Tales by Bambi

Experience feeding the giraffes

When you hear “,” you already know what’s about to go down: tall, elegant creatures, long eyelashes, and maybe a few Insta-worthy moments. And yes, you’re right… But let me tell you, the experience is more than just feeding a giraffe. It’s also about dodging their slimy tongues, finding the perfect photo angle, and wondering why your hand smells like hours later.

First, A Little Giraffe Centre Background (Because I’m Nice Like That)

The Giraffe Centre, in Karen, right at the heart of Nairobi, is home to the endangered Rothschild giraffe species. It was started by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W. Kenya) with one big mission: to educate Kenyan school kids about wildlife and the environment, and to let visitors (like me and my curious family) meet the world’s tallest mammals up close.

Our Public Holiday Surprise

Now, in my head, I thought we’d arrive at a peaceful scene, gentle giraffes, calm surroundings, maybe even a light breeze through the acacia trees. Reality? We picked a public holiday—big mistake. Okay, not really a mistake, but let’s say… if you don’t like crowds, don’t visit on a public holiday. There were so many people. Kids laughing, parents taking photos, and tourists everywhere. But the excitement in the air made it worth it.

Tip from me: If you can, visit on a weekday morning. The giraffes are calmer, the queues are shorter, and you can hear the guide without being elbowed by someone’s selfie stick.

Paying the Giraffe Centre Entry Fee and Facing My Destiny

We paid the entry fee (residents: KES 400 adults, KES 200 kids; non-residents: $15 adults, $8 kids) and got handed a small brown bowl of pellets. At first, I thought, “Easy job. Feed the giraffe. Take a photo. Done.” But then I met my first giraffe face-to-face…

Listen, these animals are majestic, tall, with patterned coats and dreamy eyes, but no one warned me about the tongue. Long, grey, and slimy like it had just been soaking in aloe vera. The moment it touched my hand to grab a pellet, my brain short-circuited. I was caught between laughing and pulling away… but I didn’t want to offend the giraffe.

The giraffe pellets

The Feeding Platform Drama

The feeding area is raised, so you’re almost at the giraffes’ head level. My younger niece went first and instantly screamed when the giraffe’s tongue brushed her fingers. The crowd laughed, but I was next in line and could feel my confidence slipping.

Pro tip: Keep your palm flat when feeding, and if you’re brave, there’s the famous “giraffe kiss”: put the pellet between your lips and let the giraffe take it. (I didn’t do it. My immune system didn’t sign up for that mission.)

The unforgettable Giraffe Centre - Nairobi, Kenya - MUST DO!!!!

Beyond the Giraffes – The Nature Trail

Once the excitement of feeding wore off (and we ran out of pellets), we took a walk in the Giraffe Centre’s nature trail. It’s a peaceful path through greenery, a nice change from the crowd at the main platform. You won’t see more giraffes in there, but it’s good for stretching your legs and maybe spotting a few birds.

Nairobi Has More Up Its Sleeve

The Giraffe Centre might have been the highlight of my day, but Nairobi has so many other places worth visiting.

Right next door is the world-famous Giraffe Manor, a luxury boutique hotel where giraffes literally poke their heads through the windows while you’re having breakfast. It’s on the pricey side, but if you’ve ever seen those dreamy Instagram photos of people sipping coffee with a giraffe leaning in… that’s the place. Even if you don’t stay there, it’s fun to know you were feeding the same giraffes that might be sharing someone’s toast in the morning.

If you’re already in Karen, you can also stop by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see baby elephants during their feeding time. History lovers can check out the Karen Blixen Museum, the former home of the famous “Out of Africa” author.

For cultural shows and traditional dances, visit the Bomas of Kenya. And if you still want more wildlife, Nairobi National Park is just minutes from the city center. It’s the only capital city in the world where you can see lions with skyscrapers in the background.

Funny Things I Noticed

Everyone starts confident… until the giraffe’s tongue touches them.
Giraffes have the patience of saints, unless you’re stingy with pellets, then they just move on to the next person like you never existed.
Kids are braver than adults. Or maybe they just recover faster from the tongue shock.

What Stood Out to Me

Feeding giraffes is a humbling experience. You’re standing there, tiny in comparison, realizing these animals could knock you over without even trying, but instead, they gently take food from your hand. It’s both hilarious and heartwarming.

If You’re Planning a Visit to Giraffe Centre, Here’s My Advice:

Best Time: Weekday mornings for fewer crowds. Avoid public holidays unless you enjoy testing your patience.
Wear Comfortable Shoes: You’ll be walking, especially if you do the nature trail.
Camera Ready: The lighting is better earlier in the day.
Bring Hand Sanitizer: Trust me on this one.

