David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center Tour – Nairobi's Top Wildlife Experience
Tour Overview
Get up close with Kenya’s most beloved wildlife at two of Nairobi’s premier conservation centers — start at the
Giraffe Center to meet endangered Rothschild giraffes, then continue to the
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage for the public viewing hour. Learn about rescue, rehabilitation,
and rewilding efforts on this enriching, family-friendly half-day tour.
Sample Itinerary (Giraffe First, Then Sheldrick)
8:30 AM — Hotel Pick-Up
- Your driver-guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel/residence or the airport.
9:00 AM — Giraffe Center
- Learn about the endangered Rothschild giraffe and ongoing conservation work.
- Feed giraffes from a raised platform and capture great photos.
- Optional short walk on the Gogo River nature trail.
10:15 AM — Transfer to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
11:00 AM — David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
- Enjoy the public viewing hour (11:00 AM–12:00 PM).
- Watch the calves’ feeding and playful mud bath.
- Hear individual rescue stories and the reintroduction process.
- Option to symbolically adopt an elephant.
12:30 PM — Optional Craft Market Stop (time-permitting)
1:00 PM — Drop-Off
- Return to your hotel, residence, or the airport.
✅ What’s Included
- ✔️ Entry to the Giraffe Center
- ✔️ Entry to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (public hour) and nairobi national park fees
- ✔️ Private transport with hotel/residence/airport pick-up & drop-off
- ✔️ English-speaking driver/guide
- ✔️ Bottled water
❌ What’s Not Included
- ✖️ Meals or snacks
- ✖️ Souvenirs/personal purchases
- ✖️ Gratuities (optional)
- ✖️ Elephant adoption (optional via Sheldrick Trust)
Highlights
- Hand-feed endangered Rothschild giraffes at eye level
- Witness orphaned elephants’ feeding and mud bath
- Support leading Kenyan conservation programs
- Optional stop for local crafts and beadwork
Important Notes
- Advance booking required for Sheldrick: capacity is limited to the 11:00–12:00 PM public session.
- Bring: comfortable shoes, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle.
- Family-friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
https://cruzeiro-safaris.com/nairobi-tours/product/nairobi-national-park-tour-and-elephants-orphanage/
https://cruzeiro-safaris.com/nairobi-tours/product/nairobi-national-park-tour-elephants-orphanage-and-giraffe-center/
https://cruzeiro-safaris.com/nairobi-tours/product/nairobi-animal-orphanage-and-giraffe-center-tour/
admin –
Reviewed by: Lori A, September 2015
I enjoyed seeing the elephants feed and play. I really enjoyed hearing the commentary on each elephant – their age, how old they were when they came to the orphanage, and the process for working with the elephants at different ages. Very informative and fun.
admin –
Reviewed by: Barbara D, June 2017
The tour provider was Cruzeiro Safaris and the driver guide was Timothy. We called and extended the booking to also include an afternoon game drive in Nairobi National Park. So, Cruzeiro Safaris was good when I called and extended the booking at the published rate, to also include the afternoon. Timothy was a good driver, but was not very knowledgeable about the Elephant Orphanage or Giraffe Center….the good news is that both of those facilities has a speaker that gives you the background. Where Timothy excelled was on the game drives. He had a good eye for spotting the animals, was on the phone and talking with the other drivers regarding where the animals were at, so we got to see lions, white rhinos, Masai giraffes, common zebras, cape buffalo, ostriches, impala, elan, and hartebeasts. The only downside to the day was the vehicle, while very much enjoyed the roof that opened up, so could stand and see animals, BUT the aircon did not work, so there was times in the morning when driving that had to have windows open to get air in the va