Description
The Giraffe Rothschild Centre day tour is a brief day excursion from Nairobi to Giraffe Centre & Giraffe Manor. The Centre in Nairobi is the sole attraction where you can do a day trip to the only sanctuary for endangered Rothschild giraffes, a fantastic wildlife experience worthy of checking off your To-Do-List
Initially, the program was a rehabilitation project to rescue the Rothschild Giraffe, an endangered species under threat from poaching, disease, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat loss. Some of the features that distinguish the Rothschild’s giraffe from other giraffes are a pale coat with orange-brown patches that are less jagged than the Masai giraffe; lack of patterns on its lower legs, giving it the appearance of wearing white-grey stockings; the presence of five horns (called ossicones) on its head, instead of the usual two or four. One is in the center of its forehead and two are behind each ear; lastly, the herbivorous species is unusually tall, measuring up to 5.88 meters (19.3 feet) in height.
The Giraffe Centre is managed by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), a conservation education NGO that also supports the teaching of conservation education in schools through documentaries, organizing inter-school contests, and production of pamphlets, brochures, and posters on conservation education.
There were only 120 Rothschild giraffes left on a ranch in Western Kenya when the Giraffe Center was founded. The original house of the founders has been converted into a very impressive boutique hotel called the Giraffe Manor. The center is located roughly 12.5 miles (20km) away from the center of Nairobi.
Handlers at The Giraffe Centre provide you with pellets to feed the giraffes by hand, and boy, the gentle giants yearn for affection and attention! You can even give take photos while feeding the animals by your mouth and it seems like you are kissing the giraffe, providing the perfect photo-op.
