Nairobi National park is a unique safari experience just across the road from Nairobi’s Central Business District, and 40 minutes drive from our house. We stayed at Ololo Lodge, a beautiful farmhouse and safari lodge on the opposite side of the park. It was also directly under the flight path for JKIA international airport, so jumbo jets would frequently thunder past overhead. At 120 square kilometres, the park is not very big compared to others in Kenya, and even at Ololo, you can see the tops of the tallest office buildings in Nairobi. There is also a raised railway line that bisects the park, although animals move freely beneath it.
But while Nairobi National Park lacks the wildness and space of the Maasai Mara, it does have its charms. It has all the same animals, except elephants, and the smaller area means they are easier to find. It is also one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries. The animals are a bit more accustomed to humans and less likely to run away from safari cars. And the tower blocks, train line and airport all make for unusual juxtapositions with the wildlife and some interesting photo opportunities.
Beneath the Baobab 