The tour starts by picking you from your Hotel/Home within Nairobi. You will be driven to Giraffe centre where you feed Rothschild giraffes under the supervision of keepers. The center has rescued, hand-reared and released around 500 orphaned giraffes back into the wild since opening in 1979. This attraction offers opportunities to feed the endangered Rothschild's giraffe by hand. The location also offers a fine education on the physiology, behaviors and habitat preferences of these beautiful animals.
You will then be driven to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to walk through the center from 11am - 12pm in an open space, with a rope fence around it. The youngest elephants come trotting out of the bush to greet their keepers who stand at the ready with giant bottles of milk. For the next 10-15 minutes you can watch each little one slurp and gargle their milk. Then, you'll have time to watch the elephants play. You find out how old they were when they arrived at the orphanage, where they were rescued from, and what got them into trouble. The most common reasons for getting orphaned being: mother's poached, falling into wells, and human/wildlife conflict. Once the youngest are all fed, they are led back into the bush, and it's the turn of the 2-3 year olds. Some of them can feed themselves, and some are still fed by their keepers. Watch them interact with their keepers, munch on some branches of their favorite acacias, and play with the half drums of water and mud
The next stop visit Kazuri Bead Factory/Kobe Beads Factory. This is a pottery company that makes one of the world most beautiful beads. You will be shown all the stages from the start to the finish. It’s also a unique factory as it employs single mother parents from the poor neighborhood who earn a living to support their families. This pottery, ceramic and bead factory employs all single mothers to make its beautiful gifts and souvenirs - which are now exported all around the world. There is a gift shop which stocks some of their wares. Please note that the workshop is closed Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, however the gift shop is open 7 days.
My husband and I had a fantastic tour with Reuben, the best guide EVER :) he was very funny, kind, gentle and with a huge knowledge , he explained us many things about Kenia people and life and we just loved the whole experience with him!
I would just like to say we had the best experience today. Our guide Reuben was very knowledgable and pointed out so many things, above and beyond what u would expect. He made sure we were first in line and pointed out the best place to stand. It was a last minute booking but I’m so glad we made it. We saw the baby black rhino, titan with his best friend an orphaned zebra and then the elephants came. They were amazing. This is a really worthwhile sanctuary which is doing so much for wildlife. I will now sponsor a baby elephant
It was a great experience BUT I think it’s highly overpriced due to you have to pay $85 when you get to the park. The elephant experience is only an hour long. Honestly ubering to the giraffe center and paying at the door is much cheaper. Once your giraffe food is gone, the experience is over.
Such a wonderful day feeding the beautiful giraffes and watching adorable orphaned elephants drink their bottles and play. Our driver and tour guide Peter was excellent. He sent me a message through WhatsApp before the tour began and was waiting for us right outside our hotel entrance. The tour began with feeding multiple giraffes little pellets of grass and cereal. I loved that experience. So many great photos with the giraffes. Next we went to the baby elephant orphanage which surprised us to also include a baby rhino and a baby Zebra. It was wonderful to watch them get their milk and roll and play in the mud. We lined up along a rope off area for viewing. Next we went to Kobe Tough beadwork and leather to watch the artisans create beautiful beads. I was able to purchase several nice pieces of jewelry ranging in price from $10 to $30. We also toured the wood carving and ended the day with a casual lunch (at an additional charge) with some local Africa beer Tusker. 🍻 Perfect day !
This was such a magical experience. To be able to feed the giraffes, see the amazing work that's been done for the conservation of these amazing animals. Then we went to the Elephant orphanage and seeing these beautiful creatures and seeing how much love was provided to them was touching. I highly recommend this experience but the one thing that made this a truly memorable experience was our guide Stephen Mutuku. He was professional, informative, entertaining and went above and beyond to make us truly feel looked after. Thank you Stephen
Reuben was exceptional, friendly and informative. Great insight into the local customs and culture, what a bonus! Thank you Reuben. Highly recommend.
If this is your first encounter or another one you cant beat feeding giraffes and thembsticking their tongues out for more. The babies have such pretty eyelashes. The elephants were having a great old time at the watering hole and Nutty was begging for more milk. Everyone of them was an absolutw delight.
