Nairobi National Park: A wildlife Paradise at the outskirts of the city

Nairobi National Park is a rich world of biodiversity outside Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, founded in 1946. This National Park is one of the nearest national parks to the city, a great destination for safari adventures in Kenya, especially for wildlife viewing.  Nairobi National Park is located in the southern part of Nairobi City, just 7 Kilometers away from the city. It is a great destination for day excursions while in Kenya, especially for travelers interested in witnessing different wildlife species, including; rhinos, buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions, leopards, elands, hippos, hyenas, blue wildebeests, Thompson gazelles, Giant gazelles, Nile crocodiles, waterbuck, hartebeests and plain zebras among others.

Beyond wildlife, the national Park is also a great destination to spot birdlife with over 500 bird species said to have been recorded in the park. Some of the popular species spotted include the vultures, eagles, hornbills, and turacos, among others.

The serenity of Nairobi National Park is of its own class above the rest, comprising lush green grass plains and short Acacia bushes, flooded with grazing animals and the Big Five animals. West of Nairobi National Park houses some of the highest population of primates in the dry forest, holding an immense number of baboons and monkeys. The lower slopes of the park are good sites to look for wildlife in the grassland areas with healthy Themeda, Cynodon, Digitaria, and cypress. Animal concentrations are high around the riverine forest along the Southern river of Nairobi National Park.

Safaris in Nairobi National Park are one-in-a-lifetime experiences whose aura cannot be defined. Eyes cannot escape the magnetism embedded in the beautiful attractions of Nairobi National Park, given the unique nature of the ecosystem, like the Athi-Kapiti ecosystem, which contributes to ten percent of the ecosystem in the park.

History Of Nairobi National Park

The wildlife of Nairobi National Park originated from the Athi plains located on the eastern and western sides of modern-day Nairobi City, and the Kikuyu tribe was the initial human settlement in the area, plus the Nomadic Maasai people before the coming of the British in the 19^th century.

The population of Nairobi City grew to 14,000 people in 1910, and the increasing population put a lot of pressure on the ecosystem due to threats from animals. This forced the inhibitors of Nairobi City to carry guns at night to protect themselves against lions.

The colonial government was concerned about the lives of the people, so the animals were pushed to the West and South of Nairobi City, and a game reserve was established to contain the animals. In 1946, Nairobi National Park became the first national park in the country under colonial rule. Although the local people were affected, such as the Maasai, who were evicted from the land currently Nairobi National Park.

One of the major appointments of that time was Cowie, who was appointed director of the park and directed the park until Kenya gained its independence. The turning point in the conservation of wildlife in the park was in 1989 when the president of Kenya, then ‘‘Arap Moi’’ involved himself in burning twelve tons of ivory in Nairobi National Park.

 

Attractions And Activities of Nairobi National Park

Wildlife

Nairobi National Park is undoubtedly a great wildlife hub in Kenya, one of the perfect places for wildlife viewing safaris in Kenya. The wildlife counts in the Parks exceed 70 mammal species, including the most sought after by most travelers. This National Park is home the African Big Five animals (lion, leopard, rhino, and buffalos), Cheetah, spotted hyena, Black-backed jackal, Side-striped jackal, Serval cat, African civet, Genet, common eland, impalas, warthogs, Giraffes, and Burchell’s Zebra among others.

The lions have greatly increased in the park of Nairobi, making it a key destination for visitors interested in seeing lions in their natural habitat.  This Park is indeed a great Kenyan safari destination with lots of amphibian species about 40 of different kinds. Reptiles in the park are some of the most sought-after animals, as many visitors want to see Nile Crocodiles, monitor lizards, among others. During Kenya wildlife safaris/Wildlife safaris in Kenya, Nairobi National Park is a great destination to visit.

 

Birds of Nairobi National Park: Bird Watching in Kenya

Birding is an outstanding activity to do in the Park. This National Park is a big bird sanctuary in Kenya with up to 500 species of birds recorded in the area, including migratory and endemic species of birds. Migratory birds in Nairobi National Park include about 20 species that migrate to the park from Europe. Viewing birds in a city like Nairobi is a fascinating activity that many bird watchers love to do. The experience comes in handy with Big Five viewing and wildlife watching. Some of the commonly spotted birdlife in the park include: Abyssinian thrush, corncrakes, martial eagles, pallid harrier, white-bellied bustard, lesser kestrel, grey horned crane and many more.

 

Flora 

The vegetation in the Park is varied from the open grasslands and plains to Acacia bushes and woodlands. Dry forests graze the stunning landscapes with species like Brachylaena hutchinsii, Croton dichogamus and Olea africana.  Other species of plants at the Park are yellow-barked Acacia xanthophloea, euphorbia candelabrum, Newtonia species, Ficus eriocarpa, Aspilia mossambicensis and Canthium schimperiana.

 

Kifaru Ark

The Park has conservation projects inside the park, with one of the most famous being Kifari Ark, well known for rhino conservation. Kifaru is the rhino’s Swahili translation after the sanctuary aimed at protecting rhinos in Kenya. Since its establishment, Kifaru has boosted Big Five safaris, as many visitors go there to have an authentic rhino walking adventure. Black rhinos are the most common of the wildlife around the rhino sanctuary.

 

Why Visit Nairobi National Park

This Park is the largest urban conservation site in Africa due to the strategic location of the park in the modern Nairobi City of Kenya. Get to learn about the city and how it has influenced animal behavior in the park.

The park is the most accessible among the national parks in Kenya, given its location south of Nairobi, about 7 km. visitors can go for game drives at any time of the day without moving long distances, as it is the case with other national parks in Kenya.

 

The Best Time To Visit Nairobi National Park

There is an all-year exploration of the Park for visitors, although the best period coincides with the dry seasons from June -September and December to February, when the grass is shorter, allowing easy visibility while searching for animals.

Going for safaris in the wet months comes in handy with lower fees for accessing national parks and discounted prices for lodges.

How To Get There

Visitors can drive directly from the capital, Nairobi southwards to the game of Nairobi National Park which is 7 km from the city and the drive is less than 10 minutes to get there.