Nairobi Education Centre - Animal Orphanage
Nairobi Education Centre - Animal Orphanage
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200 reviews
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Zahra J
32 contributions
Of all places, this is definitely not going to be any value to your money.... And time... Trust me. I find it overpriced especially if you aren't a local. The animals were neglected at the time and there was clearly low maintenance where the animals sheltered. The only thing that was enjoyable to watch was when they fed the lions otherwise something needs to be done.
Written May 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shahram Rezapour
DĂĽsseldorf, Germany202 contributions
Sep 2013 • Friends
The place where some orphan animals hosted.
Beneficiary:1- nice weather 2-Clean
Defects:1- expensive (15$) for foreigners 2- Less than 10 cages and some chimpanzees, the only thing you can observe. 3- Toilets are so dirty and destroyed 3-The road from city to the place under construction right now and you will face traffic.
Beneficiary:1- nice weather 2-Clean
Defects:1- expensive (15$) for foreigners 2- Less than 10 cages and some chimpanzees, the only thing you can observe. 3- Toilets are so dirty and destroyed 3-The road from city to the place under construction right now and you will face traffic.
Written September 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karahsay00
olympia22 contributions
read reviews about the orphanage and it sounded fun. when we got there we realized it was just kinds of boring. they had a few cheetahs, couple lions some monkeys. read that we would be able to pet the cheetahs but we could not. we were told it was aginst the rules and the boss was there so we would have to wait for the boss to leave. No thanks.
Written October 25, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jana B
1 contribution
Nov 2024 • Couples
At first glance, the catchment station really looks like a zoo (as often mentioned here in the reviews). But he absolutely isn't! After we were approached by a volunteer there, he told us the whole story of the place. He himself has been “working” there for over 20 years. The baby animals are brought to them from the surrounding area and Nairobi National Park if they are rejected or injured by their mothers. It was a great experience and Jack (I think my name was our nice friend) enriched us with some knowledge :)
Automatically translated
Written November 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Climber26348885175
2 contributions
Aug 2023
This is a zoo. Very small cages in which most animals seem to be hurt (not old wounds, but due to inappropiate housing). Several empty cages. Little explanation on species and origin of the animals. This was the worst activity during our stay in Kenya - definitely not worth the money.
Written August 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
royal618
London, UK471 contributions
Sep 2013 • Solo
If animals cooped up in tiny pens pacing up and down and then angered by the keepers to provide photo opportunities for tourists is your thing, then great. Oh, and don't forget those keepers will want a tip for agitating the animals.
This is a zoo, a very poor zoo at that - very disheartening to visit. And it galls me to say that you shouldn't patronise this venue as I'm sure some of the money goes to the animals, but you are better off taking your US$15 elsewhere where it can be put to better use, and not to fund this sham of a zoo.
This is a zoo, a very poor zoo at that - very disheartening to visit. And it galls me to say that you shouldn't patronise this venue as I'm sure some of the money goes to the animals, but you are better off taking your US$15 elsewhere where it can be put to better use, and not to fund this sham of a zoo.
Written September 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brendannaylor
Vancouver, Canada14 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
Before visiting the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, located on the outskirts of the National Park, we'd researched the place and seen many photos on google and even here on trip advisor of guests getting close encounters with animals. Putting cheetahs etc and this was our main reason for visiting. We expected to pay at front desk an entry fee plus a larger extra fee for this kind of encounter. The assumption was made that the encounter would be in the animals enclosure, it'd be used to and comfortable with humans and that the money paid would go to the helping the orphanage protect more animals.
Our experience was the complete opposite.
Upon entry the cashier said that was not a service they offered. But not long after the first exhibit a keeper approached us and said he'd show us around. We weren't particularly interested as this tiny place, which is more a zoo than orphanage, with tiny enclosures wasn't something you needed a guide for. But we asked him about the encounters we'd seen online and he said he could help.
Walking around the zoo he'd climb the barrier and take photos with my camera of the animals through the fence, which were better than my photos with the fence in them. At the lion and hyena enclosure he let us over the barrier to sit next to the fence and pose with the animals. At the cheetah enclosure he called one over and we were able to pat it through the fence.
