From the carved wooden hippos and lions that are sold in every tourist handicraft store to the real-life replicas that stalk the wildlife reserves close to Nairobi, Nairobi is a city that is alive with wildlife. Kenya is an excellent starting point for day trips or overnight stays in a variety of safari reserves.

Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa, which are home to all five of the Big Five—aside from elephants—overlook the city. Forest-covered volcanoes, lakes teeming with flamingos, and shaded canyons teeming with baboons are all only a few hours distant. Nairobi’s status as East Africa’s safari capital is not surprising.

1. National Park in Nairobi

No other capital city on the planet can claim to have a full-fledged national park with tower blocks in the middle plus lions, cheetahs, and rhinos. A stunning 117km2/45mi2 expanse of rolling grasslands and sections of mixed woodland, this unique park astonishes everyone with its profusion of life. With strong populations of lions, cheetahs, and hyenas, Nairobi National Park is actually one of the top safari parks in East Africa if you want to view rhinos. You also have a decent chance of spotting some predators.

Additionally, there are healthy numbers of wildebeest, buffalo, and impalas. Elephants are one animal that the park does not have and has never had. If you only have a half-day to spend at a safari park close to Nairobi, Nairobi National Park is the obvious choice. It’s also a very rewarding park to visit as part of a longer Kenyan safari.

9 km/5 mi (around 20 to 45 minutes) from central Nairobi, however you may get there right away if you keep close to the park gates.
Accommodations: A variety of hotels in the city center or airport are easily accessible, or for a more authentic bush experience, consider the Nairobi Tented Camp, the only camp located inside the park.
Activities include safari boardwalks, game drives, and animal orphanages.

2. The National Park of Lake Nakuru

Nairobi National Park’s twin sister is Lake Nakuru National Park. Conveniently located near the rapidly expanding city of Nakuru, this well-liked and highly rewarding park manages to fit a lot of glamour into a very tiny 180km2/69mi2.

Visitors are almost certain to encounter both black and white rhinos in this great rhino territory, along with hippos, baboons (many and lots of baboons!), and, if they’re extremely fortunate, lions, which are well-known in the area for their ability to climb trees. But the flamingos are the park’s true stars, aside from the rhinos. Tens of thousands of these captivating birds cover the lake’s surface when the correct conditions are present. There are always large numbers of pelicans and other birds, even if they are not living there.

180 km/111 mi (around 3½ hours) from Nairobi
Accommodations: When visiting the park, the majority of visitors base themselves in Nakuru City, which offers lodging options to fit every budget. There are a number of upscale and pricey options if you would rather stay inside the park.
Activities: All safaris within the park are driven by automobile. Other noteworthy attractions in the vicinity of Nakuru include the Menengai Crater, a striking volcanic crater that is accessible by foot, and the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site.

3. National Park Hell’s Gate

Deep canyons split the landscape, sun-bleached savannah grasslands teem with dark-striped zebra, massive baboon bands, and inquisitive giraffes, and pinnacles of honey-toned rock climb toward the sky. From Nairobi, Hells Gate National Park is a great place to spend the night. There are many plains animals in the park, but there aren’t many predators or other dangerous creatures.

The fact that you can stroll or cycle about the park at any time makes it unique among Kenyan national parks. If scurrying past a herd of grumpy buffalo isn’t thrilling enough, Hell’s Gate offers some amazing rock climbing spots. Overall, this location is perfect for an African safari that involves walking close to Nairobi. On the other hand, weekends can be hectic due to people escaping Nairobi.

125 km/77 mi from Nairobi (about 2½ hours if traffic is light)
Accommodations: The colonial-era Elsamere Lodge, the former residence of naturalist, author, and artist Joy Adamson, is one among the many excellent shore-side lodging options available around Lake Naivasha.
Activities include trekking, cycling, and rock climbing; boat safaris and excellent bird watching are available at neighboring Lake Naivasha.

4. The National Park of Mount Longonot

The sweeping fingers of Nairobi gradually give way to cold, muddy, verdant agricultural country and forest sections as you head west. Subsequently, the terrain abruptly drops to the scorching, arid Great Rift Valley bottom, which is dotted with large, dimple-shaped volcanic craters and lakes that shimmer in the sunlight. People fall in love with Africa because of this kind of vision. The massive Mt. Longonot (2,776m/9,107ft) is the most noticeable of these volcanoes.

Currently a little-visited national park, this dormant volcano is the ideal “away from it all” getaway from Nairobi. This park does not provide a traditional safari experience. Longonot is all about hiking instead. The dense forest that covers the steep volcanic slopes is home to many birds and primates. A steeply inclining trail leads to the crater top, which offers breathtaking views of the bleached grass plains a thousand meters below as well as the massive Lost World crater itself.83 km/51 mi from Nairobi (about 2 to 2½ hours if traffic is light)
Accommodations: There are numerous possibilities in neighboring Lake Naivasha, or a simple campground at the park entry.

5. Wildlife Conservancy of Lewa

Compared to the other parks listed here, this one is a little more distant (at least two days are required to make a visit worthwhile, but longer would be ideal). But the internationally recognized Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is everything you could have imagined East Africa could be.

It’s a picture-perfect park with an abundance of species, set against the backdrop of Mount Kenya, traditional savannah grasslands, and clusters of fever trees. All five of the Big Five are there, along with plenty of rhinos, elephants (be aware that the elephants in this region of Kenya are known to be aggressive), and easy-to-find buffalos, lions, and leopards. Seeing cheetahs is another fantastic experience in the reserve.

The good news doesn’t stop there, though. Lewa boasts luxurious safari lodges, some of Africa’s top wildlife guides, and a sense of complete exclusivity. You can be certain that every dollar you spend will support progressive conservation policies and community development since Lewa is leading the way in community conservation initiatives in Africa. Lewa provides the most exceptional African safari experience among all the wildlife parks close to Nairobi.

There are regular flights from Nairobi directly to Lewa, which is around four and a half hours away.
Accommodations: Lewa offers nine beautiful but pricey camps and resorts.
Activities: The primary activity is vehicle jeep safaris, but there are also exciting bush treks where big game sightings are frequent.