The park covers an area of 117.21 square kilometres (28,963 acres) and is small in comparison to most of Africa's national parks. The park's altitude ranges between 1,533 metres (5,030 ft) and 1,760 metres (5,774 ft). It has a dry climate. The park is the only protected part of the Athi-Kapiti ecosystem, making up less than 10% of this ecosystem. The park has a diverse range of habitats and species.
The park is located about 7 kilometres (4 mi) from the Nairobi's centre. There is electric fencing around the park's northern, eastern, and western boundaries. Its southern boundary is formed by the Mbagathi River. This boundary is not fenced and is open to the Kitengela Conservation Area (located immediately south of the park) and the Athi-Kapiti plains. There is considerable movement of large ungulate species across this boundary.
The fence that separates the park from the city runs along a high way leaving the airport, this is one fact many Kenyans are proud of - this park is the only natural safari park that has a city scape background that can be seen from almost any part of the park, as seen in the picture of the giraffe and the sky scrapers
