Nairobi National Park Orientation - My First Safari

On Boxing Day 2025, one of my research collaborators took me out in his old Mitsubishi Pajero into Nairobi National Park (NNP) for the very first time—and what an experience it was.

For as long as I can remember, it has been my dream to live and work in Africa. I grew up watching The Lion King, and from a young age I knew that one day I would get the chance to work with African wildlife. Experiencing Kenya’s iconic wildlife for the first time therefore felt incredibly special.

We conducted a seven-hour transect, starting at the NNP Main Gate and completing a full loop of the park. The transect began at 7:15 a.m., first taking us to the Hyena Dam and Junctions 3 and 4 (see map below). From there, we backtracked to the Impala Observation Point and entered the western forest section. We then drove south and east toward Ololo Murrams and the Hippo Pools, before continuing further east to the Athi Basin Dam. From there, we headed north through the Embakasi Plains and finally made our way back west toward Junctions 6 and 7, finishing the transect at 14:27.

Over the course of the orientation, I recorded 51 independent observations, with over 450 individual animals sighted. If you are interested in the actual numbers, click the green button to download the count.

I was completely blown away by the incredible diversity and abundance of large mammals in the park. I was recording a sighting every few minutes—and not just one or two animals, but large groups. As we drove, I couldn’t help but think about how alive the place felt. The air itself seemed to buzz with life: crickets chirping in the long grass, butterflies and small birds flitting across the road, giraffes browsing on acacia trees, and herds of zebra, hartebeest, and impala grazing across the plains. The various dams, as expected, acted as wildlife hotspots, with crocodiles and hippos basking in the morning sun, surrounded by an uncountable number of bird species.

The landscape and vegetation were pure visual ecstasy. The African savanna is such an iconic ecosystem: vast grasslands dotted with umbrella-shaped acacias and fever trees. The riverine vegetation along the Mbagathi River was especially striking—wherever there is water, the vegetation seems to burst into life.

The giraffes offered particularly memorable sightings. Despite their immense size, they carried a sense of calm and tranquillity as they used their long tongues to navigate the sharp thorns of the acacia trees. And honestly—aren’t they absolutely gorgeous creatures? I could have sat and watched them all day, although the same could be said for every species we encountered.

This issue with lions is something I have already noticed in Nairobi National Park. It is a relatively small park—approximately 117 square kilometres—and is located right next to the capital city. As a result, it is extremely busy with tourists, many of whom are eager to chase the next lion sighting. On multiple occasions, we observed tour vehicles speeding along the park roads, despite the 20 km/h speed limit. Others drove far too close to animals—particularly lions and rhinos—and some even went off-road on forbidden tracks to get a better view. With a lucrative tourism industry and limited regulation of park entry, NNP continues to suffer from the actions of irresponsible tour operators.

Despite these challenges, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the park. Seeing these animals in the wild for the very first time is something I will never forget, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to live and work here over the coming year.

Toward the end of the transect, we spotted our first lion: a lioness on the hunt. I managed to take a few photos, but we were quite far away, so the quality wasn’t great. Still, it was an incredible encounter and a perfect way to end the day. I was slightly concerned, however, as three or four vehicles were following her. She attempted to stalk a nearby ostrich, but the presence of the vehicles clearly hindered her ability to remain concealed. We did the professional thing—took a few quick photos and then left her undisturbed.