Such a wonderful day feeding the beautiful giraffes and watching adorable orphaned elephants drink their bottles and play. Our driver and tour guide Peter was excellent. He sent me a message through WhatsApp before the tour began and was waiting for us right outside our hotel entrance. The tour began with feeding multiple giraffes little pellets of grass and cereal. I loved that experience. So many great photos with the giraffes. Next we went to the baby elephant orphanage which surprised us to also include a baby rhino and a baby Zebra. It was wonderful to watch them get their milk and roll and play in the mud. We lined up along a rope off area for viewing. Next we went to Kobe Tough beadwork and leather to watch the artisans create beautiful beads. I was able to purchase several nice pieces of jewelry ranging in price from $10 to $30. We also toured the wood carving and ended the day with a casual lunch (at an additional charge) with some local Africa beer Tusker. 🍻 Perfect day !
What a wonderful day. As a solo traveller I felt very safe with my guide Reuben. He was very friendly and knowledgable. Will definitely do this experience again!
First morning in Nairobi and wasn’t sure what to expect. John was our driver and guide and he took expert care with us navigating the traffic and minimising the impact of the copious speed bumps and potholes. He showed us many different areas of Nairobi and points of interest to and from the tours main attractions. The giraffe feeding was certainly a treat but the baby elephants were by far the highlight. Not to forget the cute baby rhino and zebra friends. To much cuteness. Even enjoyed the second hand mud bath courtesy of the elephants. Also bought our weight in ceramic beads- sooo pretty. The only downside was not having air-conditioning in the van when it was a bit warmer on the way home. But certainly did not detract from the whole mornings experience. Best experience.
Great tour to see the incredible orphan elephants near Nairobi. Our guide Steven Mutuku was right in time and did a wonderful job informing us all about the elephants and their unique journey. Very fun day!
A solo traveller, I was expertly guided by Reuben who helped to create a day of pure, Kenyan magic enjoying the animal centres as well as fascinating insights into Kenyan, culture, people and places. Pick ups and drop offs were efficient, and Reuben ensured that I made the most this wonderful experience and that I take some marvellous memories with me. Cannot recommend highly enough.
My guide Stephen Mutuku was extremely knowledgeable. Had a great vehicle. He was courteous and on time. As i was travelling solo i felt very comfortable. He was able to ensure I got the best photos of the giraffes and we had lots of time there. He made sure we arrived in plenty of time for the 1 hour feeding of the orphan elephants which only happens once a day. He made sure i was in the right spot for the orphan elephants.He gave me lots of information at both places..i had a lovely lunch and then had great interaction with the ladies at the bead factory. Can highly recommend this company. Had a great day
Stephen was great! He was very punctual, offered interesting information on Nairobi National Park, volunteered to take great photos, knew the best spot to observe the elephants, was very engaging, and often times funny. The experience itself was great interacting with the giraffes and being so close to the elephants and a baby rhino. The speaker at the elephant orphanage was extremely thorough and detailed in providing information on each elephant. On a side note, be advised that if you plan on doing the National Park Safari and elephant orphanage, plan them for the same day because each visit to the National Park requires an admission fee.
This trip is a total rip off we only spent 45 minutes in the giraffe cente. When we got to the elephant sanctuary we were expected to pay an extra $85 to get into the national park on top of the fee we had already paid to see the elephants. I asked the driver if we were going to other things in the national park and he no just feed the elephants. Then it would be on to the leather factory. We paid £72 each for this!!! We expected a wild life trip not a shopping trip!! We asked Viator for a refund and they said the operator refused. They did not even refund the fee we had paid them for admission to the elephant sanctuary. We refused to pay the extra $85 The vehicle was old, it stalled at one point and the seat belts didn’t work. It felt very unsafe. When you think about it the fees for the giraffes and elephants were about £20 so you paying this company around £50 to drive you around, when there are many other tour operators who offer the same service much cheaper and are much clearer about what you are paying for.
Sam was great, he was very accommodating and shared insightful tips. It was delight to feed the giraffes and learn about the Shieldrick orphanage center and see all the animals during their playtime. Highly recommended it!
