masaimara.info
Menu
Giraffes at the feeding platform of the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, August 2025.

TwigaLang'ata, Nairobi

Giraffe Centre Nairobi: hours, fees and the Sheldrick hour

The AFEW Giraffe Centre in Lang'ata, on the edge of Nairobi, is open 9:00 to 17:00 every day. A non-resident adult pays KES 1,500 (about USD 12), a child aged 3 to 12 years pays KES 750, by M-Pesa or card. Plan 1.5 to 2 hours. Go before 11:00 on a weekday or after 13:00 for a quieter platform. The Sheldrick elephant nursery has one public hour, 11:00 to 12:00, so the usual pairing is Sheldrick first, the giraffes after.

Photo: Noroi / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Edited by Rainer Lang Updated

Some links on this page are affiliate links: the guide earns a commission when you book through them. The partner sets the price; the guide adds no fee.

This page is about the public Centre. Giraffe Manor is a separate private hotel. The Centre is a short visit that visitors to Masai Mara, Kenya, can fit into a spare morning or afternoon in Nairobi before or after the safari.

SaaHours, crowds and the elephant hour

When to go, and what you pay at the gate

The Centre's hours, its own busy window and the Sheldrick hour on one line, then the fee for each kind of visitor. The KES figures carry their dollar value at the Central Bank of Kenya rate of 12 November 2026.

A day in Lang'ata and Karen: the Giraffe Centre and the Sheldrick hour

  • Giraffe Centre open 9:00 to 17:00every day, weekends and public holidays included

  • Busiest on weekdays 11:00 to 13:00at weekends and on public holidays, busy all day

  • Sheldrick Nursery public hour 11:00 to 12:00booked ahead with the Trust; closed 25 December

  • Be at Mbagathi Gate for Sheldrick by 10:30the Trust asks for arrival at or before this time

The entry fee by who you are

  • Non-resident adultKES 1,500about USD 12
  • Non-resident child, 3 to 12 yearsKES 750about USD 6
  • Resident adultKES 400about USD 3.00
  • Resident child, 3 to 12 yearsKES 200about USD 1.50
  • Under 3Freeno ticket

Students under 23 with a valid student ID pay the child rate. The resident rate is for citizens and work-permit holders of the East African Community: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo and South Sudan. Pay by M-Pesa, Visa or Mastercard; cash is not on the Centre's list.

Weekday mornings before 11:00 and afternoons after 13:00 are the gaps in the drawing. At weekends and on public holidays the Centre says it is busy all day, so a Saturday visit means sharing the platform whatever the hour.

Its contacts are on giraffecentre.org, with the rules in its visitor FAQ.

Two giraffes at the Giraffe Centre

Photo: Sdkb / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

TwigaThe giraffes

Ten Rothschild giraffes, one platform at their eye level.

ZiaraWhat happens inside

The platform, the talk and the trail

You climb a raised feeding platform and hand the giraffes pellets, listen to a short talk on the animals, and can walk a nature trail at no extra cost. The giraffes come to the platform for the food; how close any one of them comes is up to the giraffe.

The guides are Environmental Studies students who volunteer as Educators, and the Centre encourages a tip for them. It also runs a gift shop and a Tea House.

Giraffe at the Giraffe Centre
A giraffe at the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, August 2019.Photo: GioRan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

10Rothschild giraffes in the Centre's care

over 40Giraffes released into Kenyan parks and reserves

1.5 kmLength of the nature trail

  • Since 1979

    The Centre's first giraffe, Daisy I, arrived in 1979; its breeding work has sent giraffes out to parks and reserves across Kenya.

  • Where the money goes

    The Centre states that 90 percent of what it collects from entrance fees, the gift shop and the Tea House goes to its conservation work.

  • Children and schools

    Under 3 free; school groups enter free if they book at least a week ahead. Students under 23 with a valid ID pay the child rate.

TemboPair it with Sheldrick

The giraffes and the elephants in one morning

The Sheldrick elephant orphanage opens to the public for one hour a day, 11:00 to 12:00, every day except 25 December. It sits inside Nairobi National Park, entered by Mbagathi Gate on Magadi Road, where the Trust asks visitors to arrive by 10:30. The Giraffe Centre stays open until 17:00, so the order that works is the elephants first and the giraffes after lunch, when the weekday crowd at the platform thins.

