Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis
Field notes
How they live.
- Diet
- Herbivore (primarily acacia leaves)
- Social structure
- Loose, open herds with no strong bonds (except mothers and calves)
- 01
A giraffe's neck is too short to reach the ground, so they have to awkwardly splay their front legs to drink water.
- 02
They only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period.
- 03
Just like human fingerprints, no two giraffes have the same coat pattern.
Where to see them
Your best chances.
Ranked by how reliably our guides find giraffe in each park. Nature makes no promises, but the odds are not equal.
- AmboseliKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- LaikipiaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake EyasiTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake ManyaraTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake NaivashaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Lake NakuruKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Masai MaraKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Ol PejetaKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- SamburuKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- SerengetiTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- TarangireTanzania · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, NovCommon
- Tsavo EastKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
- Tsavo WestKenya · Varies by season / Data unavailableBest months: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, OctCommon
Also out there
The rest of the field guide.
Plan your journey
Go and find the giraffe.
Tell us this is what you came for, and we will build the route, the season and the guiding to give you the best possible chance.