Nairobi travel guide

• Nairobi National Park, the only national park inside a capital city, with lion, rhino, giraffe and buffalo 20 minutes from downtown.
• The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage and the Giraffe Centre, both credible conservation operations.
• The gateway to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Samburu.
• A strong and growing food and coffee scene, and a serious hub for East African business.
• Karen Blixen's house and the Nairobi National Museum for the historical and cultural side.

June to October for the dry season and the Mara migration; January to February for hot, clear game viewing

Dry season (June – October)

The main safari window. Wildlife concentrates at water sources, and the wildebeest migration is typically in the Mara from around July to October. Highest prices.

Short dry (January – February)

Hot, clear and excellent for game viewing, with fewer visitors than the migration months.

Long rains (March – May)

Wettest period. Some camps close, tracks are difficult, and rates drop substantially. Lush landscapes and excellent birdlife.

Short rains (November – December)

Brief afternoon showers, green scenery, good value and calving season approaching.

Nairobi sits at about 1,795m, so it is far cooler than most visitors expect — evenings need a jacket year-round.

Nairobi National Park

A morning game drive before the traffic builds. Black and white rhino, lion, giraffe and over 400 bird species.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Open to the public for one hour daily, with a booking required. Orphaned elephant calves at their midday feed.

Giraffe Centre

Endangered Rothschild's giraffe at a raised feeding platform. Popular with children and adjacent to the Sheldrick visit.

Karen Blixen Museum

The farmhouse from Out of Africa, in the leafy Karen suburb.

Nairobi National Museum & Snake Park

Strong on human origins, given Kenya's role in palaeoanthropology.

Masai Mara National Reserve

A 45-minute light-aircraft flight or a five-to-six-hour drive. Two nights minimum, three or four preferable.

Amboseli National Park

Large elephant herds with Kilimanjaro behind them on clear mornings. Around four hours by road.

Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate

A weekend trip from Nairobi with boat trips, hippos and cycling among wildlife.

Westlands

Restaurants, malls, nightlife and most business hotels. Our usual city base.

Karen & Langata

Green, quiet, and closest to the giraffe centre, Sheldrick and the national park gate. Best for a wildlife-focused stay.

Gigiri

The diplomatic area near the UN complex — secure, calm and convenient for the northern bypass.

Kilimani & Upper Hill

Central and well priced, with good apartment options.

Airport hotels

Useful only for very early departures. Nairobi traffic can make a 15km trip take an hour.

• Use ride-hailing apps within the city. They are cheap, metered and remove fare negotiation.
• Traffic is the defining constraint. A 12km journey can take 20 minutes or 90 depending on the hour — plan around 07:00-09:30 and 16:30-19:30.
• Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO) is southeast of the centre; Wilson Airport handles most safari light aircraft and is a separate airport. Do not confuse them when booking.
• The Nairobi Expressway toll road cuts airport journey times significantly and is worth the fee.
• Self-drive is not recommended for visitors. Hire a car with a driver, which is standard practice and reasonably priced.

Need a vehicle at the other end? Our car rental page explains how driver requirements, deposits and insurance excesses usually work abroad.

• Check whether the rate includes airport transfer — many Nairobi hotels include it and it saves an awkward first arrival.
• For a safari trip, budget separately: camps are usually all-inclusive of meals, game drives and park fees, while city hotels are not.
• Park and conservancy fees are a significant, non-negotiable part of safari costs. Ask whether quoted rates include them.
• Karen properties are quieter and better placed for the wildlife sites, but 45 minutes from the Westlands restaurant scene.

We can shortlist properties against your budget and travel dates — see how our hotel booking service works.

• For the Masai Mara, flying from Wilson Airport costs more than driving but saves most of a day in each direction. On a short trip, fly.
• Two nights in the Mara is the practical minimum; three gives you a realistic chance at the big sightings.
• Conservancies bordering the reserve allow off-road driving and night drives that the main reserve does not, and have far fewer vehicles at sightings.
• Book the Sheldrick Trust visit in advance — it is a single one-hour window each day.
• Choose safari operators on vehicle quality and guide experience, not price. A good guide is the difference between a decent trip and an exceptional one.

See our tours and experiences page, or tell us what you want to see and we will build the day around it.

Kenya uses an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) rather than a visa

First-time safari travellers

Two nights Nairobi, three nights Mara. Fly the Mara leg and use a conservancy camp if the budget allows.

Families

Karen base for the giraffe and elephant sites. Choose a Mara camp with a minimum-age policy that fits your children.

Couples

A small conservancy camp with a private guide and a balloon safari morning.

Business travellers

Westlands, Gigiri or Upper Hill, and plan meetings around the traffic peaks rather than the distances.

• Nairobi is cool. Evening temperatures often drop into the mid-teens Celsius, and mornings on a game drive are cold in an open vehicle.
• Bring neutral-coloured clothing for safari, a warm layer, and a proper hat.
• M-Pesa mobile money is used everywhere; cards work in hotels and malls but carry some cash.
• Malaria prophylaxis is generally advised for the Mara and coastal areas, less so for Nairobi itself — take medical advice.
• Do not walk with valuables visible in the CBD, especially after dark. Use ride-hailing.
• Binoculars matter more than a long lens for most people on a first safari.

• Booking a one-night Mara stay. You spend both days travelling.
• Driving yourself to the Mara in a saloon car. The final stretch requires proper clearance.
• Assuming park fees are included in a camp rate without asking.
• Underestimating Nairobi traffic when scheduling a flight connection.
• Applying for the eTA the day before flying.

Nairobi hotel, per night

About $80-$200 for a good mid-range or business hotel.

Mara camp, per person per night

From roughly $250 at simpler camps to over $900 all-inclusive at high-end conservancy properties.

Wilson to Mara flight

Around $200-$350 per person each way.

Nairobi National Park game drive

$60-$120 per person including park entry, depending on group size.

Indicative planning ranges only. Actual prices move with season, exchange rates and availability — ask us for a current quote for your dates.