Although it tends to be promoted as a children’s outing, the Giraffe Centre has serious aims. Run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), it has successfully boosted the population of the rare Rothschild’s giraffe from an original nucleus of animals that came from a wild herd near Soy in western Kenya. The centre’s other main mission is to educate children about conservation.
The Giraffe Centre is the public side of Giraffe Manor, so if you are staying at the latter, you will have an even closer engagement with the giraffes from your table in the breakfast room or even through your bedroom window. If you’re not able to stay at Giraffe Manor, the AFEW Giraffe Centre is a rewarding alternative.
You’ll get some great mug shots from the giraffe-level observation tower (note the viewing platform faces west, so be prepared for the lighting), where the elegant, slow-motion giraffes push their huge heads through to be fed the pellets you’re given to offer them. There are various other animals around, including a number of tame warthogs, and a wooded 95-acre (40-hectare) nature sanctuary across the road, which is a good area for bird watching.
The Africa Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W.) Kenya was founded in 1979 by the late Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British descent, and his American-born wife, Betty Leslie-Melville. They began the Giraffe Centre after discovering the sad plight of the Rothschild Giraffe. A subspecies of the giraffe found only in the grasslands of East Africa.
The Giraffe Centre has also become world-famous as a Nature Education Centre, educating thousands of Kenyan school children every year.
At the time, the animals had lost their habitat in Western Kenya, with only 130 of them left on the 18,000-acre Soy Ranch that was being sub-divided to resettle squatters. Their first effort to save the subspecies was to bring two young giraffes, Daisy and Marlon, to their home in the Lang’ata suburb, southwest of Nairobi. Here they raised the calves and started a programme of breeding giraffe in captivity. This is where the centre remains to date.
Situated in Karen, merely 16 kilometers from Nairobi’s Central Business District, you will find an animal lovers’ paradise: the Giraffe Centre. The project was created in 1979 to protect the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe subspecies and to promote its conservation through education.
This place turned out to be one of our favorite attractions in Nairobi, not just because we got the opportunity of getting as close as possible to some giraffes, but also because we kissed many of them, seriously!
The center’s facilities are very well maintained and consist of a raised feeding platform (a tall one for tall giraffes!), where visitors can come face to face with the giraffes; a small auditorium, where talks about the efforts of conservation are held; a gift shop and a simple café. Don’t forget to visit the nature sanctuary located right across from the road, which is included with the Giraffe Centre entrance fee.
After arriving at the center and paying your entrance fee, you can listen to a short and interesting talk about the giraffes of Kenya and the endangered Rothschild. Then, you can ask the nice staff members to give you some giraffe food (pellets) so you can feed them. The pellets consist of dietary supplements, as the giraffes eat mainly tree leaves. It is important to give them one piece at a time, as it is more fun, and you will avoid being bitten.
If you dare, you can place one of the pieces between your lips and get close to the giraffe so it gives you a lovely wet kiss! After taking many pictures with these beautiful animals, you can also take a look at the warthogs (pumba) and tortoises, buy something at the souvenir shop or grab a snack at the café. Before leaving back to Nairobi, remember to enjoy a nice walk in the nature sanctuary across the centre.
There, you will see some local flora, birds and nice walking trails where you can spend as much time as you like.
0900 Hours: Giraffe centre & manor day tour starts from your hotel after breakfast and drive to the Karen suburbs where the sanctuary is located.
Arrive and start feeding the giraffes as you hug them and take pictures up close with these humble giants.
1200 Hours: Giraffe centre and manor centre day tour ends with a drop off in your hotel in the city.
The giraffe centre and manor centre hotel are great places to stay around giraffes and learn about their conservation efforts in Kenya.
End of giraffe centre day excursion in Nairobi
Included in the Safari Cost
Excluded in the Safari Cost
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