26 Best Things To Do in Nairobi – Explore Nairobi, A Modern Multi-Ethnic Metropolis
Nairobi is considered one of the most vibrant cities in Africa. Its sophisticated beauty, delicious cuisine, shopping malls and cultural wealth will immediately spike your interest for this city. It is for this reason that our Discovery team in East Africa is going to kick-start our exploit through the area in this dynamic city. Having any doubts? Read on for 24 of our favorite things to do in Nairobi!
Here we highlight some of the top things to do in Nairobi:
1. EXPLORE THE TOI MARKET AND ADAMS ARCADE
Toi Market is situated on the border of Kiberia and is one of Nairobi’s largest outdoor markets. Toi is only one of the numerous Mitumba (‘second hand’ in Swahili) markets located all over East Africa. Most of items on sale here in these markets come from the West. You can find many different things ranging from pans and pots to even Aldo boots (absolutely, brand new). In case you are not able to find what you were searching for, there are more stalls nearby at Adam’s Arcade which you can check out. Happy thrifting!
2. GET A CONE AT CREAMY INN
You can locate Creamy Inns (together with Chicken and Pizza Inns) which are famous fast food areas all over the city. Wesuggest you try the chocolate hand-dipped vanilla cone. Mmm, yummy.
3. VISIT THE NGONG RUGBY FIELD FOR A MATCH
Want something to do in Nairobi that will get your blood pumping and make you feel like a local all at once? Why not catch one or two rugby matches at Ngong Rugby field? You will love the game and you may meet people who you were not expecting to see. Don’t love rugby? Then you can just walk to the National Stadium in Nyayo to catch a football game instead.
4. HAVE A GREAT AFRO-BEATS TREAT AT BLANKETS & WINE
For the musically inclined looking for things to do in Nairobi, Blankets & Wine is held on each month’s first Sunday and is East Africa’s leading outdoor music concert. They showcase numerous afro-inspired hits which will catch your attention.
Image source: http://meanwhileinkenya.com/do-blankets-wine
5. SHOP FOR AMAZING CRAFTS AT KARIOKO
Are you in need of a wallet made from baobab fiber or beaded sandals? Does nothing excite you more than finding a good deal? Then you should avoid the very expensive tourist shopping malls and markets in Masaai. You should do as the locals and shop at the source. Practice your negotiation skills, and get the best price, with a visit to Karioko! A stroll through Karioko is one of the best things to do in Nairobi as you also have the added advantage of seeing how the crafts are being produced!
6. VISIT THE NAIROBI BRIDGE FOR A FEW SELFIES
Are you in need of a landscape photo opportunity? Looking for things to do in Nairobi that will make your friends and family turn green with jealousy? Head out and check the Nairobi Bridge for a lovely selfie with a backdrop sure to make your social media followers jealous. The bridge is located beside the Afya House.
7. VISIT THE GIRAFFE CENTER AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH LONG NECKS
Take time off to pay a visit To the Giraffe Conservation Centre and see giraffes. They are fond of giving kisses and are very friendly.
With their uniquely spotted skin and cute long limbs, giraffes are without the shadow of a doubt, one of the most noticeable animals in Africa. Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre is devoted to the safeguarding of the endangered Rothschild giraffe, a species local to the open savannah of East Africa. Guests to this philanthropic center can relate with its giraffes and feed them while watching out for the wild boar which also live here.
8. ART BUFFS HISTORY ARE RICHLY COMBINED AT THE MURUMBI GALLERY
Are you an art buff traveling with a history lover looking for things to do in Nairobi that satisfies both of your interests? Look no further than the Murumbi art gallery. Itcomprises the most diverse Pan-African art collection in the whole of Africa and is located in the Kenyan National Archives building.
9. NYAMA CHOMA SNACKS
East Africa’s roadside meal is Nyama Choma, which in Swahili means roasted meat. For street food affionados looking for something to do in Nairobi, it is a must try. If you don’t eat meat then try the roasted corn (you will surely love it).
10. PARTAKE IN THE LIVE AUDIENCE AT CARNIVORE FOR THE TUSKER PROJECT FAME
Do you often relax at home to The Voice, Canada’s Got Talent, or American Idol? The equivalent in East Africa (Tusker Project Fame) occasionally presents live performances at Carnivore in Nairobi’s downtown. Added to your Carnivore dinner earlier. Be ready to have meat in great quantities.
11. NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
Is there any other place where you can safari while while in the midst of high-rise sky scrapers? One of the most unforgettable things to do in Nairobi is to take a trip to Nairobi National Park. You can see zebras, rhinos, water buffalos, giraffes, over 40 species of birds, and even leopards and lions if you’re in luck at Nairobi National Park. Nairobi makes safari in Kenya an amazing attraction for tourists who love nature. Catch a cab to the reserve and take a picture of a giraffe against the city’s skyline.
12. GRAB A BREW AND CHEESECAKE SLICE AT BREW BISTRO
Craving cheesecake? Looking for a place to grab a beer after a long day? Then you should visit Brew Bistro to have a cheesecake fun night, drinking, and dancing.
13. PURCHASE UNIQUE BONE CRAFTS TO HELP KIBERIAN ARTISANS
Looking for more things to do and buy in Nairobi? Bring home a thoroughly unique souvenier. Though almost all crafts are found at Karioko, the Victorious Bones Craft provides you with unique all handmade jewelry, bottle openers, and other various crafts which are produced from recycled bones.