Then he said we'd get to go and see the cheetah cubs. He said we couldn't let his boss see. And we naive tourists assumed this was because he was giving us the encounter for much cheaper than the company would. Meaning he kept the money, we got the encounter much cheaper. Our assumption was that we'd be taken to the nursery where the cheetah cubs were, could see them through glass/fence and if we were lucky perhaps go inside and have them play at our feet etc.
Well!
What actually happened was we were lead out back when his boss wasn't watching. Another keeper had brought the cub out side from the enclosure. It's front leg was bandaged and I hope the story about cubs play flighting and causing the injury was true... The cub was held under his front legs was the rest of his body dangling. The cub was clearly distressed, uncomfortable and was struggling to escape. The cub was passed around me, my girlfriend and another tourist.
I wish now that I'd be quick and strong enough to realise what was happening at the time and say no it. I wish I'd bee strong enough not to pay them and be part of the problem. I'm certainly sorry for the part I played.
The Keepers who are supposed to care for these animals obviously didn't and were using them for financial gain. We feel absolutely awful for having taken part in ANIMAL EXTORTION and feel we need to be a voice for these cheetahs. The fact it was done in secret tells me that this is not how the managers of the orphanage want to run the place, and that the keepers knew they were doing wrong. We were also told not to put photos online.
Shame on the keepers who take part in this. Beware if you ever visit the Nairobi Animal Orphanage.
Brendan
Our experience was the complete opposite.
Upon entry the cashier said that was not a service they offered. But not long after the first exhibit a keeper approached us and said he'd show us around. We weren't particularly interested as this tiny place, which is more a zoo than orphanage, with tiny enclosures wasn't something you needed a guide for. But we asked him about the encounters we'd seen online and he said he could help.
Walking around the zoo he'd climb the barrier and take photos with my camera of the animals through the fence, which were better than my photos with the fence in them. At the lion and hyena enclosure he let us over the barrier to sit next to the fence and pose with the animals. At the cheetah enclosure he called one over and we were able to pat it through the fence.
Then he said we'd get to go and see the cheetah cubs. He said we couldn't let his boss see. And we naive tourists assumed this was because he was giving us the encounter for much cheaper than the company would. Meaning he kept the money, we got the encounter much cheaper. Our assumption was that we'd be taken to the nursery where the cheetah cubs were, could see them through glass/fence and if we were lucky perhaps go inside and have them play at our feet etc.
Well!
What actually happened was we were lead out back when his boss wasn't watching. Another keeper had brought the cub out side from the enclosure. It's front leg was bandaged and I hope the story about cubs play flighting and causing the injury was true... The cub was held under his front legs was the rest of his body dangling. The cub was clearly distressed, uncomfortable and was struggling to escape. The cub was passed around me, my girlfriend and another tourist.
I wish now that I'd be quick and strong enough to realise what was happening at the time and say no it. I wish I'd bee strong enough not to pay them and be part of the problem. I'm certainly sorry for the part I played.
The Keepers who are supposed to care for these animals obviously didn't and were using them for financial gain. We feel absolutely awful for having taken part in ANIMAL EXTORTION and feel we need to be a voice for these cheetahs. The fact it was done in secret tells me that this is not how the managers of the orphanage want to run the place, and that the keepers knew they were doing wrong. We were also told not to put photos online.
Shame on the keepers who take part in this. Beware if you ever visit the Nairobi Animal Orphanage.
Brendan
Written October 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tpk124
nyc1 contribution
Apr 2013 • Solo
The animal orphanage is nothing but a well-branded zoo. I went there thinking that we would see humanitarian efforts in practice, but instead found animals looking close to dead in their very small cages. There were lions, leopards and other animals, in small cages. Some of them were rescued in the 1990s! Imagine being kept in a small cage for over 20 years. My dog has more of a playground than the lions. I paid 1300ksh entry fee (non-Kenyan residence fee). It took me approx 30mins to tour the entire zoo. I wish I had spent my money more wisely. Save your money Go instead to the elephant orphanage or the Giraffe Center.
