Nairobi Safari Walk

The Safari Walk at the main gate of Nairobi National Park is a raised wooden boardwalk that loops above enclosures of lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, albino zebra and the rarely-seen pygmy hippo. Because you are walking, not driving, small children can take it at their own pace and actually see everything — it's the gentlest possible introduction to Kenyan wildlife. The walk takes an hour or two and there's shade most of the way.

How a family visit works

1. 1Use the same Langata Main Gate as the Animal Orphanage. Buy Safari Walk tickets and get onto the raised wooden boardwalk — you are on foot, looking down, not driving.
2. 2Walk the loop slowly. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, albino zebra and the pygmy hippo sit in enclosures below. The hippo is easy to walk past if you are rushing.
3. 3Let small children set the pace. Shade covers most of the way; this is the wildlife outing where a toddler can actually see the animal.
4. 4Add the orphanage on the same gate if you want a half-day. Do not try to squeeze a park game drive into the same tired afternoon.

What kids actually do here

• Walk a raised boardwalk over treetops instead of sitting in a car
• Look down on lions, cheetahs and leopards at child height on the rail
• Find the pygmy hippo — the one they will not see on a normal Nairobi park drive
• Spot the albino zebra and argue about whether it is 'real'
• Finish in an hour or two, which matches young attention better than a five-hour circuit

What to pack

• Hats and water; shade is good, not complete
• Comfortable shoes for a wooden loop
• A stroller only if it will handle boardwalk gaps — a carrier is simpler with a toddler
• Binoculars if you want a closer look at cats that are lying down

Parent questions

Is this the same as the Animal Orphanage?

Same gate, different walk. Orphanage is ground-level enclosures. Safari Walk is the raised loop, including animals you may not get at the orphanage (pygmy hippo, albino zebra). Many families do both. Under-KES-500 band; confirm both tickets at KWS.

Will we see animals like on a game drive?

You will see them, because they cannot walk off into the plains. You will not get the skyline-and-lion photograph from a car. Open daily; check hours at the Langata gate.

Hours, tickets and activity rules change. Confirm the current details on the official site or at the gate before you travel.