways in, and the Nairobi Safari Walk and Animal Orphanage, two smaller KWS sites.
The quick answer
A non-resident adult pays US$80 for the park under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025), paid online through eCitizen; check KWS or eCitizen before you go. Bring your passport. Most visitors see it on a morning game drive that also takes in the baby elephants and the giraffes, from about $35 per person on GetYourGuide plus the fees on the day.
What is Nairobi National Park and what can you see there?
A 117 square kilometre park on the edge of the city, gazetted in 1946 as Kenya's first national park. KWS lists over 100 animal species and over 400 bird species, with a sanctuary for the endangered black rhino.
KWS describes wide open grass plains, a sanctuary for black rhinos, three resident lion prides (Kingfisher, Athi and Mokoyet) and four of the Big Five. The fifth is missing: there are no wild elephants in the park. The elephants you meet on a Nairobi tour are the orphaned calves at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery, which sits inside the park near Mbagathi Gate on Magadi Road.
What you actually see depends on the morning. The tour listings name lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and hyenas as animals you may spot, and say plainly that sightings vary. Hazel, back from the classic park, elephants and giraffes tour, listed hers: "We saw rhino, hippo, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, crocodile, impala, antelope, lion, eagle, vulture and various types of birds. It was worth every penny." (Oct 2026)
The draw is the setting. Few places let you photograph a rhino with a skyline behind it, and the park is close enough to the city to fit before an 11am visit to the baby elephants.
How much is the Nairobi National Park entry fee in 2026?
US$80 for a non-resident adult and US$40 for a child, valid for up to 24 hours, under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025). Kenya residents pay KSh 1,350.
KWS raised its fees from 1 October 2025. On 2 October 2025 the High Court in Nairobi temporarily halted the increase on an application by the Kenya Tourism Federation, and the case was still being argued later that year. Operators report that KWS kept charging the 2025 rates through eCitizen, and the final outcome is not confirmed. Plan on the figures below and check KWS or eCitizen before you go.
| Visitor | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident | US$80 | US$40 |
| African citizen (outside East Africa) | US$40 | US$20 |
| Kenya resident | KSh 1,350 | KSh 675 |
| East African citizen | KSh 1,000 | KSh 500 |
| Nairobi Package: park, Animal Orphanage and Safari Walk (non-resident) | US$105 | US$55 |
Young children (5 and under) are exempt; the child rate covers older children under 18. A vehicle with fewer than 6 seats pays KSh 600 a day, a fee tour operators deal with. Most shared tours leave the park fee to the day, so it sits on top of the tour price. Our 2026 park fees update follows the court case.
A dawn game drive, the 11am baby elephants and the giraffes, with hotel pickup and an open-roof vehicle.
Check dates for the park, baby elephants and giraffes tourHow do you pay the park fee, and do you need ID to enter Nairobi National Park?
You pay online on eCitizen, usually by card, and every non-resident needs a valid passport. Tour listings ask you to have the payment ready on the day.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust tells visitors that KWS fees are paid through eCitizen, and the tour listings say the same in their own words. One shared tour notes a US$2 processing fee on top of the US$80 when you pay by card on eCitizen; the early-morning 4x4 game drive says the park fee is paid only by card on the KWS eCitizen page. Bring a card that works abroad and a phone with data.
- Non-residents: a valid passport.
- Kenya residents: a valid residence permit.
- Kenyan citizens: a national ID.
- East African and other African citizens: a valid passport.
- Students: a student ID for the student rate.
The flagship tour asks non-residents to carry the passport itself on the day. Do that rather than relying on a copy.
What is a game drive in Nairobi National Park like?
An early start, a driver-guide, and three to five hours on the park's dirt roads with the roof popped up. Pickups run from about 5:20am so you reach the gate when the animals are most active.
The classic tour picks up between 5:20 and 6:00am and gives you a 4.5-hour game drive before the elephant nursery. The 4x4 game drive collects you at 6am in Nairobi or Westlands for at least 3 hours in a Land Cruiser, and the half-day safari plans about 5 hours in the park before the giraffes. Listings agree on one thing: early morning is when predators move.
Your guide reads the radio, the tracks and the other cars. Dave, on the park, orphanage and giraffes day, liked the vehicle: "Great photo access from the raised roof on the safari vehicle and very close to the animals." (Oct 2026)
Wear layers. Nairobi mornings are cool and the roof is open. Bring water, a hat for later, and binoculars if you own them; the private safari includes a pair.
How much does a safari in Nairobi cost?
A shared morning safari with the elephants and giraffes starts at about $35 per person on GetYourGuide, plus fees on the day. For a non-resident adult the three entry fees add about US$111 to 112.
