The Giraffe Centre Nairobi is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with 2026 entry fees starting at KES 400 for resident adults and KES 1,500 for non-resident adults.
Located in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area, the Giraffe Centre is home to the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe and offers visitors the chance to get close to the animals, feed them from the raised platform, learn about giraffe conservation and explore a short nature trail.
The experience typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours, making it one of the easiest wildlife experiences to add to a Nairobi itinerary. For visitors already planning Nairobi National Park and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Giraffe Centre can work particularly well as the final stop of the day.
Giraffe Centre Nairobi: Quick Facts
- Location: Lang’ata, Nairobi
- Opening hours: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily
- Open on: Weekends and public holidays
- Typical visit: 1.5–2 hours
- Non-resident adult: KES 1,500
- Non-resident child: KES 750
- Resident adult: KES 400
- Resident child: KES 200
- Children under 3: Free
- Payment: M-Pesa, Visa or Mastercard
- Booking: Individual visitors can buy tickets on arrival
- Main experience: Feeding and interacting with Rothschild’s giraffes
- Additional experience: Nature trail, conservation talk, Tea House and gift shop
The Giraffe Centre’s official FAQ confirms that individual visitors can pay at the Centre, while school groups have separate booking requirements.
How Much Does the Giraffe Centre Cost in 2026?
The current Giraffe Centre entry rates are:
| Visitor | 2026 entry fee |
| Non-resident adult | KES 1,500 |
| Non-resident child, 3–12 years | KES 750 |
| Resident adult | KES 400 |
| Resident child, 3–12 years | KES 200 |
| Child under 3 years | Free |
The Centre also states that students below 23 years with a valid student ID from a recognised institution qualify for the child rate.
Who qualifies for the resident rate?
The resident rate applies to Kenyan and East African Community citizens, as well as people holding qualifying work permits from EAC countries. Visitors may be asked to provide Kenyan or East African identification, a passport or an alien card as proof of residency.
How do you pay at the Giraffe Centre?
The Giraffe Centre is cashless. Current payment options are:
- M-Pesa
- Visa
- Mastercard
Giraffe Centre Nairobi Opening Hours
The Giraffe Centre is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including weekends and public holidays. Unlike the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery, there is no fixed one-hour public viewing session that determines when you need to arrive. That makes the Giraffe Centre considerably easier to fit around other Nairobi activities.
When is the best time to visit?
The Centre’s busiest weekday period is generally 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Weekends and public holidays can be busy throughout the day. If you have flexibility, an earlier or later visit can be more comfortable.
However, if you’re combining the Giraffe Centre with Nairobi National Park and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, it is usually more useful to plan around the fixed Sheldrick visit rather than simply chasing the quietest time at the Giraffe Centre.
What Can You Do at the Giraffe Centre?
The main attraction is the opportunity to get close to and feed Rothschild’s giraffes. The experience is more interactive than a traditional wildlife viewing stop, making it particularly popular with families and visitors who want close-up photographs.
Feed the giraffes
Visitors receive food pellets and can feed the giraffes from the viewing area and raised feeding platform. Educators are available to explain how to interact with the giraffes and answer questions during the visit. And yes, the famous giraffe “kiss” is part of the fun.
Learn about giraffe conservation
The Centre includes an educational component alongside the animal interaction. Visitors can attend a short talk about giraffes and the conservation work being carried out to protect them. This makes the experience more than simply a photo opportunity. The Giraffe Centre was established by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife to support giraffe conservation and environmental education.
Walk the Nature Trail
The Giraffe Centre’s Nature Sanctuary includes a 1.5-kilometre nature trail, available to visitors at no additional charge. The trail passes through the sanctuary and offers opportunities to spot birds and smaller wildlife such as dik-dik and squirrels. If you’re short on time, you don’t have to walk the entire trail. The giraffe experience itself can be the main focus.
Stop at the Tea House and Gift Shop
The Tea House provides somewhere to slow down after visiting the giraffes, while the Daisy Zoovenir Shop sells locally sourced items and other souvenirs. The Centre says that 90% of funds collected from entrance fees, the gift shop and Tea House go towards its conservation work.
How Long Do You Need at the Giraffe Centre?
Plan for 1.5 to 2 hours for a comfortable visit.
That gives you enough time to:
- Feed and interact with the giraffes.
