What is the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust?
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a very special place found at the edge of Nairobi National Park in Kenya. This place helps baby elephants and rhinos that have been left alone in the wild. Some of these babies lost their mothers to poachers, while others were abandoned or lost due to natural reasons like illness or getting separated from their herd.
At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the baby animals are taken care of with a lot of love and care. The people who work here are trained to feed them, play with them, and teach them how to survive in the wild when they are older. It is not just a place to visit, but a home for animals who need help.
The History Behind Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was started in memory of David Sheldrick. He was the first head of Tsavo National Park and loved wildlife deeply. After he died, his wife, Dame Daphne Sheldrick, continued his work. She looked after many animals, especially baby elephants. She also created a special kind of milk that baby elephants could drink since they cannot drink cow’s milk.
Dame Daphne worked with these animals for many years and found new ways to help them grow strong. Even though she passed away in 2018, her work continues. The team still uses the methods she created to take care of the animals.
What Happens During a Visit?
When you visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, you get to see the baby elephants up close. There is a one-hour visiting time from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. During this hour, the baby elephants are brought out to play in a safe area. They run around, splash in mud, and sometimes play football. Visitors stand behind a rope while the elephants play.
Each baby elephant has a keeper who talks to the visitors. The keeper tells you the name of the elephant, how it was rescued, and how it is being looked after. The youngest elephants even sleep in the same stable as their keepers, so they never feel lonely.
This is because baby elephants need love and attention. Without it, they may get sick or feel very sad. Some may not grow properly or may even die from infections while teething. They also need mental care so that they can grow up happy and ready to return to the wild.
How Elephants and Rhinos Are Raised
Helping Orphaned Elephants
Elephants are a lot like humans. They take a long time to grow up. At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, each elephant gets personal care. When they are still young, they are taken on walks in the wild by their keepers. During these walks, they get to meet wild elephants and learn how to behave like them.
Some elephants are friendly and quickly make friends with wild ones. Others may be scared and need more time. There are even older elephants, like Eleanor, who were rescued many years ago. Now, they help take care of the younger ones. These older elephants act like mothers to the young ones and help them feel safe.
Helping Orphaned Rhinos
Rhinos grow up faster than elephants. When a baby rhino is rescued, it is also taken on walks in the wild. The keepers guide the rhino to special places like dung middens and bushes where wild rhinos leave their scent. This helps the baby rhino to get used to the wild.
Many rhinos that now live in Nairobi National Park grew up at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. One special rhino, saved in 1987, is now a mother herself. She was released into Tsavo East National Park and has done very well.
Visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Why Visitors Love It
For many people visiting Kenya, coming to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one of the best parts of their trip. It is not just a fun visit, but it also teaches you about animal care and conservation. You get to see how the animals are protected and how people are working hard to make sure they live a good life.
The trust uses real science and love to help these animals. You can see how much the keepers care for each animal. It is a place that mixes fun, learning, and kindness in a very special way.
When and How to Visit
You can visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust on any day except Christmas Day. It is open every day of the year, and you must book your visit in advance. Since it reopened to the public in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors is limited. This means that spots fill up fast, so it is best to book early.
You can book from 90 days to 2 days before the date you want to visit. If you are staying at hotels like Giraffe Manor, The Emakoko, or Nairobi Tented Camp, your visit can be included in your hotel activities.
You enter the orphanage through a private gate called the Banda Gate, located on Magadi Road. Even though it has a private gate, you still have to pay Nairobi National Park fees. These fees started being collected in 2023.
Getting There
If you are staying at another hotel, you can ask for a private car and driver. The driver will pick you up and take you to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. After your visit, you can go to other places in Nairobi on the same day using the same car. This makes it easy to plan your day and visit more places in the city.
Entry Fees
The visit from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm costs US$20 for people aged 12 and above. Children aged 11 and under pay US$5. For people living in Kenya or Kenyan citizens, the cost is Ksh 2000 for adults and Ksh 500 for children.
The visit can be quite busy, especially with tourists and school groups. If you want a more private visit, there is a special afternoon session. This visit is only for your group and costs US$1500 for up to 12 people. In this private tour, you can spend more time with the elephants and their keepers. You may also get to help settle the elephants into their stables for the night.
Rules and Things to Know
There are no age limits for visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, but parents must make sure their children are calm and careful. The baby elephants can get scared by loud noises or fast movements. Everyone must be respectful and follow the rules.
Always remember to book in advance. You can visit any day except Christmas Day.
Why the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Is Important
Saving Wildlife
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is not just about helping individual animals. It plays a big role in saving wildlife in Kenya. Poaching and habitat loss are big problems, and many baby elephants and rhinos are left behind. This trust gives them a second chance at life.
Without places like this, many of these animals would not survive. The Sheldrick team works hard every day to feed, protect, and prepare the animals to go back into the wild. They are heroes for Kenya’s wildlife.
Teaching People
Another reason the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is important is because it teaches people. Visitors from all over the world learn about wildlife, conservation, and the challenges animals face. It helps people care more about nature and want to protect it.
Even children who visit the orphanage with their schools leave with a new love for animals. They learn why it is important not to hurt animals and why saving the environment matters.
Creating Hope
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust creates hope. It shows that even when something bad happens, like a baby elephant losing its mother, there can still be a good future. With care and love, the elephants and rhinos grow strong again. They return to the wild and even start their own families.
This gives people hope too. It shows that caring, even one small act, can make a big difference.
Plan Your Visit with Travel With Bony
If you want to visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, you can plan your trip with Travel With Bony. We help you book your visit early and arrange transport to the orphanage. We also help you include other fun activities in Nairobi, like going to the Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Museum, or Karen Blixen Museum.
Travel With Bony can make sure your visit is easy, fun, and full of learning. Whether you are traveling alone, with your family, or in a group, we are ready to help you explore this amazing place.
Final Thoughts
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is more than just a tourist spot. It is a place where love, science, and care come together to save some of the world’s most beautiful animals. From feeding baby elephants to helping rhinos return to the wild, the trust does important work every single day.
If you are ever in Nairobi, make sure to visit. You will learn, you will smile, and you might even fall in love with a baby elephant or two.
