Nairobi is East Africa’s most dynamic city — a sprawling, cosmopolitan metropolis of 5 million people that also happens to be the only capital city on earth with a national park on its doorstep. For most East Africa safari travellers, Nairobi is the starting or ending point of their journey. Done right, the city deserves a day or two of its own. This guide covers the best things to do in Nairobi in 2027.
Nairobi National Park
Just 7km from the city centre, Nairobi National Park is one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife anomalies — a 117 sq km savanna reserve where lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and rhino roam against a backdrop of city skyscrapers. It is the only unfenced national park in the world bordering a capital city. Morning game drives from Nairobi hotels take 3–4 hours and frequently produce excellent big cat sightings. Entry: $60 per person.
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage, located at the edge of Nairobi National Park, is one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife conservation projects. Every morning at 11am (for non-members) orphaned baby elephants are brought out for a mud bath and feeding — visitors can watch from a few metres away, learn each elephant’s story, and “adopt” a calf. One of the most moving wildlife experiences available in any city on earth. Booking required. Entry: $15 per person.
Giraffe Centre
The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife’s Giraffe Centre in Langata is home to a breeding herd of critically endangered Rothschild’s giraffes. Visitors hand-feed the giraffes from an elevated platform at giraffe head-height — a memorable interaction especially for families. The centre has successfully reintroduced Rothschild’s giraffes to several Kenyan parks. Entry: $15 per person.
Karen Blixen Museum
The farmhouse that was home to Danish author Karen Blixen during her years in Kenya (1917–1931) — immortalised in her memoir Out of Africa — has been preserved as a museum in the leafy suburb of Karen (named after her). The house and gardens are remarkably intact, surrounded by coffee plantation and views of the Ngong Hills. An essential stop for literature lovers and those interested in colonial Kenya. Entry: $12 per person.
Kazuri Beads Factory
Adjacent to the Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads employs hundreds of Kenyan women to hand-craft ceramic beads and jewellery. Factory tours show the entire process from clay to finished product. The shop sells a wide range of affordable, high-quality jewellery — one of Nairobi’s best souvenir stops.
Nairobi National Museum
The National Museum in the Westlands district houses one of Africa’s finest natural history and cultural collections — fossils from the Rift Valley (including some of the earliest known human ancestors), wildlife dioramas, ethnographic exhibits from Kenya’s 42 tribes, and a botanical garden. Well worth 2–3 hours. Entry: $12 per person.
Food and Restaurants
Nairobi has a genuinely excellent restaurant scene:
- Carnivore Restaurant (Langata): Nairobi’s most famous dining institution — a meat feast of game and domestic animals carved tableside on Maasai swords. A Nairobi rite of passage.
- Talisman (Karen): Inventive East African and international cuisine in a beautiful garden setting. Popular for lunches before safaris.
- Java House: Nairobi’s ubiquitous coffee chain — reliable breakfasts and excellent Kenyan single-origin coffee at every branch.
- Nyama Choma at local joints: Roasted goat meat — the Kenyan national dish — is best experienced at local restaurants in areas like Westlands or the CBD.
Nairobi as a Safari Hub
Most East Africa safari itineraries begin or end in Nairobi:
- Direct flights to Masai Mara (Wilson Airport — 45 min)
- Overland to Amboseli (4 hrs) or Tsavo (5 hrs)
- Flight connections to Kilimanjaro for Tanzania safaris
- Road connection to Uganda via Kampala (8–9 hrs) or Busia border
Superfine Safaris can arrange Nairobi city tours and transfers as part of a complete Kenya safari package. Contact us to include a Nairobi day in your East Africa itinerary.
