Half Day Tour To Elephant Orphanage And Giraffe Centre Nairobi

Our amazing guide Faith was right on time to pick us up at our hotel. We started the morning with a trip to Kobe Tough where we saw the bead making process. Then we headed to the elephant orphanage where Faith knew the whole system and was able to get us up close spots in the “splash zone.” Next up was the giraffe center where we got up close to hand feed giraffes. Faith knew all of the giraffes by name and personality and even took photos on our camera for us. Afterwards we stopped for traditional Kenyan lunch (at your own expense) and we elected to do the Karen Blixen museum for the entrance fee as well. Since it was just me and my husband, Faith even drove us to the local mall before taking us back to the hotel. Overall it was a day well spent with memories to last a lifetime!

Our guide Faith was knowledgeable and accommodating. She knew exactly what time the activities started and exactly where to go to secure the best positions so that we could get the best views. She knew the giraffes by name and their temperaments and took photos/videos for us while we fed the giraffes. Lovely day! Note that tour does not include admission fee to Nairobi National Park.

Faith was the perfect guide: knowledgeable, passionate and fun to spend the day with. She shared fascinating insights while making everything feel relaxed and enjoyable. The visits to the elephant orphanage and giraffe conservation centre were unforgettable and the bead-making experience was a wonderful opportunity to learn about local culture and craftsmanship. Nothing was too much trouble, with her positive energy making the entire day even more special. Thank you, Faith, for an unforgettable experience. Asante sana! 🇰🇪✨🦒🐘💕

Fantastic experience! Highly recommend but do have your park fees prepaid and a screenshot! Wifi impossible. Be early, and have camera ready!

Fantastic day!!! So much more than I expected! Faith was wonderful!!

Had a fantastic time with Faith, our guide. She was right on time, welcoming and friendly. She was also flexible enabling us to tack on another stop. She went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time. She was very knowledgeable about the places we visited. She is a skillful and safe driver too. It was like hanging out with a friend. Highlights included watching young elephants play and having a mud bath and getting to be at eye level with giraffes and feeding them and even feel their breath like a breeze.

A wonderful experience with an amazing guide! Planning and communication were easy from the very beginning. My guide, Faith, picked me up and made sure I felt safe and comfortable throughout the entire tour. She was incredibly thoughtful, friendly, and knowledgeable, happily answering all my questions and even making a few extra stops to satisfy my curiosity. She knew exactly where to take me to find the best spot to view the elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage. As I was travelling solo, I especially appreciated that she took lovely pictures of me with the giraffes so I could keep these wonderful memories. Faith truly went above and beyond to make the day special. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend this experience, especially to solo travellers! The only downside is the price, which is quite high, especially considering that the $80 entrance fee for the elephant orphanage must be paid separately in advance. However, it is a lovely experience, and having a private tour makes everything much easier, more flexible, and enjoyable. Overall, it was a great day, and Faith made it even more special!

Thank you so much Faith for a wonderful experience. You generously shared all your knowledge and answered our questions! The beading was amazing the baby elephants were magnificent and the giraffes were wonderful, The time at the Karen Biden museum was fabulous!! The entire day was a marvellous I cannot thank you enough!

Faith was a superb host! She was knowledgeable, cheerful, flexible and very helpful. We felt very comfortable and the restaurant she chose was great. Faith gets ten stats from me!

Faith our guide picked us from our hotel and took us for a tour of the Kobe bead factory. Next stop was the elephant orphanage where she guided us to a great viewing spot. We then were taken to the giraffe centre where she advised us how to feed the giraffes and took pictures and videos to capture the moment for us. At all locations she was really knowledgeable about the work done here and made this a very enjoyable tour. Would definitely recommend

Sammy was great! He met us on time and took us to all the places on our itinerary. He also made sure we got the best spot for viewing in a very crowded place. He was very informative with us about life is like in Nairobi. With limited time this tour was a very good choice.

It was just the two of us with Kelvin our guide and we had an excellent day out. Pickup and drop off was to/ from the hotel. Kelvin was passionate about conservation and knew his stuff. Neither the giraffe sanctuary or elephant orphanage are zoos - they both serve important conservation roles and are staffed by knowledgeable people who are keen to share what goes on at each location. The elephant orphanage is inside Nairobi National Park so you need to pay for this separately ( do it online before you leave home) but it is worth it. Kelvin knew exactly where to get us for the best viewing experience at the orphanage. We also went to the Masai bead factory which provides an income for Masai women and we thought was the best place to buy beadwork or leather in Nairobi. All in all, highly recommended!

