Nairobi

Overview

Many travellers treat Nairobi as an airport with a hotel attached. That can mean missing one of the easiest additions to a Kenya itinerary. Nairobi National Park sits on the city’s southern edge, allowing visitors to watch rhino and lion with office towers on the horizon. A well-planned day in the city works especially well at the beginning or end of a trip, when a full day of driving may not be practical.

Landscape

Open plains and acacia woodland on the city’s southern edge, with the Nairobi skyline behind them.

Wildlife

Nairobi National Park holds black and white rhino, lion, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, and cheetah. There are no elephants in the park.

A full day in Nairobi

The order below follows how the day actually runs. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust holds a single public viewing hour each day, at around 11:00 a.m., and requires advance booking — that visit is the fixed point the rest of the day is arranged around.

1. Early morning — Nairobi National Park. A half-day game drive. The park is best before the day becomes warmer and busier.
2. Late morning — Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The orphaned elephants, during the daily public viewing hour.
3. Midday — Giraffe Centre. Rothschild’s giraffe at eye level from the raised platform, a short drive from Sheldrick.
4. Afternoon — Mamba Village or Bomas of Kenya. Either the crocodile park, or a programme of traditional dance and music representing communities from across Kenya.
5. Evening — dinner at Carnivore.

When to go, and why

Nairobi works year-round. Its elevation keeps the climate relatively mild, though June and July can be cool, overcast, and occasionally wet.

Sample experiences

The full day above on arrival, followed by a flight to the Maasai Mara the next morning. Alternatively, a shorter combination of the national park and Sheldrick before an evening departure.