The fees are the bigger part of the bill: US$80 for the park, the US$20 Sheldrick donation in cash and KSh 1,500 at the Giraffe Centre (about US$11 to 12 at the Central Bank of Kenya rate of October 2026). A few tours include some of them. Here is how the main options compare, with tour prices at the time of writing:
| Tour | From | Paid on the day or online |
|---|---|---|
| Park, baby elephants and giraffes | $35 | Park, orphanage and centre fees |
| Budget park and giraffes tour | $38 | Park (plus US$2 card fee), orphanage, centre |
| Park, orphanage and giraffes day | $40 | Park, orphanage and centre fees |
| Half-day park and giraffes safari | $39 | Park and centre fees |
| Early-morning 4x4 game drive | $33 | Park fee by card (included in some options) |
| Private Nairobi safari | $105 | Park, orphanage and centre fees |
Bring a card for the park and the giraffes and US dollars in cash for the elephants. The listings put the centre at "$15"; the official fee is KSh 1,500.
The most booked Nairobi morning: 4.5 hours in the park, the baby elephants at 11am, then the giraffes, with hotel pickup.
Explore the park, baby elephants and giraffes tour Tour detailsWhat is the cheapest safari in Kenya?
The cheapest KWS wildlife ticket is the Nairobi Safari Walk or Animal Orphanage at US$25 for a non-resident adult. For a real game drive, Nairobi National Park is the cheapest because there is no long transfer out of the city.
Out-of-town parks add fuel, a long day or a night away. Nairobi skips all that: the shorter tours have you back in town by lunchtime. The lowest tour price on this site is the early-morning 4x4 game drive at $33, with the park fee paid by card. If the baby elephants and giraffes matter more than the longest game drive, the classic tour at $35 does all three.
Two ways to keep costs down without cutting the day short:
- Book a shared tour: the vehicle and guide cost is split across the group.
- Skip the extras you don't need: a game drive alone costs less than one with the elephant donation and the giraffe ticket on top.
A proper Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof at first light, from Nairobi or Westlands, back before lunch.
Check dates for the early-morning 4x4 game driveWhich is the best safari in Nairobi?
For most first-time visitors, the classic morning: game drive, baby elephants, giraffes. If you want the animals to set the pace, book a private Land Cruiser.
We would pick by what you want out of the morning:
- The three highlights in one go: the classic tour, 4.7 out of 5 from 1,589 reviews.
- More time with the animals: the 4x4 game drive, at least 3 hours in a Land Cruiser rather than a minivan, with the elephants as an option on early request.
- Your own vehicle and guide: the private safari, up to 6 people, with a flexible plan and hotel, residence or Airbnb pickup.
- Most of the fees paid for you: the elephants and giraffes tour includes the nursery slot and the Giraffe Centre; it skips the game drive, and the park fee still applies because the nursery sits inside the park.
Kirsty summed up the classic day: "[...] we were so lucky to see a few lions and so many rhinos. The elephant conservancy was very educational, and feeding the giraffes was an absolute highlight." (Oct 2026)
What are the Nairobi Safari Walk and the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, and what do they cost?
Two small KWS sites at Nairobi National Park, reached along Lang'ata Road. Each costs US$25 for a non-resident adult and US$15 for a child, or US$40 and US$20 for both under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025).
The Safari Walk is a raised wooden boardwalk through three recreated habitats (wetland, savannah and forest). KWS lists white rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hyena, crocodile and the pygmy hippo there, with more than 150 indigenous tree species. It is also an education centre for schools. KWS does not publish the boardwalk's length, and its page names no food rule; it does ban single-use plastic in national parks and feeding the animals, and asks you to carry your rubbish out.
The Nairobi Animal Orphanage is a different place from the Sheldrick elephant nursery. It is a separate KWS site with its own ticket. Our Sheldrick orphanage guide explains the elephant visit.
| Ticket | Non-resident adult | Child | Kenya resident adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nairobi Safari Walk | US$25 | US$15 | KSh 405 |
| Nairobi Animal Orphanage | US$25 | US$15 | KSh 405 |
| Nairobi Sanctuary Package (both) | US$40 | US$20 | KSh 675 |
Rates are under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025); check KWS or eCitizen before you go. For the best light and cooler air, go in the morning.
Frequently asked questions
Are there elephants in Nairobi National Park?
No wild ones. KWS lists four of the Big Five in the park, without elephants. The baby elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery inside the park are the ones you see on a Nairobi tour.
Is the park fee included in Giraffe Centre tours?
On most shared tours it is not: you pay US$80 per non-resident adult on eCitizen on the day. Some options of the 4x4 game drive include it. Check the listing before you book.
Do I need my passport for Nairobi National Park?
Yes. Under Legal Notice 160 of 2025, non-residents show a valid passport. Tour operators ask you to carry it on the day.
How long is a game drive in Nairobi National Park?
From about 3 hours on the 4x4 game drive to 4.5 hours on the classic tour and about 5 hours on the half-day safari, per the listings.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
National Park, Baby Elephants & Giraffe Centre
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Driver-guide
- 4x4 or van with an open roof
Early Morning Nairobi National Park by 4x4
Rhinos and lions at first light from a Land Cruiser
Private Nairobi Safari, Elephants & Giraffe Centre
Your own Land Cruiser and guide for the whole day
