The safari metropolis
Nairobi is an unconventional African capital, where the urban dimension coexists with nature in a surprisingly close way. The city is located in south-central Kenya, not far from the Great Rift Valley, at about 1,660 meters above sea level, in a position that offers a particularly scenic landscape: to the west are the Ngong Hills, while on clear days the gaze can go as far as Mount Kenya, to the north, and Mount Kilimanjaro, to the southeast.
Despite the growth of the city, some natural areas have remained an integral part of the city's landscape: in fact, the Karura Forest, one of the most important green areas in Nairobi, is preserved in the northern area. In this lively city, you can start the day among museums, markets and contemporary neighborhoods and a few hours later find yourself in Nairobi National Park, in front of giraffes, zebras, rhinos and lions with the city skyline in the background.
The capital of Kenya and the country's main international gateway, the city of Nairobi deserves to be considered a destination in its own right and not just a stop before leaving for a safari in the Maasai Mara or to the other great Kenyan parks. The city offers culture, art, places of worship, shopping, gastronomy, green spaces and a series of nature experiences that can be easily integrated into a one- or two-day stay.
It is precisely this proximity between metropolis and nature that defines Nairobi's identity. In a single itinerary you can alternate the Nairobi National Museum and the Karen Blixen Museum, the places of worship in the center, a walk in the Karura Forest, a visit to the Giraffe Centre and a game drive in the Nairobi National Park. A set of very different experiences, but geographically close, which makes the capital particularly interesting for those visiting Kenya.
The city can be admired on board the typical 'Matatu', local public buses and minibuses colored by artistic graffiti that bring joy during the various itineraries, or on board the 'Boda Boda' motorcycles that arrive everywhere and avoid traffic. Although the best way to visit the city center is on foot as the distances are short and you can follow the signs of four pedestrian routes that pass through historical sites, churches, museums, palaces and monuments: Kenyatta Avenue, River Road, City Square and Harry Thuku Road.
Monuments and places of worship in central Nairobi
The city centre is a good starting point for understanding the history and multicultural character of Nairobi. Alongside the administrative buildings and monuments are churches, mosques and temples that tell the story of the religious and social diversity of the capital.
Among the most important Christian buildings is the Cathedral of the Holy Family, one of the main Catholic places of worship in the city. The All Saints Cathedral, on the other hand, represents a historical reference of the Anglican community. In the heart of Nairobi there is also the Jamia Mosque, one of the most recognizable mosques in the capital, characterized by its two minarets. The presence of Asian communities is visible in several places of worship and helps to restore the image of a city built over time through different cultures. Among the Hindu religious complexes is the Swaminarayan Temple in the Parklands district, known for the richness of its decorations and its particular architectural language. This religious plurality is one of the most interesting aspects to observe during a visit to the center, because it tells of a Nairobi much more complex than the simple image of the capital of safaris.
The National Museum of Nairobi, to start learning about Kenya
The Nairobi National Museum, along Museum Hill Road, is one of the most useful visits to plan at the beginning of your stay. The collections are organized around four major areas (culture, nature, history and contemporary art) and allow you to have a first overview of Kenya's heritage before continuing your trip to the country.
Within the route there are testimonies related to natural history, cultural diversity and Kenyan artistic production. In the same complex there are also the Snake Park (Snake Park with live specimens of Kenyan reptiles) and the Botanical Gardens, making it possible to dedicate several hours to the visit without moving. For those who want to go beyond the image of Kenya as the only safari destination, the Nairobi National Museum is one of the most complete stops in the capital where you can also admire stuffed birds and mammals, fossils of Lake Turkana, rocks, minerals and prehistoric bones.
Then, to relax walking in the green of the city, you can reach the Jeevanjee Gardens, bordered by Moi Avenue, Monrovia Street, Muindi Mbingu Street and Moktar Daddah Street, with gardens, lawns, artistic benches and sculptures. Or you can reach Central Park, a green area bordered by Kenyatta Avenue, Nyerere Avenue and Uhuru Highway, the Uhuru Garden or the Uhuru Park ideal for boat trips on a small artificial lake.
Karen Blixen Museum and the world of "My Africa"
In the Karen district, immersed in a green and residential area of the city, there is the Karen Blixen Museum. The house was inhabited by the Danish writer Karen Blixen between 1917 and 1931 and still preserves period furniture, books, reproductions of her works and equipment related to the agricultural estate. Karen Blixen's stay in Kenya became famous through 'Out of Africa', known in Italy as 'My Africa', and through the film directed by Sydney Pollack in 1985. The visit allows you to enter one of the places most closely linked to the literary imagination of Kenya and, at the same time, to get closer to a part of the colonial history of the Nairobi region.
Contemporary art, cultural spaces and festivals
Alongside the more institutional museums, Nairobi has developed a vibrant contemporary art scene over the years. Among the spaces to visit is the GoDown Arts Centre, a reality that has contributed to the growth of Kenyan artistic production through cultural activities, exhibitions and initiatives dedicated to contemporary creativity. Including a visit to one of these spaces allows you to combine historical museums with a look at today's Nairobi that is younger, more creative and international.
