Nairobi - safari city

Why visit Nairobi?

Kenya's capital city, Nairobi, is the main arrival hub for most tourists. Nairobi also offers many unique tourism experiences, from a national park within the city limits to wildlife rehabilitation centres, museums, markets, shops, restaurants and various accommodations to suit all budgets.

With that in mind, we have created our list of favourite things to do in Nairobi:

Things to do in Nairobi

• Nairobi National Park – in the heart of Kenya’s capital, bushveld meets civilisation in Nairobi National Park, offering a safari experience unlike any other. Seemingly unperturbed by their proximity to civilisation, the park’s wildlife thrives in the surprising diversity of habitats available, including rolling plains, lush forests, marshlands and stretches of riverine valley. Of the Big 5, only elephants are absent, and the park’s black rhinos are relatively easy to find (note that they are heavily guarded against poachers). For those wishing to see all of the Big 5 during your Kenya safari, you can enjoy this unusual safari experience via a day visit or by overnighting in one of several lodges.

• Ivory Burning Site Monument – where Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi set fire to twelve tons of ivory in 1989. The image of the burning tusks made headlines worldwide – a profound and powerful statement of conservation intent from the Kenyan nation. This site is within Nairobi National Park.

• Elephant Orphanage / Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – the most successful orphan elephant rescue, rehabilitation, and release-back-to-the-wild program in the world. You can watch the baby elephants being fed milk by caretakers and enjoying their midday mud baths. You can even sponsor an orphan and know that you are making a real difference for that elephant. This is one of a handful of wildlife interaction facilities where the experience is not detrimental to the emotional and physical well-being of the animals concerned. This facility is within Nairobi National Park, and visitors must pay the park entry fee – making the visit best combined with a day visit to the park.

• Giraffe Centre – where you can learn about and interact with a handful of Rothschild's giraffes. The Giraffe Centre – 40 minutes from the city centre – is one of a handful of ethical wildlife interaction facilities where the experience is not detrimental to the emotional and physical wellbeing of the animals concerned.

• 4 must-visit Nairobi museums: The Karen Blixen Museum, The Nairobi Railway Museum, Nairobi National Museum and The Kenya National Archives.

• Utamaduni offers locally made household items, clothing, jewellery and souvenirs. The centre also features a café serving Kenyan coffees and tasty dishes, and a kid's playground.

• Kazuri Beads Experience offers handcrafted ceramic beads and jewellery made by disadvantaged local women. Kazuri beads are sought-after and shipped all over the world. You can tour the factory to watch the ladies at work.

• Eating out – Nairobi has numerous excellent restaurants, including:

  • Cultiva – a farm-to-table restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • Carnivore – where meats are roasted on traditional Maasai swords over a huge charcoal pit in a medieval banqueting hall setting

  • Cave à Manger – wine pairing and a wide variety of wines

  • The Talisman – environmentally friendly fine dining

  • Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens – coffees and light meals in a garden setting

  • Norfolk Hotel and The Lord Erroll Restaurant serve excellent high tea