The Sheldrick hour needs more planning than the giraffes. The Trust takes bookings only in advance, never for the same day. On the day you pay its minimum donation, USD 20 for a non-resident adult, and since 19 September 2023 the Nairobi National Park entry fee as well: USD 80 for a non-resident adult, per person per 24 hours, single entry. The Sheldrick page has the booking steps and both payments side by side.

BarabaraGetting there

Getting there, and a third stop in Karen

The Centre is on Nyumbi Road, off Duma Road in Lang'ata. The Centre gives the distance from the city center as 15 km (9.3 mi) and the trip as 40 minutes; allow more in the rush hours.

The Karen Blixen Museum is close by in Karen, 10 km (6.2 mi) from the city center at the foot of the Ngong Hills by the National Museums of Kenya's count. Since 7 May 2026 an adult from outside Africa pays USD 17 there (the museums' fee list).

Flying on to the reserve? Nairobi to Masai Mara compares the road and the flight, and the Mara flights page has the departures from Wilson Airport.

Giraffe at the Giraffe Centre
A giraffe at the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, December 2011.Photo: Laika ac / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

BeiTours that include it

If you would rather be driven

Half-day tours from Nairobi pair the Giraffe Centre with the elephants. Read what each one includes: the park and Nursery payments are the big difference.

Viator, listed 12 November 2026

Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre

from USD 48per person, park fees excluded, at most 36 travelers

The Sheldrick Trust accepts only its own booking confirmations for the Nursery, not bookings made through tour platforms. A tour gets you to the gate; your own booking with the Trust gets you in. For a longer day out, a GetYourGuide tour of 6 hours that adds Nairobi National Park lists from USD 40, park fees excluded (listed 12 November 2026). The wild giraffes, elephants and the rest are on the Masai Mara animals page.

MaswaliGiraffe Centre questions

Giraffe Centre questions

The Centre's own pages: home and fees, FAQ, the sanctuary. The Nursery: Sheldrick visit page. The park fee: KWS fee schedule.

How much is the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi for foreigners?

A non-resident adult pays KES 1,500 (about USD 12) and a child aged 3 to 12 pays KES 750 (about USD 6). Children under 3 enter free. The lower resident rate is for citizens and work-permit holders of the East African Community countries. Students under 23 with a valid ID pay the child rate.

Can I pay cash at the Giraffe Centre?

Plan on not using cash. The Centre lists M-Pesa, Visa and Mastercard as its ways to pay, credit or debit, and cash is not on that list. A visitor without M-Pesa pays by card. Keep some shillings for a tip: the Centre encourages one for the student guides, who volunteer as Educators.

Is the Giraffe Centre the same as Giraffe Manor?

No. Giraffe Manor is a separate private hotel. The AFEW Giraffe Centre is the public sanctuary: anyone can walk in between 9:00 and 17:00 any day, pay at the gate and feed the giraffes from the platform.

What time is the Giraffe Centre least busy?

The Centre says its busiest times are 11:00 to 13:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends and on public holidays. That leaves weekday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 and weekday afternoons from 13:00 to closing at 17:00 as the quieter hours. Plan 1.5 to 2 hours for the platform, the talk and the shop.

Can I visit the Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick on the same day?

Yes, and the usual order is the elephants first. The Sheldrick Nursery's public hour is 11:00 to 12:00, and the Trust asks visitors to be at Mbagathi Gate by 10:30. It must be booked ahead, never the same day. The Giraffe Centre is open until 17:00, so the afternoon is free for the giraffes.

