Shelly Orr
Google
I would not make a donation in hopes of scheduling a one on one visitation with your adoptee. Sheldrick, conveniently, hasn’t updated their website to inform the public on their recent policy change on the discontinuation of the 5pm visitation with the rhinos or elephants. They now have an opportunity to meet these animals at 3pm but it requires a very “large” donation. Our family didn’t qualify for the meet and greet with our adoptees even though we adopted 6 at $50 each. Below is the email I received from one of the administrators about our inquiry to visit our adoptees:
“Dear Shelly,
Many thanks for your email and for your generous support of the Orphans’ Project.
Unfortunately, our 5pm foster parent visit is closed for the foreseeable future. Although the 5pm visit was originally closed for Covid, we have since learnt of all the many issues the Keepers were experiencing during the visit, and as a result it has been decided to keep this visit closed for the foreseeable future. Sadly, many of our visitors as well as tour operators were not respectful of our rules and visiting guidelines and would crowd around the stable and stockade doors which overwhelmed both the Keepers and orphans. We received numerous complaints.
Thus, we are now only open to the public from 11am to 12 noon but also have a 3pm private visit (which involves a much larger donation).
Important Update: As of 19th September 2023, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has mandated that all those visiting the SWT Elephant Nursery are required to pay park fees for Nairobi National Park. This is an entirely separate payment to our Nursery entry donation, and it must be paid via the eCitizen online platform. We apologise for any inconvenience this new arrangement may cause and would encourage you to access the Nairobi National Park for a game drive either before or after your visit to us as you will have already paid all relevant fees for the day. This beautiful park situated close to our capital city can benefit enormously from your support.
As emphasised, the KWS Park entrance fees are separate to the entry donation for your booking with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT). All entry donations to SWT need to be paid directly to SWT staff, who are located at the entrance to the Nairobi Nursery, after you have passed through the KWS park gate.
The eCitizen payment platform enables you to pay the KWS Park entrance fees at any time in advance of your visit. We strongly encourage you to do this prior to your visit to avoid unnecessary delays at the KWS Mbagathi gate (also known as the KWS Workshop Gate) at the entrance to Nairobi National Park. For more information regarding visiting us, and how to pay the new KWS mandated fee, please go to Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
Kind regards,”
Making a donation to Sheldrick is incredibly awesome to support these large orphans but, again, you won’t be able to meet your adoptee. Make sure you are making a donation for the right reasons.
