Elephant Nursery

Updated June 26, 2025

Elephant Nursery – The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi – Kenya Blog

## Elephant Nursery (Nairobi): what it is, where it is, and how the visit actually works

Elephant Nursery in Nairobi (often referred to as the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery) is an elephant orphanage inside Nairobi National Park, accessed via the KWS Mbagathi Gate / KWS Workshop Gate on Magadi Road—the same gate area often described as the KWS Central Workshop Gate. Wildlife Trust

This is a tightly controlled public visit with advance booking, designed around a fixed daily routine for the orphaned elephants. Wildlife Trust

## Quick facts (confirmed)

– Location: Nairobi National Park; access via KWS Mbagathi (Workshop) Gate on Magadi Road Wildlife Trust
– Public visiting window: 11:00–12:00, daily, and the visit cannot be extended for late arrivals Wildlife Trust
– Booking required: attendance is strictly by advance booking only Wildlife Trust
– Recommended arrival time: at or before 10:30 (to clear the gate and be ready for the 11:00 start) Wildlife Trust

## How to get there (the detail most people miss)

Even though you’re “just” visiting the nursery, you’re entering the national park area via the KWS gate. The Trust specifically warns visitors to plan for delays at the gate and to arrive early. Wildlife Trust

A major operational change to be aware of: Kenya Wildlife Service requires visitors to the SWT Nairobi Nursery to pay Nairobi National Park entry fees to pass through the gate, and SWT notes this requirement applies regardless of whether you’ll continue further into the park. Wildlife Trust

If you arrive by taxi/ride-hail, there are rules around drivers and vehicles: SWT explains that your driver may need to drop you at the KWS gate unless KWS fees have also been paid for the driver/vehicle, and that SWT provides guidance on onward collection. Wildlife Trust

## Booking: what “advance booking” means in practice

SWT’s published visiting details emphasize:

– Limited daily capacity and encouragement to reserve early Wildlife Trust
– Bookings can be made up to three months in advance Wildlife Trust
– Booking instructions include contacting the Nairobi office by email and providing your visit date plus attendee details (names for adults; names/ages for children). Wildlife Trust
– SWT states that only booking confirmations issued by SWT are valid and that they do not accept purported bookings from third-party platforms. Wildlife Trust

## Entry costs: two separate payments (don’t mix them up)

### 1) SWT Nursery entry donation (paid to SWT at the Nursery)
SWT lists minimum entry donations for the 11:00 public visit:

– Adults (12+): US$20 (or equivalent in KES at the day’s rate) Wildlife Trust
– Adult Kenya resident: KSh 2,000 (proof of residency required) Wildlife Trust
– Children under 12: US$5 (or equivalent in KES at the day’s rate) Wildlife Trust
– Child Kenya resident: KSh 500 (proof of residency required) Wildlife Trust

SWT also states this donation is not prepaid and is payable in cash upon entry on your booked day. Wildlife Trust

### 2) KWS Nairobi National Park fee (paid to KWS)
SWT explicitly separates KWS park fees from SWT donations and notes you must pay KWS fees to pass through the gate. They strongly encourage paying KWS fees before your visit to avoid delays, and they point visitors to the eCitizen platform for payment. Wildlife Trust

Freshness flag: SWT notes KWS fees can change and references a KWS public notice (29 Sept 2025) stating fee increases starting 1 Oct 2025, directing visitors to KWS for current rates. Wildlife Trust
Because fee schedules change, treat any fee you see outside KWS/SWT as potentially outdated.

## What you’ll see from 11:00–12:00 (and what you won’t)

SWT describes the public visit as timed around the Nursery herd’s midday milk feed and mud bath. From designated viewing areas, visitors watch orphaned elephants come out in groups for bottles, then gather for play and social behavior—mud wallowing, wrestling, dust bathing—depending on the day. Wildlife Trust

A key boundary that matters for animal welfare (and visitor expectations): SWT says they limit the orphans’ exposure to humans, and only the Keepers are allowed to feed and directly interact with them; visitors observe from a cordon. Wildlife Trust

## On-site rules and etiquette (practical + respectful)

SWT’s on-site protocols include:

– The visit is strictly within the 11:00–12:00 window (no delaying for late arrivals). Wildlife Trust
– Smoking and vaping are prohibited. Wildlife Trust
– Keep phones on silent; avoid calls during the visit to reduce disruption. Wildlife Trust
– Photos/video are allowed for personal use only; commercial use is prohibited. Wildlife Trust

If you’re visiting with kids, the tight timing and the viewing format tend to work well when you set expectations upfront: this isn’t a petting encounter; it’s a structured, keeper-led session where the elephants’ routine comes first. Wildlife Trust

## Accessibility and inclusivity notes (what can be stated with certainty)

SWT emphasizes controlled access, limited capacity, and the need to arrive early due to gate procedures and fee checks. Wildlife Trust
What SWT does not specify in the materials surfaced here are detailed mobility-access features (surface type, ramps, wheelchair routes). If you need step-free specifics, the most reliable approach is to contact SWT directly using the published visiting/office contact pathway referenced in their visiting materials. Wildlife Trust

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