Why this journey is different.
One of the most rewarding things to do in Kenya on a stopover: a sunrise wildlife safari in Nairobi National Park, orphaned elephants at the David Sheldrick Trust, hand-fed Rothschild's giraffe at the Giraffe Centre, and a long Kenyan lunch at Carnivore Restaurant. Private guide, private 4x4, back at your hotel by early evening, a genuine best-of-Nairobi day for travellers on a tight window.
Moments you will remember.
- 1★ Sunrise game drive in Nairobi National Park
- 2★ David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage
- 3★ Hand-feed a Rothschild's giraffe at the Giraffe Centre
- 4★ Long Kenyan feast at Carnivore Restaurant
Your itinerary.
6 chapters, each with the exact landscape you will be standing in that day.
Sign in to your guest account to print your name and travel dates on the cover and every page header. One personalisation per account, so your document stays uniquely yours.
- 1. Nairobi
- 2. David Sheldrick
- 3. Giraffe Centre
6:00amNairobi and the road, guided walking safari Hotel pickup
We meet you in the lobby with fresh coffee and a chilled briefing on the day. Your KPSGA-certified guide walks you through the plan while you roll south towards the park gate before Nairobi wakes up.
6:30amOl Pejeta, dawn game drive Nairobi National Park sunrise game drive
The city skyline sits behind you as we track lion, buffalo and black rhino across open grassland, one of the most surreal African safari settings on the continent. Expect two to three unhurried hours of drives with room to shoot and simply watch.
11:00amNairobi sanctuaries, game viewing with your private guide David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
We time our visit to the one public hour when the orphaned elephants come in to feed. Your guide narrates every rescue story, and you'll leave understanding exactly why Kenya's conservation model works.
12:30pmNairobi sanctuaries, game viewing with your private guide Giraffe Centre, Karen
Hand-feed the resident Rothschild's giraffe from the elevated feeding platform. An easy, joyful stop that never fails, and one of the best places to see giraffe up close anywhere in Kenya.
1:30pmNairobi table, dawn game drive Lunch at Carnivore Restaurant
Kenya's most famous meat feast, carved to your table over an open flame. Vegetarian menus available on request. A relaxed 90 minutes to compare morning notes and swap camera cards.
4:30pmNairobi and the road, sundowners on the plains Hotel drop-off
Back at your hotel by early evening, in time for sundowners on the rooftop. A full best-of-Kenya day trip without a single wasted minute.
- Private 4x4 and English-speaking guide
- All entry fees (Nairobi NP, Sheldrick, Giraffe Centre)
- Lunch at Carnivore Restaurant
- Bottled water throughout
- Drinks at lunch
- Gratuities
- Hotel accommodation
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Safari Packing Essentials
What to carry on the 1-Day Best of Nairobi City Excursion
The same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
Packed for 1-Day Best of Nairobi City Excursion: Nairobi and the road, Ol Pejeta and Nairobi sanctuaries
Equator sun is unforgiving
We also keep a pair per vehicle
200mm or longer for big cats
Charging points onboard too
Hell's Gate, Crescent Island
Keeps the cabin uncluttered
What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
The small pouch that saves the whole trip
Pack it once, forget about it, and let your guide handle everything else on the road.
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your dates and it is fully refundable up to 30 days before departure. The balance is due on arrival, before your safari begins. All client funds are held in a bonded escrow account.
Can the itinerary be tailored?+
Absolutely. Every trip is designed one-to-one. Extend nights, swap camps, add a honeymoon suite or a helicopter transfer, just ask.
What happens if we need to cancel?+
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. Between 30 and 15 days you receive a credit valid for 18 months.
Are your guides KPSGA certified?+
Every head guide holds a minimum silver-level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association qualification. Most of ours are gold.