- Attend the conservation talk.
- Walk part of the nature trail.
- Stop for a snack or drink.Browse the gift shop.
The official Giraffe Centre recommendation is also 1.5–2 hours for a fulfilling visit. If you’re only interested in feeding the giraffes and taking photographs, you can spend considerably less time there.
Can You Combine the Giraffe Centre With Nairobi National Park and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust?
Yes. The three experiences can make an excellent Nairobi wildlife day when they are sequenced correctly.
The most practical order is:
Nairobi National Park → Sheldrick Wildlife Trust → Giraffe Centre
The reason is simple: Sheldrick has a fixed 11:00 a.m – 12:00 noon public visit, while the Giraffe Centre is open continuously from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. That means the Giraffe Centre is the flexible part of the itinerary.
A practical Nairobi wildlife day
Early morning: Nairobi National Park
Start with an early game drive through Nairobi National Park while wildlife is active. The park gives you the traditional safari experience: searching for lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras and other wildlife against the Nairobi skyline.
11:00 a.m: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Continue to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery for the scheduled public visit. The Nursery visit runs from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, so the morning game drive needs to be planned around this fixed time.
Afternoon: Lunch
Take a break for lunch before continuing with the afternoon.
Afternoon: Giraffe Centre
Finish at the Giraffe Centre, where you can feed the giraffes, explore the nature trail and take your time without worrying about a fixed departure time. This sequence also avoids trying to squeeze the Giraffe Centre into the morning before the Sheldrick visit.
Want to combine all three?
For visitors who want to see Nairobi’s major wildlife and conservation highlights in one day, the three can be combined into a single itinerary.
Our Nairobi full-day experience combines Nairobi National Park, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Giraffe Centre into one planned day, making it easier to manage transport, timing and the different entry requirements.
Is the Giraffe Centre Good for Families?
Yes. The Giraffe Centre is particularly well suited to families with children. The experience is interactive, relatively short and doesn’t require the patience of a long game drive. Children can feed the giraffes from the raised platform, learn about the animals and explore the nature trail. The Centre also offers a dedicated educational programme for school groups, reflecting its wider focus on conservation education.
Is the Giraffe Centre Worth Visiting?
Yes, especially if you want a short, interactive wildlife experience in Nairobi. The Giraffe Centre doesn’t replace a safari and shouldn’t be marketed as one. There is no game drive or expectation of seeing a wide range of wild species.
Its appeal is different:
- Close interaction with Rothschild’s giraffes
- Feeding and photography opportunities
- A short conservation experience
- Nature trail access
- Easy access from Nairobi
- Suitable for families
- Flexible opening hours
- Easy to combine with other Nairobi attractions
For someone with only a few hours in Nairobi, it can be a particularly efficient wildlife experience.
Giraffe Centre Nairobi Visitor Tips for 2026
- Allow 1.5 – 2 hours
Don’t schedule the Centre as a 30-minute photo stop if you want to experience the nature trail and conservation elements as well. - Avoid the busiest period if possible
Weekdays between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. are typically the busiest period. Weekends and public holidays can be busy throughout the day. - Don’t carry cash specifically for admission
The Centre currently accepts M-Pesa, Visa and Mastercard rather than cash. - Wear comfortable shoes
If you plan to explore the Nature Trail, comfortable walking shoes are more useful than treating the visit as purely a viewing platform experience. - Plan your itinerary around Sheldrick, not Giraffe Centre
If you plan to explore the Nature Trail, comfortable walking shoes are more useful than treating the visit as purely a viewing platform experience. - Consider visiting after Nairobi National Park
The Giraffe Centre works particularly well as the relaxed final wildlife stop after an early game drive and the Sheldrick Nursery.
Where Is the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi?
The Giraffe Centre is located on Nyumbi Road, off Duma Road in Lang’ata, approximately 15 kilometres from Nairobi’s city centre. Its location also makes it convenient to combine with other attractions around Karen and Lang’ata.
Planning a Nairobi Wildlife Day?
The Giraffe Centre is one of Nairobi’s easiest wildlife experiences to add to an itinerary because it is short, interactive and flexible. For the best use of a full day, combine it with an early game drive in Nairobi National Park and the 11:00 a.m. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery visit, then finish with the giraffes in the afternoon.
It brings together Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Giraffe Centre in one carefully sequenced day.