14. UHURU PARK PICNIC LUNCH
Uhuru in Swahili stands for freedom and unsurprisingly there is incredibly rich social and political history in this park. It was almost destroyed by Daniel Arap Moi, the former president, but was rescued by Wangari Maathai’s campaign efforts, the environmental activist and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize. Take pleasure in the calmness of the area and ponder on its past events over some sandwiches.
By jennifer wu – https://www.flickr.com/photos/wippetywu/14111122617/, CC BY 2.0, Link
15. TAKE OUT A FRIEND FOR EXPLORATION
With lots of amazing sites places to explore, things to doin Nairobi (so much that you can’t even come up with a list), calling up a friend, and bringing sturdy walkingshoes, for a walk on the streets could be a great idea.
16. KAREN BLIXEN MUSEUM
The renowned memoir and movie adaptation, ‘Out of Africa’, has given people a romantic impression about Kenya and the continent as a whole. The home where writer Karen Blixen resided between 1917 and 1931 has been thoughtfully secured as a museum in Nairobi, giving guests the privilege to have a good glance at a place of particular history. Make sure when planning to book unique things to do in Nairobi online in advance as attractions suh as this may have limited capacity.
By Ruslik0 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
17. DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
No list of things to do in Nairobi would be complete without an opportunity to get up close and personal with some elephants. This wildlife trust is located just at the outskirts of Nairobi National Park and has a well-structured plan for adding rhinos and baby elephants into the wild. People who visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust have the chance to see these elephant orphans being fed with milk and taken for their daily mud baths. These giant babies are cute but beware: they will certainly make everything messy when they come to feed and play.
18. LAKE NAIVASHA
Lake Naivasha,barely two hours from the noisy streets of the capital stands guard over the Kenyan Rift Valley. Located at the peak and constituting a part of the Great Rift Valley, this vast lake is only a day adventure for guests from Nairobi. The lake’s smooth waters are enhanced with plentiful vegetation, waterbuck, and sluggish hippo pods while its shores draw zebras, giraffes, and few of the 400 distinct species of birds present in the area. Also adjacent are he entry into Hell’s Gate National Park and the home of Joy Adamson, offering lots of different activities in the region.
19. A KENYAN CUPPA JOE
Coffee which was first spotted in Africa is now a significant part of present-day life. Though most people refer to Ethiopia as the place where coffee originated from, Nairobi Java House is praised as one of the most outstanding coffee chains in the whole of Africa. This Kenyan powerhouse is certainly worth visiting, and with an exit conveniently located at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you are sure to kick start your visit with that jolt you need.
20. CARNIVORE
As the name goes, Carnivore’s meat is the reason for its popularity and it’s prepared over coals in a pit just at the doorway of the restaurant. A great variety of meat is sold, ranging from goat to beef and even crocodile during the ‘Ultimate Feast of Beast’.
The price normally set comprises of the meat feast and soup, accompanied by a wide variety of vegetables and salads. Coffee and dessert follows and is only brought when you accept defeat by raisingthe white flag found on your dining table. Until that point, the waiter or waitress continue bringing you food.
It definitely is an event with a natural environment made with local wood, chiseled planks, and tropical garden (as well as streams). They also provide a vegetarian menu.
21. NGONG HILLS
“I own a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills”.
Do you visualize yourself as a present-day Meryl Streep or Robert Redford saying these very words? Take a trip to the skyline which inspired Karen Blixen’s top-selling novel and film, ‘Out of Africa: the Ngong Hills’. Guests can enjoy a departure from the city and a chance to recall history on this 13km walk which is just an hour from Nairobi. Reward: on a sunny day, you can enjoy elegant views of the floor of the Rift Valley.
By Siegmund Kamau – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
22. KARURA FOREST
Need something to do in Nairobi to give a break from the rush of the metropolis? Then visit the Karura Forest and be thrilled by its calm atmosphere just inside the city. With abeautiful waterfall and numerous hiking and cycling paths through enticing forest glades, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that you’re in the city.
Grab a picnic basket, get in the shade, and enjoy your lunch. Look out for the mischievous monkeys- they’ll take your lunch if you are not attentive for a second, and remember to take a friendit’s never safe to walk alone in an ‘isolated place’.
By Ninaras – Own work, CC BY 4.0, Link
23. MAASAI MARKET
The Maasai culture is probably the most famous of Kenya’s ethnic race. As a tourist taking a trip around Kenya, you should absolutely return home with a Maasai souvenier. There is no place which is more exceptional than the regular outdoor Maasai markets run in Nairobi. These markets are migrant and within them, you will come across everything from drawings, antiques, local paintings, wood carvings, jewelry, and East African based textiles. Be that as it may, you may need to do some searching to find out the time and place in which they will be held.
24. NAIROBI SAFARI WALK
Only 7 km south of the city of Nairobi lies the Nairobi Safari Walk. With its raised wooden boardwalk that allows for uninterrupted views of the animals, the Safari Walk is a show case for Kenya’s Parks and Reserves.
Image source Kenya Wildlife Service
25. SHOPPING MALLS
Nairobi has over the past few years been named as one of the top 5 cities in Sub-Saharan Africa with the largest shopping malls.
Image source Two Rivers Mall
26. NAIROBI CITY TOURS & LUNCH
If you’re really at a loss for things to do in Nairobi, or if you only have a limited time in the city we recommend you book a city tour. Visit the primary historical points, the Parliamentarybuildings, the National museum, City market and Snake park and have lunch at Carnivore restaurant or identical.
