Visiting the Sheldrick elephant orphanage
The Sheldrick elephant orphanage is the Nairobi Nursery of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where orphaned young elephants are raised by keepers. The public can visit for one hour a day. These are elephants in care, not a free-living herd, so the visit is different from a game drive in the park, where there are no wild elephants.
Visits run from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, every day except 25 December. The visit must be confirmed in advance. There is no booking on the same day, and you can book up to 3 months ahead. There is no ticket price as such: you pay a minimum donation at the nursery, and you also pay the Kenya Wildlife Service entry fee for the park.
Our picks: tours with the elephant orphanage
The first two include the reservation, which you need because visits are only possible with a confirmed booking. The third is a small-group tour with the Karen Blixen Museum, where the entries depend on the option, so check yours.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre day tour
- Orphanage entry and reservation
- Giraffe Centre entry
- Hotel transfer
A game drive in the park is not part of this tour. An extra conservation fee for access to the orphanage is not in the price.
Check availability →
Elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre in a small group
- Orphanage reservation and entry
- Giraffe Centre entry
- Small group with a guide
The schedule has pickup at 9:30, the elephants at about 10:30 and the Giraffe Centre at 12:30. The park entry fee is extra.
Check availability →
Karen Blixen, elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre
- Small group with a guide
- Hotel transfer
- Entries with the matching option
The entries to the museum, the park, the orphanage and the Giraffe Centre are only included with the option that has entry, so check which one you book. The elephant stop is scheduled between 11:00 and 12:00.
Check availability →Elephant orphanage and Nairobi park tours
Tours that include the elephant nursery, the giraffes or a game drive, with live prices and availability.
Donation, park fee and what you pay where
Two payments, to two different parties, in 2026.
| What you pay | Who receives it | Amount | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum donation, age 12 and over | The nursery | $20 | Cash at the nursery |
| Minimum donation, under 12 | The nursery | $5 | Cash at the nursery |
| Minimum donation, Kenya residents, with proof | The nursery | KES 2,000 adult, KES 500 child | Cash at the nursery |
| Park entry, non-resident | Kenya Wildlife Service | $80 adult, $40 child | KWSPay or eCitizen, before you travel |
The park fee is the tariff in force since 1 October 2025. It applies even if you never go on a game drive. A driver and a vehicle can add further costs. The nursery donation does not replace the park ticket, and paying the nursery does not cover the park fee. For all categories, see our Nairobi National Park entry fee page.
For most visitors from abroad, the simplest plan is to pay the park fee online before the day, bring the donation in cash and keep the booking confirmation on your phone.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery and its rules
What happens on site.
Keepers only
Only the keepers feed and touch the elephants. Visitors watch. Smoking and vaping are not allowed, and filming and photos are for private use only.
Adoption
Fostering an elephant starts at $50 a year and supports the care of the animals. It does not give you the right to an evening visit, and it is no guarantee that you will see your own elephant on a given day.
A voucher is not a confirmation
A voucher from a tour seller does not replace the confirmation from the nursery. If you book through a seller, make sure the nursery has confirmed your date.
How to get to the nursery
The gate matters more than the distance.
Use Mbagathi Gate
The nursery is reached through the Mbagathi Gate, also called the Workshop Gate, on Magadi Road. You may also hear it called the Magadi Gate. This is not the Main Gate on Langata Road, so tell your driver the gate by name.
Arrive by about 10:30 a.m.
Plan to be at the gate by about 10:30 a.m. so you are inside before the hour begins. A taxi or ride-hailing car can take you as far as the Mbagathi Gate.
On foot or by taxi from the KWS gate
Guests who arrive on foot or by taxi can be taken from the KWS gate in a nursery vehicle between 10:15 and 11:30, if driver and vehicle are not paid for.
If you want to compare the nursery with the park's own animal facility, read our page on the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. It is run by the Kenya Wildlife Service and is not the elephant nursery.
A sample morning for the nursery visit
The order of steps that avoids problems at the gate.
Before the day
Get the booking confirmed by the nursery, pay the park fee through KWSPay or eCitizen and keep the confirmation on your phone. Bring the donation in cash: $20 per adult or child from 12, $5 under 12, or KES 2,000 and KES 500 for Kenya residents with proof.
About 10:30 a.m.
Be at the Mbagathi Gate on Magadi Road. If you arrive on foot or by taxi, the nursery vehicle takes guests from the KWS gate between 10:15 and 11:30, as long as driver and vehicle are not paid for.
11 a.m. to 12 noon
The visit. Only the keepers feed and touch the elephants, and smoking and vaping are not allowed. Photos and video are for private use.
After noon
The nursery visit is over, and the rest of the day is free. The Giraffe Centre is open until 5 p.m., so it works well as an afternoon stop. Do not plan a tight connection, because Nairobi traffic is hard to predict.
The nursery is closed to visitors on 25 December. If you plan to visit in the festive season, book early, since confirmations are given in advance and for a single hour only.
Elephant orphanage Nairobi: frequently asked questions
What time can you visit the Sheldrick elephant orphanage?
The public visit runs from 11 a.m. to 12 noon every day except 25 December. You need a confirmed booking.
How much does the visit cost?
There is a minimum donation of $20 from age 12 and $5 under 12, paid in cash at the nursery. Kenya residents give KES 2,000 and KES 500 with proof. The park entry fee comes on top.
Can I book on the same day?
No. The visit has to be confirmed in advance, and bookings open up to 3 months ahead.
Does the park entry fee apply if I only visit the nursery?
Yes. The Kenya Wildlife Service entry fee applies even without a game drive. Pay it through KWSPay or eCitizen before you travel, not to the nursery.
Can I touch or feed the elephants?
No. Only the keepers feed and touch them. Visitors watch.
Is this the official website of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust?
No. This is an independent guide with no connection to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust or the Kenya Wildlife Service. The Trust runs its own website for booking.