Written April 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lizB73
Cape Town Central, South Africa1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Friends
It’s a ZOO!!!
I work in animal
Advocacy in the states- which our tour operator knew- and possibly out of malicious (personal) passive aggression- she sent us to this place . we thought we were going to a sanctuary and realized quickly it was a
Very bad Zoo- they “rescue” wild animals then put them in cages for commercial gain— The woman at the “orphanage” told us- it’s a zoo- Lions in cages smaller than my living room- a baby hyena isolates for the rest of its life- just lying there- so clearly depressed all of the animals. beautiful birds in small cages that will never be able to
Fly- don’t support this place— go to Sheldrick— or giraffe center—
The website is deceptive— they say they rescue and rehabilitate- but never mention release- which is what true rehabilitation will so I’d possoble
I work in animal
Advocacy in the states- which our tour operator knew- and possibly out of malicious (personal) passive aggression- she sent us to this place . we thought we were going to a sanctuary and realized quickly it was a
Very bad Zoo- they “rescue” wild animals then put them in cages for commercial gain— The woman at the “orphanage” told us- it’s a zoo- Lions in cages smaller than my living room- a baby hyena isolates for the rest of its life- just lying there- so clearly depressed all of the animals. beautiful birds in small cages that will never be able to
Fly- don’t support this place— go to Sheldrick— or giraffe center—
The website is deceptive— they say they rescue and rehabilitate- but never mention release- which is what true rehabilitation will so I’d possoble
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Singh
Gaborone, Botswana6 contributions
Feb 2015 • Family
Why are there mongoose, guinea fowl, mongoose, brown hyena etc etc in cages? They would survive fine in the wild once adults whether they were rescues or not.
The stories of the rescues are all suspect - no mention seems to be made of any effort to ascertain whether the animals were actually abandoned or not. Considering the amount of space we have in Kenya there is absolutely no reason for any animals to be kept in tiny cages.
Even if the 'orphan' claims are legitimate for the lions and larger cats they should be kept large open spaces not in tiny cages.
The stories of the rescues are all suspect - no mention seems to be made of any effort to ascertain whether the animals were actually abandoned or not. Considering the amount of space we have in Kenya there is absolutely no reason for any animals to be kept in tiny cages.
Even if the 'orphan' claims are legitimate for the lions and larger cats they should be kept large open spaces not in tiny cages.
Written February 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi friends, i am planning to visit nairobi national park next month alone..i am a non-resident surely...please advice me how & what time i need to be there for possible cat interaction for a tip extra is fine with me...i just want to experience the feeding the cats option etc...is it all inside the safari walk or the orphanage? cheers.....
Written August 13, 2016
Hi, never heard of feeding the cats; over 30 years that I have been to the orphange and since the time Safari Walk was started. You can take a picture with the cats, at least you could 10 years ago at the orphanage. Though I think they have become quite strict now. So this would be unlikely as well. Doesn't matter if you are a resident or non-resident. Wildlife Animal protection laws are now enforced.
If you are looking for a picture and to touch the cats, i suggest going to Thailand. They have a Tiger zone in Phuket. Its well marketed.
Its quite sad though that these animals are treated that way including the cubs. One would think its a petting farm.
If you want Wildlife...Kenya is the place. If you want tame cats to pet... then one of the Asian countries would be best.
We are doing our best in Kenya to protect the natural way of life for these animals. So even in the Safari Walk and animal orphanage, human contact is limited. Sorry this isn't the answer you were looking for. However, i wouldn't want to spoil your travel if you are expecting more, another country maybe more suitable and more to your liking.
Written August 15, 2016
Is there a specific time of day to go if you want to interact with the animals? How do you make reservations to do so?
Written July 26, 2016
It was $25 US for non residents. I don't know how much for locals. The plus side is they know the non-locals and do special things like let you feed the animals. . . for a tip of course. That part is worth it.
Written July 4, 2015
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