We loved this trip & our guide Meshack was wonderful. He gave us a good background about the Giraffe Center & got us up close to the elephants @ the Elephant orphanage. We learned a lot about these animals from him & the guides at the center. We also enjoyed the Kobe Touch bead center. This trip is well worth it!

Pick up was at our hotel. Enjoyed learning about how beads are made and assembled. The shop is reasonably priced and it supports families. Loved feeding the giraffes. Faith took pictures for us. The elephants are delightful as they run for their bottles. We enjoyed learning more about each one of them. Faith made sure we had great viewing. She was willing to take us to Karen Dinesen's home after I mentioned that we were interested in seeing it. Faith gives great information, is friendly and answers any questions. We highly recommend her and this excursion!

We had a great day (7+ hours) with our guide Faith. She picked us up at our hotel right on time. Throughout the tour she was personable and knowledgeable, down to knowing the names and personalities of the giraffes. The Sheldrake Elephant Orphanage was the highlight with lots of up-close viewing of the elephants while hearing their stories. Feeding the residents at the Giraffe Center was great fun and Faith was a good photographer as well. While the Kobe Tough Bead Center was less exciting, it has a wonderful mission and nice products without a hard sell. Kenyan style lunch.

Great experience! Had fun visiting the Elephants at the orphanage, Giraffes, and the included lunch was pretty good! Was in Nairobi on business and had a half day to burn before my departure flight. Booked the tour with less than 24 hours notice and was happy to be able to get into the elephant orphanage! Don't forget that in the tour fee, the Nairobi National Park access fee isn't included ($80 for non-residents), and you'll need to take care of that on the ride over over your phone. The bead factory was interesting, the gift store prices are set in dollars at tourist prices, but it's a co-op to help local women and its on l not the knock off chinese stuff you get out on the street, and you're not getting chased down and badgered like in the street markets, so there's an intrinsic value there. Giraffe feeding was pretty fun, and having Faith talk about the special Rothschild Giraffes at the breeding center. Faith is professional, friendly, and knowledgeable of the area! Would tour with her again!

The giraffe centre was good and interesting. The elephant orphanage was very expensive as you have to pay an additional,£60 to get into the National park. The elephants do a "circus performance" in a mud bath and it only lasts an hour.

What can I say. We had a fabulous tour with our knowledgeable guide Kelvin, nothing was too much trouble and no question went unanswered. We were promptly collected at our hotel and taken to see the giraffes which were quite majestic, but the highlight without doubt was the elephant orphanage. We never felt hurried and were always encouraged to take our time. I would highly recommend this tour if you have a day in Nairobi, if you have Kelvin as your guide that is simply an added bonus.

We had such a wonderful experience with Kelvin! Although this wasn’t technically a private tour, it ended up being just the two of us, which made the experience feel very personal. Kelvin was incredibly kind, friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating throughout the entire tour. He was very knowledgeable about the area and shared so much interesting information with us, which made the experience even more enjoyable. He was also very attentive to our needs, flexible, and never made us feel rushed. We really appreciated his hospitality and how welcoming he was. We had a great time and would absolutely recommend Kelvin to anyone looking for a wonderful tour guide in Kenya!

Tour guide driver was great. She told us where to stand for the best experience and was very knowledgeable about the elephants and the giraffes. We had a local traditional lunch based on the recommendation of our driver. What a great experience

The whole day was seamless. From pick up to drop off I was looked after and guided through bead factory, giraffe centre and elephant orphanage with knowledge and kindness. We stopped for lunch which was also delicious

The tour overall was excellent. A special thanks to Kelvin and Calvin and Rustic Nature tours. We booked the tour at the last minute and were very worried that we would not get into the Elephant orphanage but were reassured by Calvin and Kelvin and not only got in, but ended up being on the front row! The Giraffe Centre was also excellent and Kelvin insured that we fed a number of different giraffes. The Kobe Strong bead making tour was also excellent. Overall, we were very glad we booked this and are very grateful once again.