Sources

  1. GetYourGuide listing 'Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre' (operator Gracilie Ventures), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 40 per person, half-day (4 to 8 hours) from Nairobi, not stated (6 hours), park fees excluded. GetYourGuide: Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre, 2026-11-12.
  2. Viator listing 'Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre' (operator not shown on the page), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 48 per person, half-day (4 to 8 hours) from Nairobi, max 36 travelers, park fees excluded. Viator: Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre, 2026-11-12.
  3. The Central Bank of Kenya's daily indicative exchange rate posted on 12 November 2026 is KES 129.96 per US dollar. Central Bank of Kenya: home page, Daily KES Exchange Rates (indicative), 2026-11-12.
  4. Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fee (2025 schedule) for Nairobi National Park: non-resident adult, per person per daily fee (single access, valid up to 24 hours), all year: USD 80. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  5. AFEW Giraffe Centre (Lang'ata, Nairobi) entry fee, non-resident adult: KES 1,500. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  6. AFEW Giraffe Centre entry fee, non-resident child aged 3-12: KES 750. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  7. AFEW Giraffe Centre entry fee, resident adult: KES 400. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  8. AFEW Giraffe Centre entry fee, resident child aged 3-12: KES 200. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  9. AFEW Giraffe Centre: children below 3 years enter free; school groups free if booked at least one week in advance. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  10. AFEW Giraffe Centre applies its resident rate to citizens or work-permit holders of East African Community countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo, South Sudan). African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  11. AFEW Giraffe Centre: students below 23 with a valid student ID from a recognized institution pay the child rate. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  12. AFEW Giraffe Centre is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day, including weekends and all public holidays. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  13. AFEW Giraffe Centre accepts payment only by M-Pesa, Visa or Mastercard (credit/debit card); cash is not listed. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  14. AFEW Giraffe Centre: busiest times are 11 AM to 1 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays; plan 1.5 to 2 hours for a visit. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  15. AFEW Giraffe Centre states that 90 percent of the funds collected from entrance fees and sales in its gift shop and Tea House go towards its conservation work; its guides are Environmental Studies students who volunteer as Educators, and it encourages a tip for the guide. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  16. AFEW Giraffe Centre cares for 10 Rothschild giraffes and has released over 40 giraffes into Kenyan national parks and reserves through its breeding program; its first giraffe, Daisy I, arrived in 1979. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  17. AFEW Giraffe Centre: visitors hand-feed giraffes pellets from a raised feeding platform, attend a short lecture, and can walk a 1.5 km nature trail at no extra cost. AFEW Giraffe Centre: Our Sanctuary.
  18. National Museums of Kenya admission fee from 7 May 2026, Karen Blixen Museum (same rate as Fort Jesus), adult, foreigners from outside Africa: USD 17. National Museums of Kenya: Revision of Heritage Facilities Admission Fees (public notice PDF, posted 11 April 2026), 2026-04-11.
  19. National Museums of Kenya: the Karen Blixen Museum is 10 km from Nairobi's city center at the foot of the Ngong Hills; the house was built in 1912, given to Kenya by the Danish government in 1964, and opened as a museum in 1986; guided tours run continuously through the day. National Museums of Kenya: Karen Blixen page.
  20. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's public visit at its Nairobi Nursery (inside Nairobi National Park) runs every day except 25 December from 11am to 12 noon, timed around the orphans' midday milk feed and mud bath. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  21. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: access to the Nairobi Nursery visit is strictly by advance booking; no same-day bookings; bookings accepted only for visits within the next three months. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  22. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust accepts only its own booking confirmations for the Nursery visit, not bookings via third-party platforms such as Viator, GetYourGuide or Tripadvisor. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  23. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust minimum entry donation for the 11am Nursery visit, adult aged 12 and above (non-resident): US$20 per person or the Kenya shilling equivalent at the day's rate. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  24. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust minimum entry donation for the Nursery visit, Kenya resident adult (with proof of residency): KES 2,000. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  25. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust minimum entry donation for the Nursery visit, child under 12 (non-resident): US$5 per person or the Kenya shilling equivalent. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  26. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust minimum entry donation for the Nursery visit, Kenya resident child (with proof of residency): KES 500. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  27. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust states that since 19 September 2023 KWS requires all Nursery visitors to pay the Nairobi National Park entry fee on top of the Trust's donation, whether or not they go further into the park; KWS also charges drivers and vehicles at the gate. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  28. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: access to its Nairobi Nursery is via the KWS Mbagathi Gate (also called the KWS Workshop Gate) on Magadi Road; guests should arrive at or before 10:30am. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  29. Exchange rate. Central Bank of Kenya, daily indicative exchange rate posted 12 November 2026 (average of major market participants' buying and selling rates at the open of trade)
  30. Unit conversions. Metric figures with US equivalents (1 km = 0.621371 mi, 1 m = 3.28084 ft, 1 kg = 2.20462 lb, 1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 acre = 0.404686 ha, °F = °C × 9/5 + 32)
  31. Park, camping, vehicle and balloon fees. Narok County 2025/26 Park Fees & Charges and Narok County Finance Act 2023 (reserve, Narok side); Mara Conservancy conservation fees (Mara Triangle); Kenya Wildlife Service Conservation Fees 2025 (Nairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru); Enonkishu Conservancy fee page