Nairobi and Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor is nothing short of magical and I was so happy to return for a second visit two nights in June. Our British Airways flight arrived in the evening and we encountered quite a line at immigration, but we were warmly greeted and offered drinks and dinner despite the late hour of our check in.  The staff at Giraffe Manor is very helpful and friendly across the board, check in time is no exception.  We stayed in Marlon's Room our first night, the only room available when we booked.  It is small, and does not have giraffes visit for pre-breakfast treats.  We moved to Daisy's Room the next morning, which has a small terrace and a nice view out over the patio and the wooded area where the giraffes sometimes hang out (see below.)  To be sure you get a room that has giraffes come directly to the window, book very early!  No matter where your room is, you will have visiting time with giraffes at breakfast, in the breakfast room and along the patio. You will also get to feed giraffes at tea time.

The giraffes begin to wander up as the sun rises.  The staff is ready with large bowls of the giraffe treats that they like to eat.  It is very convivial at breakfast with everyone taking each other's pictures and talking to the giraffes.  They stick their heads through the windows and gather along edge of the patio.  There are plenty of staff members on hand to help hand out giraffe food, take photos, direct you to safe spots to interact with giraffes, and of course, bring your breakfast! 

The giraffes eventually make their way over to the Giraffe Center, leaving you to finish breakfast and get ready for whatever else you have planned.  Giraffe Manor is located in Karen, near some interesting things to do.  If you do not have a driver already booked as part of your travel plans, you can arrange with Giraffe Manor for rides to nearby places. Kazuri Beads, the Utamaduni Craft Market, and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (more on that later!) are all nice stops.  You can also have someone walk you over to the Giraffe Center to learn more about the Rothschild Giraffe species.  All meals are included in your room rate, so many people plan to head out after lunch.  Lunch is on the patio when the weather is nice.  A note about the food-let them know ahead if you have any dietary restrictions or special requests.  There are not many choices offered, but they are happy to accommodate your needs.  I had a delicious vegetarian lunch, the chef grilled some halloumi cheese for my kabob instead of the fish.

Around 5:30, the giraffes return.  The staff brings out bowls of giraffe treats, as well as treats for the guests.  Tea, wine, tea cakes, sandwiches, and all sorts of other snacks are served out front.  Unfortunately, the cute baby giraffe was only interested in eating the landscaping, not being fed by people!  When it gets dark, the giraffes leave and it is time for a nice drink by the fire and dinner.  We had to leave very early the next morning, but the manager helpfully arranged for the kitchen to make us a packed breakfast to take to the airport.  If you are flying from Wilson Airport, there aren't security restrictions about liquids, so you can take food and drinks with you to eat while you wait for your flight.