Would I Go Back to Giraffe Centre?

Absolutely. Next time, I’ll just aim for a day when the giraffes aren’t competing with a crowd for attention, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be brave enough to try that giraffe kiss.

My Experience

How often do you hike?

Do you like hiking?

Ever been to Mount Longonot?

Mount Longonot: the sign of victory

I enjoy hiking, but I don't do it very often. I do it when I get a chance, which is rare. But anyway, I have been to Mount Longonot, not once but twice. Once I did it when I was in primary school, and I didn't like it coz our headteacher made us wear the full school uniform, knowing well that we were going for a hike. Imagine hiking up a mountain with your school dress and black leather shoes......let me give you some minutes to imagine. Yeah......that was us, innocent hiking Mount Longonot with our long dresses and heavy leather shoes. The guys couldn't say the same thing coz they were in shorts......I can hear you say that's not fair.

I'm not here to talk about my primary school life, but an adventurous hike to Mount Longonot. So, the other time I did it was on 1st May 2024. You might wonder why I remember the date, this date just has to be remembered coz it was a season of heavy rains in Kenya, and a larger percentage of the country was flooded.

Mind you, this was an organized hike, so we went as a group from Chuka. For me, I knew the trip was not going to happen coz a road in Embu was destroyed by the rains. For me, this was the first red flag. But......" God is good all the time, and all the time God is good," the trip did happen. On this Labour Day, we woke up early and started the trip at around 5:30 AM. The journey was okay, and when reaching Embu, we used an alternate route, which was longer, unlike the highway.

We were out of the Mount Kenya region and we were at Kahawa Wendani, right outside Kenyatta University........here's the second red flag. The road was flooded really, really badly, and it was not good for the small cars, because of the high water levels. Here, buses and trucks showed off. Remember I mentioned God is good, we were in a 'matatu' which was a bit high, and so we managed that tiny river.

The rest of the journey was okay, and no more red flags were realized. It took us roughly 5 hours and 30 minutes from Chuka to Naivasha. If you are traveling from Nairobi, the journey is shorter, around 2 hours.

The Journey is not boring since the Great Rift Valley viewpoint is en route. The drivers stop there for a few minutes so that we can enjoy the views, buy curios, and also for a washroom break.

Views from The Great Rift valley View Point

So, How is Mount Longonot

From a distance, the mountain looks like a small hill, so if you've never done hiking before, the size from a distance would give you psyche. Mount Longonot is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service because there are wild animals. The interesting bit about this hike is that you don't just get tired with grace, but you also get to feed your eyes with the beauty of the wild animals feeding. Animals found there are giraffes, zebras, and buffaloes.

Mount Longonot from a distance

While hiking up the mountain, it's advisable to be in a group or have a guide because the buffaloes might be up there having their breakfast or lunch. Speaking of lunch, it's good to have a few snacks while hiking and also plenty of water. Don't torture your body, eat, and hydrate.

Mount Longonot is an easy hike, and a beginner can tackle it well if the right pace is used. The terrain is not that bad, actually, there are man-made stairs made just to make it easy for hikers to go up the mountain. The place is just green with plants that are thorny but green(don't know the name)

Stairs up Mount Longonot

Mt Longonot Vegetation

Once you get up there, you realize the view is worth all the struggle. The views are just beautiful and there is a crater up there that has been dormant for the longest time (this is just the geography story), but if you asked the residents around there what's the deal with the crater, they'll offer a really interesting story (when visiting Mount Longonot, look out for this tea)

The dormant Mount Longonot Crater

So up the mountain, you can decide to go around the crater, which is about 7 kilometers, mind you, this is more kilometers than hiking up, which is about 2 kilometers. You can also chill up there, take nice Instagram photos, and breathe in the fresh air. The descent is not that bad.

What I Would Recommend

Go with a group of friends that psyches you up
Wear proper hiking gear
Carry enough water
Go with a free mind, ready to have a great experience

Back to my experience

After descending, it started raining. I know I was done with the red flags, but this was the third and last red flag. So, as it was raining, we had to move fast before the flood caught up with us. I know this was stupid, but it was the only way.

Anyway, we reached Chuka safely, and to me, it was a nice and adventurous day. Definitely a day that I can never forget, the 3 red flags won't even let me.

If you ever want to go hike up Mount Longonot, just reach out, and we will do it together.