Among the galleries, the Nairobi Gallery, at the intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway, is worth a visit, in a building that is a national monument and houses a museum with temporary art exhibitions. While the National Archives of Kenya on Moi Avenue houses the Murumbi Gallery which exhibits the collection of Joseph Murumbi, Kenya's historic second vice president, with African art, artifacts and books, including rare ones. For a visual and sensory experience you can also visit the modern Museum of Illusions in Nairobi with amazing installations. The city also offers events, live music and annual festivals, such as the Nairobi Festival (usually every December in Uhuru Park) or the Nairobi Jazz Festival, offering an urban face that deserves to be known especially by those interested in African culture.
Nairobi National Park, the safari on the outskirts of the capital
The place that defines Nairobi more than any other is the Nairobi National Park. Located in Lang'ata, about ten kilometers from the city center, it allows you to experience a real safari without long transfers. This is the characteristic that makes Nairobi different from almost all other major capitals: the African flora and fauna, the different environments and the wide rocky valleys are accessible directly from the urban center.
In the park you can observe lions, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, leopards, hippos and black and white rhinos, as well as numerous other species. Nairobi National Park is also particularly important for rhino conservation and is one of the easiest experiences to fit even into a short stay.
The best-known image of Nairobi is that of the animals of the savannah with skyscrapers in the background, a combination that immediately restores the unique character of the city. While, for those arriving in Kenya and having little time, a game drive in Nairobi National Park can be the first encounter with African wildlife before continuing on to the country's large parks.
Giraffe Center
In the Karen area is the Giraffe Centre, one of Nairobi's best-known attractions. The centre was founded in the late 1970s with the aim of contributing to the reproduction of the endangered Rothschild's giraffe. Today, it also serves an educational function, allowing visitors to observe the animals up close and interact with them by offering feed to feed them. The visit easily fits into a day dedicated to the southern part of the city and can be combined with the Karen Blixen Museum and other attractions in the same area.
Elephant orphanage
About ten kilometers from the city, in the Karen area, among the experiences related to wildlife conservation there is also the Elephant Orphanage, dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of baby elephants orphaned by poachers. The visit allows you to learn more about the work done for the recovery of the animals and the path that can lead them, when possible, back to the wild. Here you can watch the elephants feeding and it is also possible to adopt a cub.
Karura Forest
Nairobi is not just savannah. The Karura Forest is a large protected urban forest and is one of the most popular green spaces in the capital. It is located at high altitude on the outskirts of Nairobi, while remaining within the city limits. In the natural resource, animated by monkeys, you can walk or take a bike ride, go jogging, birdwatch, organize a picnic or follow the paths that lead to the Mau Mau caves, the bamboo forests or the waterfalls of the Karura caves. For those who want to spend a few hours in nature without leaving the city, it is one of the most interesting alternatives to safari.
Around Nairobi
Those who have more time can also use Nairobi as a base for some short excursions. About 22 kilometers from the capital, the Ngong Hills are among the most popular destinations in the surrounding area and offer a landscape deeply linked to the history of Karen Blixen, where you can go hiking, picnicking and jogging.
Another possibility is represented by the Fourteen Falls, in the Thika area about 65 kilometers from Nairobi, a destination suitable for those who want to dedicate a day to nature outside the urban center among waterfalls that plunge about thirty meters. In the surroundings of Nairobi it is also possible to find outdoor activities and areas dedicated to more dynamic experiences, including rafting.
The capital can therefore become the starting point for an itinerary that alternates cultural visits, safaris, trekking, birdwatching and short nature excursions. About 10 km from Nairobi, in Langata, you can also visit the Kenyan Bombas, a real living museum to learn about the tribes of Kenya between lifestyle, music, dance, art, crafts and the traditional houses called 'Bomas'.
Golf in Nairobi among forests, hills and savannah
Nairobi is also an interesting destination for golf enthusiasts, with several courses surrounded by greenery and within easy reach of the center. Among the best known are the Royal Nairobi Golf Club, a historic 18-hole course along Ngong Road with views towards the Ngong Hills, and the Muthaiga Golf Club, another reference of the Kenyan golf tradition.
In the Karen district, Karen Country Club offers an 18-hole course that can easily be combined with a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum and the area's natural attractions. Further north, the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club combines resort and golf in a scenic setting, with views that on a clear day can extend to the Aberdare, Mount Kenya and Ngong Hills. Other options include the Kenya Railway Golf Club, near the Central Business District, and the Limuru Country Club, nestled in the highlands outside the city. Golf also reflects one of the most typical characteristics of Nairobi: the possibility of combining sport, nature, culture and safaris in the same stay.
Shopping between Maasai Market and shopping malls
Shopping in Nairobi offers two very different experiences. On the one hand, there are the markets and local handicrafts that bring you closer to local creative production. The Maasai Market is one of the most interesting places to buy souvenirs, textiles, jewelry, accessories, decorative objects, wooden statues and artifacts by Kenyan artisans. The market changes location according to the days of the week, so it is useful to check in advance where it is organized in the city.
