The Presidential Safari

After visiting the giraffe centre we went to the main entrance to Nairobi National park to see if we could arrange a safari. The information desk said the best option for those without vehicles was to use a taxi and they could arrange one. We spoke to their suggested taxi driver but apart from it being very expensive we didn't really think we'd get to see much driving around in a taxi! We walked to the park entrance to see if there were any other options. Here's a sign from the near the park entrance. 

Who has right of way?

Here we got talking to one of the park officials. He suggested that we could use the presidential vehicle, we thought he was joking at first but he explained that it was the parks vehicle and in absence of Obama coming to visit they've decided to make use of the vehicle. The cost would be 10USD per person, considerably cheaper then the 80USD taxi the lady at the information desk was try to sell us. We organized to meet them at the gate the next morning at 6:30am. We didn't pay anything at that point so we were still little suspect as it seemed a little too good to be true and extremely weird that such a service would not be advertised or mentioned at the information desk. We took a moto taxi back to the campsite and organized with the driver to collect us at 6am the next day.

6am mototaxi to Nairobi National Park

Next morning we arrived by motorbike much to the amusement of the security at our campsite and also the officials at the national park. We got there paid the 40USD park entrance and the 10USD for the vehicle and driver. The guy wasn't lying, we actually had the presidential vehicle all to ourselves for a morning safari in the national park!

Presidential Vehicle

We were driving for about 15 minutes through the park and so far hadn't seen any animals. I was starting to think this was the catch and then we spotted a lion! Our guide knew what he was doing and had gone specifically to where he knew the lions would be. One of the lions came quite close to our vehicle which made for some great photos. 

A lion a few meters from our vehicle

Same lion, different view

After an hour or so watching the lions more tourists started to arrive. At some point the lions got curious and decided to investigate the cars.

A lion investigating one of the other vehicles

As it started to get crowded with tourists our guide suggested we leave the lions and go further. Next we came across a Rhino. This guy kept his distance from us so I didn't get a particularly great photo.

Rhino in Nairobi National Park

Camping in Nairobi

Originally we planned to travel south from Addis Ababa overland to Kenya but due to a combination of people advising us against it and a lack of time we decided to fly. The project we were working on in Tanzania was starting sooner than expected and while it was in Tanzania it was only a 6 hour bus ride from Nairobi. As we flew down we had a few days to spare so we decided to spend the time camping in Karen close to the Nairobi National Park.


After the time in Addis Ababa, Nairobi was a surprise, everyone speaks English and the city is very similar to most European cities although with an increased additional security presence. For the original overland trip from Ethiopia I had got the lightest 2 person tent that I could find in Dublin or London. Camping in Nairobi would be our first time to use it, the problem was our rucksacks were bigger than the tent. Luckily we were staying at a campsite so we were able to store our luggage securely inside.

Worlds Smallest Tent

Most people staying at the campsite had their own transport and the rare few who didn't took taxis everywhere. We planned on taking local transport but it took sometime to convince the staff at the campsite to explain where we could find the local buses (known as matatus). They got commission for the taxis and organised but none for public transport! The busses in Kenya are called Matatus, small Toyota hiaces that stop anywhere along the road to drop-off and pickup passengers. A typical journey costs about 20 shillings which is about 20cent. The other alternative to taxis is motorbike taxis, these are cheap, available on almost every corner and great at getting through Nairobi's traffic.

We spent a few days traveling around using a combination of both Matatus and moto-taxis. The first stop was the Giraffe center, a non-profit organization started in 1979 in an effort to save the endangered Rothschild Giraffe of which there were only 130 left in the wild. Today the population in Kenya is 300. The giraffe centre has a feeding platform where you can get close to the Giraffes.

Giraffe Centre at Nairobi National Park

Next stop was the elephant orphanage, getting here by matatu was more difficult. We took a matatu to the one of the park gates and from here we had to walk through the park to the sanctuary. The walk was great as we passed lots of baboons on the way, although later when we were at the park and there was a lion nearby it was a little worrying.

Baboons on the way to the orphanage

The orphanage is run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and open daily to tourists for one hour. I spent a few days volunteering at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand a few years back, during which time I was taking care of an elephant, getting up at 4am to feed and wash him. I had never seen African Elephants before nor had I seen so many baby elephants in one place!

Baby Elephant drinking

Elephants at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust