Top places to visit in Nairobi

• Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)

  Viewpoint · 4.5 rating · about 1 h

  Nairobi's iconic cylindrical tower; a rooftop helipad viewpoint gives a 360° panorama over the city.

• Nairobi National Park

  Wildlife · 4.5 rating · about 5 h · entry USD 43

  The world's only national park bordering a capital city — lions, rhino, giraffe and buffalo roam grassland against a skyline backdrop.

• Karura Forest

  Nature · 4.6 rating · about 2.5 h · entry KES 600

  A large protected urban forest with waterfalls, caves, marked trails and cafes — walking, running and cycling on the city's edge.

• Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage

  Wildlife · 4.6 rating · about 1 h

  Renowned orphanage that rescues and hand-rears elephant calves; open one hour a day when keepers bring the babies out to feed and mud-bathe.

• Giraffe Centre

  Wildlife · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry KES 1,500

  Conservation centre where you can hand-feed and eye-to-eye photograph endangered Rothschild's giraffes from a raised platform.

• Karen Blixen Museum

  Museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · entry KES 1,200

  The farmhouse of 'Out of Africa' author Karen Blixen, set in gardens at the foot of the Ngong Hills.

• Bomas of Kenya

  Cultural · 4.4 rating · about 2.5 h · entry KES 1,000

  Cultural centre with recreated homesteads of Kenya's ethnic groups and a daily programme of traditional music and dance.

• Nairobi National Museum

  Museum · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · entry KES 1,200

  Flagship museum of Kenya covering natural history, the hominid fossils of the Rift Valley, culture and contemporary art.

• Kazuri Beads Women's Cooperative

  Market · 4.5 rating · about 1 h

  Fair-trade workshop where you can watch women hand-make and glaze ceramic beads and pottery, then shop the results.

• Uhuru Gardens National Monument

  Heritage · 3.7 rating · about 1 h

  Landscaped park marking the site where Kenya's independence flag was first raised in 1963, with monuments and a museum.

Things to do

• Nairobi National Park Morning Game Drive Safari · 4 h · from KES 8,000 per person
• Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Visit Wildlife · 1 h · from KES 1,500 per person
• Giraffe Centre Experience Wildlife · 1.5 h · from KES 1,500 per person
• Nairobi City & National Museum Tour City Tour · 4 h · from KES 6,000 per person
• Karen Blixen & Kazuri Beads Afternoon Cultural · 3.5 h · from KES 5,500 per person

Day trips and tours

• Nairobi Safari Trio: Park, Elephants & Giraffes 8 h · from KES 12,000

Where to stay in Nairobi

• Westlands

  Nairobi's upmarket business-and-nightlife hub with malls, restaurants and international hotels.

• Karen & Langata

  Leafy suburb near the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum and the Nairobi National Park gates.

• CBD

  Central business district near the museum, KICC and the railway/SGR links.

Hotels

• Giraffe Manor 5-star · KES 90,000 to KES 140,000 per night
• Villa Rosa Kempinski 5-star · KES 30,000 to KES 55,000 per night
• Nairobi Serena Hotel 5-star · KES 20,000 to KES 38,000 per night
• Sarova Stanley 5-star · KES 18,000 to KES 32,000 per night
• Fairmont The Norfolk 5-star · KES 22,000 to KES 40,000 per night
• Wildebeest Eco Camp 3-star · KES 2,500 to KES 9,000 per night

Where to eat

• Carnivore African, Barbecue, Kenyan · about KES 3,500 per person
• Talisman Fusion, International · about KES 3,000 per person
• Mama Oliech Kenyan, Seafood · about KES 1,200 per person
• K'Osewe Ranalo Foods Kenyan, African · about KES 900 per person
• About Thyme International, European · about KES 2,500 per person
• Nyama Mama Kenyan, African · about KES 2,000 per person

Getting around

• Minibus main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Motorbike Rental main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Ride Hail main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Taxi main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Walking

  Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.

Safety and scams to avoid

• Fake safari operators

  Nairobi city centre & online

  Bogus 'tour operators' advertise cheap safaris, take a mobile-money or bank deposit, then vanish or never deliver the promised trip.

  How to avoid it: Book only with KATO-registered operators; verify the company, pay a card deposit and never send full payment by M-Pesa to an individual.

• ATM skimming & card cloning

  Bank ATMs, CBD

  Skimming devices and shoulder-surfers capture your card and PIN at street ATMs, later draining the account.

  How to avoid it: Use ATMs inside bank branches or malls, cover the keypad, and enable transaction SMS alerts.

• The friendly stranger / distraction con

  CBD & near bus stages

  Someone strikes up a warm conversation or claims to know you, then an accomplice picks your pocket or you are steered to a rigged 'deal'.

  How to avoid it: Be wary of over-friendly strangers; keep bags zipped and in front; walk away from unsolicited offers.

More in Kenya

• Maasai Mara
• Mombasa
• Amboseli
• Diani Beach
• Malindi
• Nakuru