At a glance, you wouldn’t think that there is a national park a stone’s throw away from bustling Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Nairobi is perhaps the only major city in the world that has a natural game protection park in its outskirts. Little do visitors know that the Nairobi National Park is the country’s oldest national park.
Established by the end of 1946, the 117 square kilometer savanna is a sanctuary for the Black Rhinos, a specie unique to Kenya. These huge creatures can be seen in the park all year round while most animals migrate (depending on the time of the year). A mere seven-kilometer ride from the country’s capital is all that’s needed to reach the park. Guests can take a day tour to explore the vastness of this protected sanctuary as there are no accommodations within the park. However, those who would like to visit the area can choose some of the good hotels or inns in the nearby city of Nairobi.
If you happen to visit the national park between July and August, you will have a good chance of seeing herds of zebra, eland and wildebeest that feast on the area’s abundant grass. Among the animals that are regularly seen roaming on the great savanna include lions and buffalos as well as leopards and hippos. Because of the good network of roads, a saloon can be used to explore the park. But if you want to experience the wild up-close, a 4×4 vehicle is just right.
Visitors can trek the Nature Trail or step in to the Education Center right after the main gate to know more about the animals that call this place their home. And right after that, they can stay outdoors and relax in six picnic sites within the park. Nearby is the historic Ivory Burning Site, a monument to the government’s fight against poaching of elephant tusks and rhino horns.