Nairobi Snake Park
Tucked beside the Nairobi National Museum, the Snake Park houses many of East Africa's snake species, plus crocodiles, tortoises and a small aquarium of local fish. It's a safe, contained way for curious kids to meet reptiles up close and learn which species are harmless and which to respect. Knowledgeable guides are usually on hand to answer the endless 'is it venomous?' questions.
Good to know: Great rainy-day option since much of it is sheltered.
How a family visit works
- 1Walk over from the National Museum lawns, or enter from the same Museum Hill compound if the snake park is your only stop.
- 2Do the outdoor reptile pits first: pythons, cobras, puff adders and the rest behind glass and mesh. Guides are usually around for the 'is it venomous?' loop.
- 3Stop at the crocodile pools, then the tortoises — those two are the crowd-pleasers for younger kids who have had enough of coiled snakes.
- 4Finish in the small aquarium of local fish if anyone still wants one more look. The whole loop is about an hour.
What kids actually do here
- Stand close to East African snakes without anyone pretending they are cuddly
- Ask a guide which species are harmless and which you actually give space to on a hike
- Watch crocodiles in the pools — this is the bit toddlers press against the barrier for
- Find the tortoises, which calm kids who found the snakes intense
- Peer into the aquarium if you need a quieter last stop
Before you go
Let your child save up for Nairobi Snake Park
Entry here is under KES 500 a child (our estimate). In Tija, kids earn coins for chores you set and put them toward a goal they pick, like this outing, then watch it fill up as the chores get done.
Free to download on Android. On a computer, Google Play can send it straight to your phone.
What to pack
- A rain jacket — much of the park is sheltered, which is why it works on a wet Nairobi afternoon
- Closed shoes; you are walking outdoor paths between pits
- A snack for after, not during — kids watch better when their hands are empty
Parent questions
- Is this too scary for a three-year-old?
- Usually not. Everything is behind barriers, and you can skip the more intense pits and linger at the crocodiles and tortoises. If one child freezes, the museum lawns are twenty metres away.
- Do we still need the National Museum ticket?
- Treat them as neighbours, not the same room. Ask at the Museum Hill counter whether today's ticket covers both. Listed open daily; confirm hours and the under-KES-500 entry with NMK rather than assuming yesterday's rate.
Hours, tickets and activity rules change. Confirm the current details on the official site or at the gate before you travel.
Next outing, let them chip in
Set a few chores in Tija, your kids earn coins, and the coins go into a savings goal for the next day out. Built for Kenyan families, priced in shillings.
More for families: Holiday outing planner · Savings Challenge · Parent guides · Tija for Schools
