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Splash Africa · Hotel pickup in Nairobi

The elephants at 11, the giraffes after

A relaxed day with a 9:30am pickup: the Sheldrick elephant nursery at its public hour, then lunch-time with the giraffes. Pick it for the late start and the paperwork done for you, with both entries in the price and a group of up to 30.

Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre

About this experience

No dawn alarm on this one. Splash Africa picks you up at your Nairobi hotel at 9:30am and reaches the Sheldrick elephant nursery around 10:30am, just as the Trust asks. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust opens its nursery to the public from 11am to noon every day except 25 December. The hour is fixed, which is why every tour here builds its morning around it. You watch the calves feed, play and roll in the mud while the keepers tell you where each one came from, and you learn about the Trust's elephant and rhino work.

Around 12:30pm you move on to the Giraffe Centre for a guided visit and the chance to feed the Rothschild's giraffe, now usually classified as the Nubian giraffe from the platform. The listing offers an optional stop at a bead workshop, and you leave around 2pm, back at your hotel at about 3pm per the itinerary. A professional guide looks after you, with private transportation per the listing and groups of up to 30.

The price covers the pickup and drop-off, the reservation slot and entry for the nursery, the Giraffe Centre entry, the guide and a bottle of water, per the listing. The one fee left for the day is the park conservation fee the Kenya Wildlife Service charges to reach the nursery: US$80 per non-resident adult under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025); check KWS or eCitizen before you go. It is paid online through eCitizen, with no cash, so bring a card. Ask your operator for the Trust's own confirmation email before the day. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later.

  • A 9:30am hotel pickup, no dawn start
  • The 11am public hour at the Sheldrick elephant nursery
  • The nursery slot reserved by the operator
  • Nursery and Giraffe Centre entries in the price
  • Feeding the giraffes from the raised platform
  • An optional bead workshop stop

How the day runs

  1. 9:30amHotel pickup

    Your guide collects you from your hotel in Nairobi with a short safety briefing.

  2. 10:30amArrival at the nursery

    In time for the Trust's request that guests arrive by 10:30am.

  3. 11am to noonThe baby elephants

    The keepers bring the orphans out for milk, play and mud, and tell you their stories.

  4. 12:30pmThe Giraffe Centre

    A guided visit, the conservation story and time on the feeding platform.

  5. 2pm to 3pmBack to your hotel

    The optional bead workshop, if you choose it, and the drive back; you are at your hotel around 3pm per the itinerary.

Two baby elephants with reddish dust on their skin walking through bushA raised wooden feeding platform with two giraffes beside itA dirt nature trail between tall trees

What's included

Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • The reservation slot and entry for the Sheldrick elephant nursery, per the listing
  • Entry to the Giraffe Centre
  • A small group of up to 30 with a professional guide
  • Private transportation, per the listing
  • A bottle of drinking water

Not included

  • The KWS park conservation fee to reach the nursery: US$80 per non-resident adult under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025); check KWS or eCitizen before you go; paid online through eCitizen, no cash
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want the elephants and giraffes without an early start
  • You want the bookings and entry fees handled for you
  • You want your late afternoon free
  • You prefer a smaller group than the big shared safaris

Skip it if

What guests say

★★★★★

Got covered in dust and mud but loved every second. The guide ensured we got a great spot at the elephant sanctuary (hence the mud). We were so close to the animals and it was an incredible experience. Suggest wearing old clothes! The giraffes were much more civilised, lovd feeding them and experiencing their quiet nature. Would highly recommend.

Derek · Oct 2026
★★★★★

I was very satisfied with the day we spent visiting the elephant orphanage, the Giraffe Centre, and the Kobe Tough Beads Factory. It was an interesting and enjoyable experience. Our guide, Mr. Meshack, was very knowledgeable and pleasant, and he was also an excellent driver. The car was very comfortable, too.

Igor · Oct 2026
★★★★★

It was a really nice experience! Meshack was our driver and guide, and he was super friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. We also had enough time to enjoy both places without feeling rushed.

Basheer · Sep 2026
★★★★★

I really liked the tour, seeing the young elephants, the rhinoand zebra was amazing. The feeding of the giraffes was very funny. A memorizable day for sure!

Larissa · Oct 2026

Tips before you book

  • Bring a credit card, as the listing asks, for the park fee on eCitizen, and set up the account before the day.
  • Ask your operator for the Trust's own confirmation email before the day. The Trust asks guests to show it at the gate.
  • Wear old clothes and closed shoes. The calves throw red dust and mud, and guests love it.
  • African citizens must carry their physical passports, per the listing. Carry your passport. Under Legal Notice 160 of 2025, non-residents show a valid passport for entry to KWS parks.
  • There is no café at the nursery, per the Trust. The Giraffe Centre has a Tea House for a drink after the elephants.

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Frequently asked questions

What is included in the Sheldrick and Giraffe Centre tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the nursery reservation slot and entry, the Giraffe Centre entry, a guide and water, per the listing. It starts from $90 per person on GetYourGuide.

What time does the tour start?

Pickup is at 9:30am from your hotel in Nairobi, and you are back around 3pm, per the itinerary on the listing.

Can I book the Sheldrick nursery on GetYourGuide?

No. The Trust takes bookings by email and does not accept third-party platform bookings, so the operator reserves the slot with the Trust. Ask the operator for the Trust's own confirmation email before the day.

What fee is not included?

The KWS park conservation fee to reach the nursery, US$80 per non-resident adult under the 2025 KWS rates, paid online through eCitizen. Check KWS or eCitizen before you go.

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The baby elephants and the giraffes with the entrance fees included and pickup.

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The baby elephants and the giraffes with the entrance fees included and pickup.

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