Giraffe Manor (Day 27)

Giraffe Manor is a small hotel in the suburbs of Nairobi where you have afternoon tea with giraffes and then have breakfast with them the next day!

In the 1970’s, the owners wanted to try to save the Rothschild giraffe from extinction by turning their property into a giraffe sanctuary and breeding center. In the 1980’s, the owners turned their house into a hotel to help fund the giraffe projects and help more people learn about these animals. There are fewer than 2,000 Rothschild giraffes in the wild.

When we visited, they had a baby giraffe that was 7 days old.

There are 3 ways to feed the giraffes. You can throw the pellets into their mouth (the kids’ favorite method). You can let the giraffes lick the pellets off your hands with their wet scratchy tongues. The 3rd method is called “the kiss.” You hold the giraffe pellet between your lips, and the giraffe kisses it off. It was sort of like getting a kiss from your dog - yucky and nice at the same time…. or maybe mostly yucky.

Speaking of gross, at one point, the kids dared Jamie to eat a giraffe pellet. After some back and forth, he did, winning 3 hugs and a kiss. (The pellets tasted sort of like oat bran.)

Here is a friendly giraffe saying hi.

When we came down to breakfast, we had some visitors!