Nairobi is the capital of Kenya, and almost every traveler arrives in the country through this city. While many world capitals are a joy to explore, most people try to avoid staying in Nairobi, aiming to leave as soon as possible. I don’t share that view. I’m here to show you what to do, where to go, and how to get around, ensuring your experience is about much more than just the negative stereotypes.
Nairobi is a massive city, with a population of about 5 million people.
There is no metro here, which often leads to huge traffic jams. Nairobi is also home to Africa’s largest slums. The population of Kibera varies from 200,000 to 1 million — there is no exact data or official count. And, of course, no one has ever truly tried to count the number of people living on the streets under bridges. Yet, right next to this poverty, Nairobi boasts the world’s only national park within city limits, where you have a 100% chance of seeing rhinos. It also hosts the UN Headquarters, several green parks in the city center, and overall, you definitely won’t get bored for a few days.
Transport
Nairobi isn’t the most pleasant city for long walks. However, I think it’s a crime to get around solely by taxi and miss out on the local vibe. Nairobi isn’t the safest city, but I can confidently say that if you tuck your iPhone away in your pocket and don’t wander around after 11 PM, you’re mostly safe. Unless a homeless person asks a “mzungu” to buy some rice and an egg.
Mzungu — in Swahili, this means a white person or someone who wanders aimlessly.
Public transport in Kenya consists of “matatus.” Much like the jeepneys in the Philippines, matatus are a huge part of the culture. They are brightly painted in different colors, with drivers competing to stand out with unique designs. We used public transport to travel to other cities, but within Nairobi, we either walked or took a taxi.
Paradoxically, cars and fuel are expensive in Kenya — fuel is about 160 rubles/liter — but taxis in Nairobi are incredibly cheap. A ride for three people often costs about the same as three matatu fares.
Cost of a matatu ride within the city: 40 KES
Cost of a taxi ride: 250 KES
Both Uber and Bolt operate in Nairobi. Some say one app is cheaper than the other, but in our experience, it depends on the day and time. So, download both, and it’s better not to link your credit card (use cash).
A quick note on safety: On our first day in Kenya, we were traveling from Nairobi to Naivasha. We mixed up the matatus and got on one going the wrong way. We sat down, got settled, and put our backpack full of gear and money on the overhead rack. After a while, we realized our mistake and had to get off to switch buses. We hopped out but forgot the backpack! The locals quickly called out to us and returned our things. So, don’t assume everyone is just out to rob a white person.
Hotels
Never book a hotel in Kenya without reviews! It’s possible the hotel doesn’t even exist.
Chester Hotel
Nairobi is huge and divided into several districts. One of the safest areas is the western part of the city. However, when you only have a couple of days, you can’t afford to waste time commuting, so I chose a hotel in the center.
We stayed in three different hotels in Nairobi, and my favorite was the Chester Hotel and Suites Nairobi. Interestingly, it was also one of the cheapest.
On one hand, it’s within walking distance of the city center, where matatus arrive and depart for all parts of Kenya.
On the other hand, the Chester is located just outside the main street chaos; it doesn’t feel like a busy bus station. The Maasai Market is nearby, along with several cool restaurants and shops. As we were assured at reception, it’s quite safe to walk around until 11 PM. After that, the “mafia” wakes up! Though the street workers were already out by 6 PM.
At the Chester, we stayed in a two-room suite with a bathtub and included breakfast. Our room cost about $60. The beds were good, and the linens were perfectly clean. There is a pool, but since we were out exploring all day, we didn’t get a chance to try it.
Giraffe Manor
Giraffe Manor is one of the most FAMOUS and expensive hotels in the WORLD! I have never seen an option to book a room here on any aggregator. You have to write to them via their official website to request a booking. They say you should do this about a year in advance. The hotel has 12 rooms, each with a unique design, and rates start at $1200 per person. That means a room for a family of three will cost around $3000. Please share your experience if you’ve been there!
The hotel is primarily famous for the giraffes that live on the grounds. They move around freely, are quite tame, and aren’t afraid of people. You can feed them by hand, and they even pop their heads in for breakfast with the guests. Giraffes have lived here since the 70s, as it is first and foremost a sanctuary for giraffe conservation. The building itself was built in 1932.
But don’t despair if you don’t want to spend a fortune for a night; you can visit them for a tour to feed and pet the giraffes.
Cost: 1500 KES for adults and 750 KES for children.
Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily, no breaks.
Address: Giraffe Manor
We chose a different option to dine with giraffes without it costing “an arm and a leg.” At Diani Beach, there is a sanctuary where you can have lunch with giraffes for $100 per person.
The Brandy Bus
A unique and very unusual hotel located near the giraffe sanctuary and elephant nursery. The hotel is an old, abandoned double-decker bus that has been beautifully restored. A night in the bus costs about $140 and can accommodate up to 6 people. It can only be booked via Airbnb.
What to see
I mentioned the giraffe sanctuary above, and right next to it is an elephant nursery. You can pet and feed them here as well.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery
A sanctuary for rescuing orphaned baby elephants. They state that they eventually release the elephants back into the wild.
The nursery can be visited daily, but only for 1 hour a day, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
You must book your arrival time in advance on the official website.
To enter the elephant nursery, you must pay the entrance fee for Nairobi National Park, which is $22, plus an additional donation of $20 per person for the elephant visit. During the tour, they will show you the elephants and explain why these specific calves need your help and your support.
After the nursery, you can head into Nairobi National Park since you’ve already paid for the park tickets anyway. This isn’t a full-scale safari, as the animals are in enclosures (albeit very large ones), so it’s not quite “the wild.”
National Museum of Kenya
Address: National Museum of Kenya
The museum has vast grounds with the main building located inside. Entrance to the grounds is free, and it’s a lovely place for a daytime stroll because of the greenery and shade, and there are no homeless people here.
Entrance to the museum building itself costs 1200 KES.
Inside, there are several exhibits on the origin of mankind, a zoological museum, and artifacts of burial and daily life. There is also a mini reptile garden on-site. It’s quite small; we saw guided tours being held there. First, the guide talks about snakes, and then everyone gets to pet a snake or have one placed around their neck for a photo.
Observation Deck
You can get a bird’s-eye view of Nairobi from the observation deck of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The deck is on the 30th floor.
Address: Kenyatta International Convention Centre
Entry fee: 500 KES.
City Walks
I just want to leave some photos of Nairobi here. Each photo is captioned with its location. I hope they inspire you to explore the city! I’d love to hear about your impressions.
Restaurants
Nairobi doesn’t have as many fancy cafes and restaurants as other world capitals, but there are some interesting spots.
Carnivore
Nairobi has a very famous restaurant for meat lovers that serves all kinds of meat in unlimited quantities. It’s called Carnivore and operates as an all-you-can-eat buffet. You need to book a table on their official website.
When you arrive, they first serve soup with black bread. Then, waiters continuously bring around different types of meat — lamb, pork, beef, ribs, sirloin, liver, and more. They used to serve game meat like zebra, but killing zebras is now strictly prohibited.
Address: Carnivore
Cost: 4850 KES per person.
CJ’s
Our favorite restaurant in Nairobi. It’s a chain, and I counted four locations in the city. We visited the one near the Chester Hotel and the one at Village Market. There’s no single “signature dish” I can point to — it’s just a beautiful, clean restaurant with delicious food and a calm atmosphere. You’ll see many well-dressed locals here. They don’t serve alcohol, but they have an enormous selection of non-alcoholic drinks: shakes, smoothies, teas, and more.
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