This was a wonderful hands on experience with the giraffes and up close and personal with the orphan elephants. We also enjoyed the bead factory, they do incredible work. Calvin was very informative and found a great restaurant for lunch. Overall a great experience.

This was truly a wonderful experience made even better by an awesome guide, Faith. She was knowledgeable on the places we visited along with answering all my questions about living in Nairobi.

A perfect trip for our 24 hour stopover in Nairobi. We really enjoyed all 3 parts. Yes the orphanage was busy but the crowd is well managed and we got there early enough for our excellent guide, Douglas, to make sure we had a good view of feeding time. The only downside is having to pay for tickets to the park just to access the orphanage which added considerably to the cost. If you have time, book a game drive as well to make it more worth it.

Faith, my guide, was excellent. She was friendly, very knowledgeable, and professional. She didn’t rush me. She took me to a local restaurant where I had the best food, all fresh.

Perfect 1/2 day to get you warmed up to Nairobi and the animals! Really fun.

We enjoyed the visit very much and our guide was kind and expert. He arrived punctually and drives very well.

Amazing experience the guide Calvin was fantastic. Be careful at Giraffe Center they head butt you. Elephant orphanage gets very crowded rush to get a spot in front. Just an unforgettable experience

Faith was our driver. She was so amazing. Made us feel welcomed and safe. She took us to a great spot for lunch and had lots of information about both centres.

Flawless experience with courteous and helpful guide. Enjoyable half day without the worry of planning on your own.

Highly recommend! This was an amazing and efficient half-day getting up close and personal with baby elephants and giraffes: At the orphan sanctuary our guide ushered us to exactly best spot to watch and pet the animals. You can’t go up to the elephants but if they come to you, you can pet them. Bonus was our guide knew the names and personalities of the giraffes along with their dating history - so feeding giraffes at Rothschild was fun and informative. We also learned some basics of Swahili to boot! Asante sana!

Beautiful place to see the orphan elephants, baby rhino, and baby zebra.

Kelvin was an excellent guide and driver, answering all our questions and getting us to where we needed to be. Thank you

We had an amazing time with our guide Faith, she was great super kind, knowledge and sweet. She could answer all out many questions not only about the animals but life in Nairobi too. At Sheldrick, Faith rushed ahead and secured us THE BEST spot for the baby elephants which was great because it got so busy. Similarly with the giraffes she knew all the best spots and even the giraffes by name - super cool. The trip to the Kobe Beads was great, getting to see and support the women was really special. Before coming to Nairobi I was worried about harmful tourism/ patronising the local people or even exploiting them in any way but this tour was greta, we learnt about Kenyan society, politics and culture as well as meeting some cool animals. Highlight of my trip to Nairobi - without a doubt.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Faith was absolutely exceptional. From the very first moment, she was professional, attentive, kind, and extremely reliable. She guided me through the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre with great knowledge, perfect timing, and genuine care, always making sure I felt comfortable, safe, and well informed. What truly sets Faith apart is her warmth and professionalism combined. She is calm, friendly, highly organized, and anticipates every detail. The experience felt smooth, relaxed, and very well planned. If you are looking for a trustworthy, experienced, and genuinely wonderful driver and guide in Nairobi, I cannot recommend Faith enough. I would choose her again without hesitation. 💥🙏🦓🦏🐘🦒💕😘

This was a perfect half - 3/4 day trip to experience Nairobi’s natural and cultural heritage! Faith was the best tour guide, picking us up promptly at the starting time to begin our day. We started with learning about the art of bead making and leatherwork, with beautiful pieces in every color imaginable available to browse without any high-pressure sales tactics. Then the elephants and the giraffes were the star of the day! Faith helped make sure we had the perfect viewing spot for the baby elephants. We got so close we could touch them (if they let us!) and they left us elephant souvenirs of mud splatters from playing in the mud. The giraffes were docile, and hungry! They really get close to you, and gently eat out of your hand. Faith helped give us the history of the center, showed us how to feed, and helped us take pictures. I highly recommend this tour to any/all that have a free day or limited time for activities in Nairobi.

Kelvin did a great job taking us through the itinerary. The bead factory, Kobe Tough, was an unexpected surprise. It was fascinating to see the entire process and also to learn how they are training women to learn a marketable skill. The elephant nursery did not disappoint. It was nice to hear of the conservation efforts both here and at the giraffe center. Just so much cuteness! Worth the time if you have it! Down one star for the admin: just include the park fee in the cost. I lost so much time unsuccessfully navigating through the park website. Also the cost for booking solo was $160, whereas booking for 2 was $95/person. Do better.

