National parks and Reserves close to Nairobi city

National parks and Reserves close to Nairobi city : Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city is uniquely surrounded by several national parks and reserves, offering a chance to experience Africa’s incredible wildlife and natural beauty just a stone’s throw from the city’s hustle and bustle. This article brings various destinations that are close to the Nairobi City.

Nairobi National Park.

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.

Lake Nakuru National Park.

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.

Hell’s Gate National Park.

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 towards 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.

Mt Longonot National Park.

As you drive west out of Nairobi the ever-sprawling fingers of the city slowly give way to cool, muddy, green agricultural land and patches of forest. 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.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

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 might 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.