On the other hand, Nairobi offers large modern shopping malls such as the Sarit Centre, in the Westlands district, and the Village Market, in the Gigiri area. Both combine shops, restaurants, services and allow you to find both local and international brands. For those looking for contemporary African productions, the Made in Africa Shopping Experience is dedicated to fashion, fabrics, beadwork, design and brands from the continent. The experience is mainly developed within the Village Market in Nairobi, one of the main shopping and lifestyle centers in East Africa.
The cuisine of Nairobi
The food scene reflects the cosmopolitan character of the city. Nairobi combines Kenyan cuisine, Indian influences, African cuisine and international dining, with a particularly varied offer in the more dynamic neighbourhoods. Dishes are prepared with fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, offered in every local market such as mango, papaya, pineapple, avocado and passion fruit, sukuma wiki (green leafy, similar to kale), tomatoes and potatoes.
Among the specialties to try is nyama choma with meat cooked slowly on the grill or on the grill, often accompanied by ugali, one of the staple foods of Kenyan cuisine. It is a kind of polenta prepared with corn flour and water, served together with meat, stews or vegetables and eaten by taking a small portion, even with your hands. Another very common accompaniment is sukuma wiki, prepared with green leafy vegetables and served together with ugali and meat. Among the traditional preparations there is also githeri, a hearty dish made with corn and beans, linked above all to the cuisine of the interior of Kenya and still very popular in local gastronomy. The most typical dessert is the fried Mandazi sometimes also prepared in the shape of a donut, triangle or rhombus. Among the most popular drinks are the local Tusker beer, coconut milk, Chai (black tea sweetened with milk and spices) or coffee.
Among the most interesting gastronomic experiences is the Nairobi Street Kitchen, in Westlands, a space that brings together different culinary proposals together with bars, music, art and small creative operators. In addition, Westlands is one of the liveliest areas to go out at night, dine and stop after a day of sightseeing.
Texts by Lisa Maria River
Avion Tourism Magazine
Photo for editorial use only: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos
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| COMPANY | STOPOVER | OUTBOUND FLIGHT | RETURN FLIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
| flydubai | DUBAI | Transit at the airport of 2h and 25m | Airport transit of 2h and 55m |
Air Arabia | SHARIAH | Transit at the airport of 2h and 10m | Airport transit of 2h and 55m |
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Where to stay in Nairobi
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EXPERIENCES, TOURS AND EXCURSIONS IN NAIROBI
Nairobi offers numerous organized experiences that allow you to get to know the city and its surroundings even with little time available. Among the most popular are half-day safaris in Nairobi National Park, often offered in 4x4 and combined with a visit to the Giraffe Centre and the centers dedicated to elephant care. Those who prefer to discover the urban face of the capital can choose guided walking tours among monuments, markets, historic buildings and central districts, or gastronomic itineraries with tastings of local specialties and street food.
Coffee and tea production excursions also depart from the city, with visits to estates around Nairobi, as well as day trips to Amboseli National Park, with the possibility of observing wildlife against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro. For those with more days, Nairobi is also one of the main starting points for safaris in the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, while more dynamic activities include trekking in the Ngong Hills, bike tours in the Hell's Gate area and, for a scenic experience, hot air balloon flights.
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Walking tours & tastings in Nairobi
A guided walking tour in the center of Nairobi allows you to get to know the most authentic face of the capital, moving through streets, markets and symbolic places of the city. The itinerary includes tastings of Kenyan street food and a visit to the Maasai Market where you can closely observe the work of local artisans. Duration: 3 hours. Info and reservations with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance and full refund: walking tour of the city with tasting of local food.
Safari and game drive in Nairobi National Park
A half-day guided tour of Nairobi National Park, with hotel pick-up, to experience a first safari without leaving the capital. On board a Kenyan game drive safari vehicle, you will cross the different areas of the park in search of lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, buffaloes and other wild species in their natural environment. Duration: 5 hours. Info and reservations with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance and full refund: guided tour of Nairobi National Park.
Elephant shelter and giraffe center
An excursion to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where orphaned elephants are located. The visit allows you to understand the conservation activities dedicated to one of Kenya's symbolic species. The tour can continue at the Kobe Beads Women's Factory, an artisan company specializing in the production of beads and jewelry. In the afternoon, stop at the Giraffe Centre, a short distance from the elephant orphanage, dedicated to the conservation of the Rothschild's giraffe. Duration: 1 day. Info and reservations with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance and full refund: tour to the elephant sanctuary and the giraffe center.
Safari Maasai Mara
Multi-day safari departing from Nairobi to experience African landscapes and observe wildlife in natural habitat. Aboard a 4x4 Land Cruiser jeep with a sunroof, set off in search of the Big Five accompanied by an experienced professional guide. Airport pick-up on the first day and transfers to and from Nairobi hotels. Two nights' accommodation in a self-contained tent, equipped with hot water and toilets, meals and a picnic lunch on the second day. Water is provided on board while travelling. On request: visit to a Masai community or hot air balloon flight. Duration: 3 days and 2 nights. Info and reservations with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity and full refund: Maasai Mara: group safari.
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