Kelvin is truly one of a kind. He is the sweetest, most knowledgable person regarding Kenya. Kelvin knows the history, culture, animals and can answer any and all questions that you have! He is an amazing person to have a conversation with- very great perspectives on things! We had an amazing time visiting the Women’s Bead Factory, Elephant Sanctuary, and Giraffe Park. I HIGHLY recommend anyone to book this tour. We will be returning to Kenya and seeing Kelvin again 🤗

If I could rate higher than 5 stars I would!! Kelvin was our tour guide and he was fantastic! He made sure we got to the giraffe center early before the crowds so we could have more one on one time with the giraffes. He also allowed us to take our time to read the history of the center. We never felt rushed which is sometimes the case on tours but not this one! When we arrived at the elephant orphanage Kelvin made sure to get us the best spot and we truly had a once in a lifetime experience because of this. On top of this we had enough time to stop at a market and buy local souvenirs, stopped at the Kobe bead factory and we wrapped it all up at a fantastic lunch spot. Thank you, Kelvin, for the fantastic memories.

We went on a half-day excursion that exceeded all our expectations. We started by visiting an elephant orphanage, where we learned about conservation efforts and saw firsthand how rescued elephants are cared for. Afterwards, we headed to the giraffe center, a beautiful place where we could observe them in a safe and well-maintained environment. To finish, we enjoyed an inspiring pottery workshop run by a group of women from Kobe, who showed us their craft and guided us as we created our own pieces. A special mention goes to our guide, Kelvin, whose professionalism, knowledge, and warmth made all the difference from the very beginning. His explanations, constant attention, and passion for his work helped us make the most of every stop and ensured we had an unforgettable experience. Without a doubt, a highly recommended excursion.

It was perfect1. I had been to both the elephant orphanage and the Giraffe Center before, and having a guide facilitate everything for us was wonderful. The Elephant orphanage is now difficult to book as an individual. It was even better than I remembered it!! Our guide was excellent (Kelvin). In fact we were so impressed we asked to extend our day with him and toured the National Park. I have been on many safari's, and he was a wonderful guide. Thank You

My private tour with Faith was truly amazing! She is incredibly knowledgeable, fun, and made the whole experience unforgettable. Faith guided me to the best spots to feed the elephants, did a photo shoot of me while feeding the giraffes, and captured incredible photos. I had such a fun time. By the end of the tour, she felt like a friend. Ask for Faith—you’ll be really lucky if you get her!

We had a great withour guide Faith. It was wonderful seeing the giraffes and elephants. Thank you so much ! We also visited the beads factory.

Galvin did a great job, he got us to the best area to view and pat the elephants. Seeing the Giraffes early is better as there aren't big crowds so you get more 1 on 1 time with the Giraffes. I would recommend this tour 👍

Our guide was very friendly and helpful. We got to spend enough time at each location to enjoy the sights and take lots of pictures.

Kevin is hands-down the ultimate guide for exploring Nairobi. He took us to the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre with such infectious enthusiasm that every moment felt truly special. Always patient, answering every question with a smile, and with an uncanny knack for positioning us in the best spots to soak in the views and capture unforgettable memories, he made the experience absolutely phenomenal. Kevin doesn’t just show you Nairobi—he makes you fall in love with it. Five stars are honestly not enough for this legend!

Wonderful experience from start to finish. Kelvin was fantastic and we highly recommend him. Reliable, knowledgeable, and welcoming - he made us feel special. The beads, the elephants, lunch, and the giraffes! Just wonderful.

We had an excellent time on this tour! Our guide, Faith, was very friendly and knowledgeable. She provided background information on the way to each location and answered all our questions. She went above and beyond to help us sort out an issue we ran into with a KWS ticket, which was truly appreciated. The David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center were fantastic experiences. We opted to visit the Karen Blixen Museum too, which is remarkably preserved with many original features. The Kobe Bead and Leather shop highlighted the artistry of the women working there. All-in-all, it was a wonderful way to spend the day and I recommend the tour and Faith to anyone visiting Nairobi!