Wow, what an experience to remember. You get very close encounters with giraffes and elephants. Feeding the giraffes was amazing and seeing the elephants up close and personal was something I will never experience again. Our guide, Sam, was knowledgeable, helpful and intelligent. All in all, it was a fantastic tour!
Sam was an excellent guide - everything want really smoothly and sam had details on everything! Feeding the giraffes was amazing!
That the listed price is only half the cost. Parks fees are $80 each. You don’t get close to elephants and can’t touch them. Only one baby on our tour.
Excellent trip! Stephen was my driver and he had excellent knowledge that he was sharing whilst driving, and whilst at the Giraffe centre and Elephant Sanctuary. Stephen went above and beyond to make sure we got to the places first so we could get the best position and feeding spot. Stephen was the best photographer, knew how to make the most of feeding the giraffes to get the good shots! His knowledge of the local area, places to go and lunch spots was second to none. Couldn’t recommend him enough!
Girafe centre and elephant orphanage were great but they charged us almost 100usd/ pers instead of 85$ to get to the park without explanation. Too expensive for 4h experience.
Excellent visit! We were able to touch the elephants and watch them interact. It was also great to know the show times are limited so the sanctuary focuses on the elephants
This was my last day in Nairobi and the tour was excellent. My driver/guide, John, offered very interesting information on the drive to the centers and helped me gain the most from the experiences. As a solo traveler, I appreciated the effort he gave to make my day very worthwhile.
The driver Peter was friendly and professional. I would definitely recommend him. As far as the activity, I was disappointed. My husband and I adopted an elephant because we arrived, we also purchased hats and t-shirts before our arrival. All participants are lined up against a rope, the staff should have told everyone to stay in their place and not move around. People came from the other side of the rope and pushed people out of the way to see the elephants. Also, I believe the staff should ensure they take the elephants around so everyone can take pictures and feel the baby elephants. I also believe they should as if anyone had adopted an elephant, and if so, they should show them then the elephant they adopted so they can take pictures. This was the activity I was looking forward to the most and I am very disappointed at the experience. My husband and I didn’t get to take pictures of our adopted elephant. The keepers know people come there to see and feel the elephants!
This was a great tour. I booked just a couple of weeks ahead and ended up being the only person on the tour. My guide, Stephen Mutuku, contacted me by WhatsApp the night before, which I greatly appreciated. He picked me up promptly at 8 am at my hotel. The giraffe sanctuary was first, but we got there about 25 minutes early and Stephen stopped at a shop on the side of the road. I was confused at first, but it ended up being a co-op for individuals selling their souvenirs. The shop owner/seller and all of the various men in the building were friendly and kind. They didn't want to tell me any prices until I had decided if I was going to buy something, because there is a "discount" based on how many you buy. I purchased a small nativity set and bread basket and after the "discount" it was 11500 KSH, about $90 give or take. The cost is beside the point, I am happy to contribute to the economy, but it wasn't cheap and the interaction just feels uncomfortable. Even with that, they were all kind and friendly and not pushy. The shop had several options for payment, including Apple pay. Then we went to the giraffe sanctuary. I didn't realize you were going to be expected to feed the giraffes - I would have actually rather just watched them, but it turned out fine. Stephen knew where to suggest that I stand, he directed me a bit to get better pictures, and we had fun. The sanctuary was beautiful, the staff gave me a quick run down of the sanctuary history and did show-and-tell with some giraffe bones (apparently the large leg bones don't have bone marrow to make them solid and stronger!). Next was the elephant orphanage. Stephen got us there in plenty of time to be "first" at the gate to walk in, after which he directed me to the best place to stand where I would not be facing into the sun! It was so cute to see and hear about them - in the pictures they don't look very small at all! I know the tour listing says you need to buy a ticket for the National Park - I think it was $80 - the cost is just what it is, you are at the mercy of the Kenyan government. But just know that to get your ticket they only take credit cards, you need to buy the ticket online once you are there so you use your phone and if it doesn't have cell service you need to connect to their wifi, and if you don't have a phone apparently you can enter your personal information into another person's phone (like your guide or another person on the tour) and get the ticket that way. You need to enter your full name, your passport number, and your email address - and then I got my ticket by email from the Kenya National Wildlife Service. They took my Mastercard, but I would make sure you have more than one credit card - I didn't have seamless credit card usage when I was in Nairobi. They did not take Apple Pay. There is no way to see the elephant orphanage unless you go through this process - it is worth it, just be aware of what it is going to take. We then went to the bead factory - it was a short tour, the women were friendly, the gift shop was huge and all of the necklaces were clearly priced. The had a seamless credit card and apple pay system. I came home with two that I probably won't wear but I will treasure just the same! :)
Such a great experience we managed to get to the giraffe centre before it got busy and fed the giraffes without fighting for them. The elephant orphanage was also great we got so close to the elephants, getting to touch them and take selfies next to them.
