Kenya
Nairobi
Kenya's capital and the hub for safari flights, with wildlife sights on the city edge. Stay 1 to 2 days. This guide pulls together 4 sights, 1 outdoor spot and 2 places to eat from our curated routes.
- Places
- 9
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- Jun – Oct
- Warmest month
- February
- Coolest month
- June
- Wettest month
- April
4 See · 1 Outdoors · 2 Eat · 1 Drink · 1 Shop
Kenya & Tanzania Safari
from our route notes
29°C / 84°F avg high
25°C / 77°F avg high
about 114 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in Nairobi
9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
The landmarks we would not skip in Nairobi across Langata, Karen and Museum Hill.
Photo: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery · GoogleSeeDavid Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Orphaned elephant nursery inside Nairobi National Park, open to visitors for a daily one-hour viewing.
Tip Book online; the public slot is 11am to noon and sells out.
Photo: Samwalton9 · CC BY 4.0SeeGiraffe Centre
Raised platform for feeding endangered Rothschild giraffes, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife.
Tip Go early before school groups arrive.
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 4.0SeeKaren Blixen Museum
Farmhouse of the Out of Africa author at the foot of the Ngong Hills, with guided tours.
Photo: Joe Macharia · GoogleSeeNairobi National Museum
Kenya's main museum covering human origins, wildlife and culture, with a snake park next door.
Outdoors
Trails, views and open space in and around Nairobi.
Photo: flightlog · CC BY 2.0OutdoorsNairobi National Park
Savanna park with lions, rhinos and giraffes grazing against the city skyline.
Tip Take an early game drive; animals are most active at dawn.
Eat
2 places to eat across Langata and Karen, picked for groups who care about the food.
Photo: The Carnivore Restaurant · GoogleEatCarnivore Restaurant
Long-running open-fire grill where waiters carve skewered meats at the table until you lower your flag.
Tip Vegetarian options exist but the draw is the grill.
Photo: Nauphrage Compilers · GoogleEatThe Talisman
Garden restaurant in a Karen villa mixing Asian, Middle Eastern and European plates.
Tip Order the feta and coriander samosas; book for dinner.
Drink
1 bar or café for coffee, a round or a nightcap.
Photo: Babu Samuel · Google
Shop
1 shop in Karen for browsing and souvenirs.
Photo: Kazuri Beads · GoogleShopKazuri Beads
Workshop in Karen employing local women to hand-make ceramic beads and pottery; tours are free.
How to fit Nairobi into a trip
Nairobi is stop 1 of 4 on our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route. Follow it as-is or lift Nairobi into your own plan.
Stop 1 of 4
Kenya & Tanzania Safari
Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
- Trip length
- 11 days
- Best season
- Jun – Oct
- Pace
- moderate
- Next: Maasai Mara
Getting here and onward
- Nairobi to Maasai MaraMaasai Mara is about 188 km / 117 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
Nairobi month by month
Average daily highs run from 25°C / 77°F in June to 29°C / 84°F in February. April is the wettest month, with about 114 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan27° / 81°F average high
- Feb29° / 84°F average high
- Mar28° / 83°F average high
- Apr26° / 80°F average high
- May25° / 77°F average high
- Jun25° / 77°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jul25° / 78°F average high, in our recommended season
- Aug26° / 79°F average high, in our recommended season
- Sep28° / 82°F average high, in our recommended season
- Oct28° / 82°F average high, in our recommended season
- Nov26° / 79°F average high
- Dec26° / 78°F average high
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Nairobi weather and the best time to visit →
Near Nairobi
3 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.
Nairobi questions, answered
How many days do you need in Nairobi?
Our route notes suggest 1–2 days in Nairobi. On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route it is stop 1 of 4 in a 11-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 15 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is Nairobi best known for?
Kenya's capital and the hub for safari flights, with wildlife sights on the city edge. Stay 1 to 2 days. Standouts on our list: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Orphaned elephant nursery inside Nairobi National Park, open to visitors for a daily one-hour viewing); Giraffe Centre (Raised platform for feeding endangered Rothschild giraffes, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife); Karen Blixen Museum (Farmhouse of the Out of Africa author at the foot of the Ngong Hills, with guided tours).
When is the best time to visit Nairobi?
Our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route is best Jun – Oct. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in February (29°C / 84°F), the coolest in June (25°C / 77°F) and the most rain in April (about 114 mm).
What are the best things to do in Nairobi?
Start with David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Park, Karen Blixen Museum and Nairobi National Museum. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 4 sights, 1 outdoor spot, 2 places to eat, 1 bar or café and 1 shop.
Where should a group eat in Nairobi?
Our picks: Carnivore Restaurant (Langata); The Talisman (Karen). Vegetarian options exist but the draw is the grill (Carnivore Restaurant).
What is near Nairobi?
The closest destinations in our guides are Maasai Mara (about 188 km / 117 mi), Serengeti (about 249 km / 155 mi) and Ngorongoro (about 258 km / 160 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan Nairobi with your crew
Open the Kenya & Tanzania Safari route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.