Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is Kenya’s oldest safari destination and stands as capital for wildlife species and birdlife. The park is approximately 7kilomteres away from the south of Nairobi main city well fenced avoiding poachers to entangle with wildlife while the open southern boundary allows the migrating mammals to move between the park and also adjacent kitengela plains. During dry seasons it’s when the herbivores animals gather the park for grazing. Since the national park is located close to the city centre faces a lot of challenges by increased number of humans, livestock populations, changing of land issues as well as poaching of wildlife species.
Despite the fact, the park boost with a large and varied population of wildlife species marking it to be one of Kenya’s most successful safari destination. Nairobi national park estimates a total land of about 117square kilometres and was established in 1946 as a gazette national park and managed by Kenya Wildlife Service a body that governs all Kenya’s conversation areas.
Historically, the area was for Nomadic Maasai people lived in the area and herded their cattle among the wildlife and the Kikuyu people were farmers in the forested part of highlands above Nairobi. Time came by 1910 conflicts which occurred in the country, the residents of Nairobi increased in number as well as animals. So residents of the city were scared against about the animals started carrying guns at night to protect themselves against lions. During those 19th century too much complains occurred by the people in the area about giraffes and zebras which could walk on and ruin their flower beds. Wildlife species could have confined to the expansive Athi plains to the west and south of Nairobi. So the colonial government had to come up with a new solution of setting this area aside as a protective game reserve. Meantime, there was a European conservationist known as Mervyn Cowie who was born in Nairobi Kenya province, who returned to Kenya after absenting a nine-year in 1932, he was alarmed to see a number of game animals on the Athi plains had dwindled and he later renamed the place as a paradise that was quickly disappearing. At the time, the area become Nairobi national park as part of southern Game Reserve and hunting was completely abolished. In regard Cowie had to form campaign for the creation of a national park system in Kenya and the government of Kenya bought the idea and they had to form a committee that matter.
Officially Nairobi national was established in 1946 as a gazette national park. By that time, Maasai people who are pastoralists were removed from their lands when the park was created. From that time the European Mervyn Cowie was positioned as a director of Nairobi National park until 1966.
Geographical structure of Nairobi national park is in small compared to most of Africa’s national park covering an area of 117 square kilometers. On the altitude ranges between 1,533 and 1,760meter above the see level. The park has Athi Kapiti ecosystem making up less than 10 percentages of this ecosystem with diverse range of habitats and species. The park is well fenced with electric wires on every side of the park and the southern boundary is formed by the Mbagathi River. This southern boundary is widely open to the Kitengela Conservation Area considered to be movement of large wildlife species.
The park is surrounded by open grass plains with scattered Acacia bushes and the western side of the park have highland dry forest with various tree species Then the lower slopes of the park are grassland which acts as animal inhabitants.
Wildlife in Nairobi National Park
The park is rich in wildlife species and can be easily adventured by the tourist on visit to Nairobi national park, species to be viewed include baboon, gazelle, African leopard, Ostrich, Vultures, common eland, Coke’s hartebeest, hippopotamus, impala, Cheetah, eastern black rhinoceros, African buffalos, Maasai giraffes, waterbuck among others. The park also has a high diversity of bird life with over 520 bird species and migratory in the park. Other attractions include wildebeest and zebras which usually migrates each year in the month of July and August thus making it the main capital for tourist attraction for visitors to Nairobi.
Attractions to be viewed in Nairobi National park
The park is the most successful rhinoceros’ sanctuary for breeding and restocking other national parks.
Nairobi national park was the first park to be gazetted in Kenya on 16TH December 1946.
Host numerous bird species with over 520 species and 20 of them are migrants.
Home to four of the Big Fives such as lions, buffalo, leopard and rhino.
The park boosts with over 100 mammal species.
Offers rewardable view of wildebeest and zebras migration.
Nairobi national park is a home for large predators like lions, hyenas, leopard and cheetah.
Also a home to high population of large herbivores such as buffaloes, zebras and wildebeest.
The park offers gainful walking trails that leads tourists at hippo pools.
Nairobi walking safari and the Orphanages.
The location of the park is so close to Nairobi the main city of Kenya.
Picnic facilities also attracts the area like team building sessions, video and film production, bush dinners.
Activities done in Nairobi National Park
They include; Game viewing, walking safari in trails of the park, camping in stunning tented camp, enjoying picnic leisure in the wilderness of Nairobi national park, Bird watching, visiting Nairobi Museum, visiting the local people around the park, wildlife photography, Hiking and cycling among others. All these awesome safari experiences can be done on your visit to this exceptional national park.
Nairobi National Park security
The park is well fenced and has got trained guides who are extremely knowledgeable and know how and where to find variety of wildlife species. All you need to do is to follow their instruction.
Accommodations /lodges in Nairobi National park
Nairobi national park has got variety of comfortable accommodation with rewardable view from inside and outside the lodge or hotels that can leave tourist’s mind back to a visit ranging from luxury to Budget and such lodges include; Swara Acacia Lodge, Ololo safari lodge, Hotel Troy ,The Last village lodge ,Masai lodge ,Osoita lodge among others .Travelers who like camping the park is safe for camping and there is available camping site such as Nairobi Tented camp ,
When to Go
Nairobi park can be visited all year around but the best wildlife viewing starts from June to October and December to January.
What to carry
Below are the essentials to carry with on your trip to Kenya Nairobi national park such as drinking water, binoculars ,hat ,camera ,sunscreen ,sunglasses and guidebook.
How to get there
By road: The distance is just 10kilometers since it is located near the main city in the south of the Nairobi, its walk over the journey.
By Air: Most travelers lands in Kenya through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport these are the major Airport for travelers arrive in Kenya which sits close to Nairobi city a close city to the park.
Visit one of the most outstanding adventuring Kenya safari destination and the only nearest national park to Nairobi Capital city where you can get amazed its shinning city at night while in the remarkable wilderness of Nairobi National Park and end up with privileged time on African ground.