We had a wonderful experience together with our great driver and guide Stephen Mutuku. He was making sure we did everything on time and gave us a lot of information about the sites we visited and introduced us to Kenya’s nature. We enjoyed time spent with him. He accompanied us during our visits of the Giraffe Center and Elephant Orphanage, showed the best place to take photos, filmed us during the giraffe feeding activity and even stopped at the supermarket at our request. We will keep good memories about this tour!
Enjoying feeding the giraffes and learning about them. Not too busy when we were there, so got great photos and did not feel rushed or pushed along. Elephants were brilliant and learnt a lot about them at the sanctuary which was very interesting. It was quite hot and busy compared to the giraffes but great to see them play. Felt it was quite expensive getting into the reserve (for the elephants), especially, as we were only entering it for the elephant sanctuary.
This was a great tour that covered the must see and do adventures in Nairobi. The driver and guide, Stephen, was very knowledgeable, shared lots of information the whole journey and was incredibly helpful. He made sure we had the best spot for viewing the elephants and was great at taking photos for us! It is a requirement to buy the National Park ticket seperately and I think a link to the site should have been sent out in advance to ensure everyone had the opportunity to buy the ticket before arrival. I would recommend this tour to others
Feeding the giraffes was so awesome! And after following Sheldrick Wildlife on social media for years, it was so amazing to visit in person and see the orphaned elephants. It was a great day and I would do it again!
Peter was great my issue is that these two items (Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center should never be combined because the Elephant Orphanage is now located inside the Nairobi Safari Park and they want to charge you the park fees at $85 USD per person to get into the park just to go to the Elephant Orphanage in addition to the Elephant Orphanage entrance fee, You should try and do the Elephant Orphanage and NAirobi Park together as you would save having to pay the Park fees twice. It appears about 1 year ago because the park needed additional money and the majority of people were not doing the Nairobi Park Safari and only going to the Elephant Orphanage they made the change. So once again only book the Elephant Orphanage with the Nairobi Park Safari and book the Giraffe Center as just seperate tour not combine with anything. Other wise you are going to pay the Nairobi Park fees twice. I will say the Nairobi Park is the place where we saw the White and Black Rhinos as we did not see any Rhinos down in Masai Mara
We had a wonderful day interacting with giraffes and baby elephants. Our guide, John, was funny which enhances our experience and he knowledgeable the city highlights and about where we should stand to get the best views. We had a once in a lifetime experience.
We had a great time seeing the giraffes and feeding them! The elephants were also beautiful. The guide was very friendly and kind. The place where we had lunch was also very good, with delicious food and great service.
Stephen was a wonderful guide and made the day feel easy and enjoyable. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly loves what he does. Everything was well organized and unhurried, and he made sure we were comfortable the entire time. He shared great insights that really added to the experience at both the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre. We’re so glad we had him and would happily recommend Stephen to anyone.
