Nairobi, the city with a wild heart
Elephants at sunrise, jazz at sunset, nyama choma in between. A locally edited guide to Kenya's capital.
Nairobi at dusk, with the national park on its doorstep
A note before you go
Written by people who take the matatu to work.
Most guides to Nairobi are written by someone who spent a long weekend here. Ours is put together by locals who argue about whose nyama choma is best and still get stuck on Waiyaki Way.
We visit every place ourselves before it goes on the site. When a listing is sponsored, it says so on the card. And the basics stay free: the one-day and three-day routes, the map and the events calendar.
— The guide desk, Kilimani
- Visited in personNo place goes up from a press release.
- Sponsored is labelledPaid listings carry a clear tag. Always.
- Free where it counts1-day and 3-day routes cost nothing.
Don't-miss Nairobi
The wildlife, history and views every visitor remembers.
Wildlife · Lang'ata
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
Watch orphaned baby elephants take their mud bath and milk bottles at the daily public hour.
Hotels & Lodges · Karen
Hemingways Nairobi
Colonial-style luxury hotel in Karen with views over Ngong Hills and a spa.
Culture & History · Karen
Karen Blixen Museum
The farmhouse of the author of Out of Africa, set among coffee gardens in the Ngong foothills.
Parks & Nature · Gigiri
Karura Forest
A 1,000-hectare urban forest with waterfalls, caves, cycling trails and a river cafe.
Wildlife · Lang'ata
Nairobi National Park
The world's only wild safari park inside a capital city, with lions, rhinos and giraffes against the skyline.
Restaurants · Lang'ata
Carnivore Restaurant
Nairobi's legendary nyama choma experience: meats roasted on Maasai swords over a giant charcoal pit.
Local favourites & hidden gems
Quiet corners our editors keep returning to.
Culture & History · Lavington
Circle Art Gallery
Contemporary East African art in one of Nairobi's most respected galleries.
Restaurants · Kilimani
Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant
Injera platters, spicy doro wat and Ethiopian coffee ceremony in Kilimani.
Markets & Crafts · Karen
Kazuri Beads & Pottery
Watch local women craft hand-painted ceramic beads and jewellery in a fair-trade workshop.
Happening soon
Marathons, festivals and live nights.
Culture
Bomas Cultural Dance Evening
Sat 24 Oct · 14:30–16:30
Bomas of Kenya
Sport
Nairobi City Marathon
Sun 1 Nov · 06:00–13:00
Uhuru Park
Art & Craft
Nairobi Art & Craft Fair
Sat 14 Nov – 15 Nov
Nairobi National Museum
Art & Craft
Festive Market at Village Market
Sat 12 Dec – 24 Dec
Village Market
Ready-made itineraries
Tested routes from half a day to a long weekend.
1 day · First-time visitors · car
Nairobi in One Day
Elephants, giraffes, a museum and a sunset rooftop: the city highlights in a single day.
3 days · First-time visitors · car
Nairobi in Three Days
A full long-weekend itinerary with wildlife, culture, forest walks and the best nights out.
1 day · Families · car
Family Day: Giraffes, Elephants & Snakes
A child-friendly wildlife day that mixes feeding, mud baths and a reptile house.
Explore by neighbourhood
From the busy CBD to leafy Karen.
From the journal
Practical guides and local stories.
If you would rather not plan
Let a local plan it for you
Airport pickups, private drivers, safaris and restaurant bookings handled by our concierge team.
- Arrival
- Airport pickup and a local SIM waiting for you.
- Tables & tickets
- Restaurants, rooftops, concerts, rugby sevens.
- A person, not a bot
- One local host for the whole stay.
Friends of the guide
Partners. We only recommend people we use ourselves.
Private members club · Muthaiga
Muthaiga Safari Club
For the evenings you would rather not spend in public.
A colonial-era clubhouse set in old gardens: a quiet dining room, a cigar lounge, tennis and golf nearby. No photos, by house rule. Visits are by appointment.
Chauffeur & safari transfers · Westlands
Savanna Chauffeur Services
The car we send when the taxi is not good enough.
Airport pickups, business days and long nights out, in a Land Cruiser, V-Class or saloon with a driver who knows the city and the Nairobi traffic. Day and multi-day hire, and park transfers, too.
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