Had the best New Years Day on this tour! Our guide John was prompt, a good communicator, helpful and with a great sense of humour. Our first stop was the Giraffe Centre which was really quiet and peaceful and we had ample time to interact and feed the gorgeous giraffes. The animals are so well cared for and we enjoyed learning more about the Rothschild giraffes and the conservation efforts. Next stop was the Elephant Orphanage. What incredible work the Kenyans do in nurturing these sweet orphaned elephants, zebra and a baby rhino. The connection between the carers and the baby elephants in particular was heart warming. It was not crowded and we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with these special animals and to learn all about the work of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Our last stop was the Kobe Tough Bead and Leather Centre. This was a wonderful opportunity to see how the Masaai women are being empowered to make a living by creating and selling their artwork and jewellery. A very worthwhile addition to the tour. We purchased beautiful jewellery from their store to take home. I highly recommended this tour for anyone with a day in Nairobi.
Our guide Peter was great! He pointed out various sites, guided us through the giraffe and elephant experiences! Highly recommend
We paid 95/person for this tour. I chose it after searching for a tour with fees included. After going in person I learned that the giraffe center is free and the elephant orphanage only costs twenty dollars. I didn’t know that there was an additional eighty dollar fee to enter the national park where the elephant center is located. We opted not to go to the elephant center and asked for the elephant center fee to be refunded and we didn’t get refunded. This is a grossly overpriced tour. Don’t do it.
The handler explained how many animals were currently under guidance and explained the process for being returned to the wild.
We extended the trip and also did a 3 hour safari in the Nairobi National Park after visiting the Sheldrick trust. Communication from start to finish was good and Peter, our tour guide was great! He contacted us on WhatsApp and was early at our hotel. He was super friendly and had a smile on him. He also gave us plenty of time at all stops to see everything and explained things well! So 10/10 for Peter! 🙏🏼
A wonderful day, lead by a very informative and friendly guide- Stephen Mutuku Lovely relaxing lunch spot, and interesting local spots to see hand crafts and art.
A wonderful experience and excellent service provided by our guide, John. Pick up on time, small group, not pushy like most tourist experiences allowing travellers to truly enjoy the experience. Lunch location had great food. Highly recommended.
Fantastic experience! The giraffes and the elephants were both amazing. Stephen was a phenomenal guide, so smart, so helpful, and so reliable. He went above and beyond. The company itself was truly amazing. I contacted them at least 20 times b/c we had many logistical challenges. They VERY responsive and accommodating!
I had an incredible experience from start to finish. You get to interact with baby elephants, feed Giraffes and meet a group of women empowered through their talent of bead and leather making and still have time for lunch and shopping. Tour guide, Stephen Mutuku is exceptional. He is so invested in ensuring you have a wonderful time he took so many photos and managed to capture so many great moments. He’s full of information and tremendous passion for what he does. Loved every second of the tour and would definitely recommend.
Wonderful experience, very well organized and safe. The elephant orphanage is a very special place where the animals’ well-being comes first. My driver (Matt) was flexible, helpful, professional amd considerate.
Not a long trip but a worthwhile one. The animals are amazing. Seeing how gentle the elephants can be is humbling.
What a great day! My guide Stephen had been in contact with me the night before and gave me all the info I needed which really helped! He was always on time and courteous and knew the layout of the land! Very knowledgeable! The Giraffe center had been redone and was super nice and the Sheldrick orphanage is an amazing place. He then took us to a very nice restaurant for lunch. Great day and would use them again for any Nairobi activities. Asante!
My tour guide made it an exceptionally fun experience. Sam was fantastic. We were able to take lots of pictures in. He made the day extra special.
This tour was excellent. The guide, Stephen, was very knowledgeable and made sure we had best views and experience at each location. Would 10/10 recommend!
I was only in Kenya for a short stay, and this tour was the perfect way to experience the country with limited time. Stephen, the tour guide/driver, was incredibly proactive, knowledgeable, and organized—he handled all the logistics smoothly and shared great insights about every stop along the way. Since I was traveling solo, he even doubled as my photographer and captured amazing moments without hesitation. I booked this trip the night before and I’m so glad I made that last-minute decision. Truly time well spent! Asante sana, Stephen!
My co-worker and I were anxious to see some of the beauty and nature of Nairobi at the end of the work trip. Our driver, Sam, was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. Most importantly, it was evident that he shared a love of wildlife and genuinely was proud of work of the two rescues. Both places were beautiful and well done. It was great to see the work of both centers in rehabbing and caring for these majestic animals.
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