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Central Nairobi
Explore the city centre, museums, markets, parks, historic buildings and Nairobi’s busy urban life.
🇰🇪 KENYAEAST AFRICA🦁 SAFARI GATEWAY
NairobiTravel Guide
Discover the city where modern African life meets wildlife, culture, food, business and adventure — and where your journey across East Africa can begin.
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Wildlife
Safari close to the city
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East Africa
A major regional gateway
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Food & Culture
Kenyan life and flavours
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Transport
Connect to many destinations
Welcome to Nairobi
Nairobi is more than a stopover.
Nairobi is one of East Africa’s most important cities and a fascinating destination in its own right. It combines a modern capital, busy business districts, restaurants, markets, museums, green spaces and wildlife experiences.
For many travellers, Nairobi is also the beginning of a much larger East African journey. From here you can continue toward safari destinations, the Kenyan coast, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.
This guide helps you understand where to go, what to see, where different parts of Nairobi are located, how to move around and how to continue your journey.
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Nairobi at a glance
COUNTRY
Kenya 🇰🇪
REGION
East Africa
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
KNOWN FOR
Wildlife • Culture • Business • Food • Safari
Discover the city
Why visit Nairobi?
Nairobi gives travellers a combination that is difficult to find elsewhere: a major African city surrounded by nature, culture and access to some of the region’s most famous travel routes.
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Wildlife
See wildlife and conservation attractions without leaving the Nairobi area.
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Culture
Discover Kenyan history, art, food, music, crafts and everyday city life.
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Food
Explore Kenyan flavours alongside a huge variety of international cuisines.
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Adventure
Use Nairobi as a launch point for Kenya and wider East Africa.
Nairobi in pictures
Where the city meets the wild
Giraffes in Nairobi National Park, city skyline behind
The only capital city built around a national park
Know Nairobi
Different parts of Nairobi
Nairobi is a large and diverse city. Different neighbourhoods offer different experiences, accommodation styles, restaurants and reasons for visiting.
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Westlands
A lively area known for hotels, restaurants, shopping, entertainment and business.
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Kilimani
A popular neighbourhood with cafés, restaurants, apartments and easy access to many parts of Nairobi.
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Karen & Lang’ata
A greener part of Nairobi close to wildlife attractions, museums, gardens and conservation experiences.
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Gigiri & Runda
Known for international organisations, diplomatic activity, hotels, restaurants and shopping.
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Parklands
A diverse part of Nairobi with accommodation, restaurants, food experiences and convenient city access.
🦁 WILDLIFE IN THE CITY
Nairobi’s wild side
One of Nairobi’s most unusual features is the way wildlife and city life exist so close together.
Visitors can combine a city stay with wildlife, conservation and nature experiences before continuing to another part of Kenya.
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Nairobi National Park
A remarkable wildlife area on the edge of the capital, offering a safari experience with the city skyline nearby.
Official site →🦒
Giraffe Centre
A popular conservation and wildlife experience where visitors can learn more about giraffes.
Official site →🐘
Elephant Conservation
Nairobi is home to important wildlife conservation organisations and experiences connected with elephant rescue and rehabilitation.
Official site →🌳
Karura Forest
A large urban forest offering walking trails, waterfalls, caves and a peaceful escape from the busy city.
Official site →Plan your time
Things to do in Nairobi
Whether you have a few hours or several days, Nairobi offers many different ways to experience the city.
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Wildlife
Experience Nairobi National Park and discover wildlife surprisingly close to the city.
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Nature
Walk through Karura Forest, discover green spaces and enjoy a different side of Nairobi.
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History
Explore museums, historic places and stories that help explain Kenya and Nairobi.
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Culture
Discover Kenyan art, music, crafts, markets, food and everyday city life.
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Food
Try Kenyan dishes and explore Nairobi’s huge range of African and international restaurants.
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Shopping
Find local crafts, souvenirs, fashion, markets, shopping centres and unique Kenyan products.
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Cafés
Nairobi has a growing café culture, from relaxed neighbourhood cafés to modern city spaces.
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Nightlife
Restaurants, live music, entertainment and nightlife give Nairobi another personality after dark.
Build your trip
Nairobi in 1, 2 or 3 days
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1 Day
Combine one major wildlife or cultural attraction with a meal, city experience and time to discover part of Nairobi.
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2 Days
Add wildlife, culture, food and one of Nairobi’s distinctive neighbourhoods to create a more complete city visit.
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3 Days
Give yourself time for several attractions and begin planning your next journey beyond Nairobi.
Move around & move onward
Getting around Nairobi
Nairobi is a major transport hub. Travellers can choose between different local and long-distance transport options depending on their journey.
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Airport transfers
Travellers arriving through JKIA can arrange transport into Nairobi or continue onward to another destination.
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City transport
Depending on the journey, travellers can use taxis, ride-hailing, buses, matatus or private transport.
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Long-distance travel
Nairobi connects travellers with cities, safari destinations and other countries across East Africa.
🚌 eaSafariRoutes SEARCH
🔎 Search RoutesLooking for a route?
Search travel information and connections across East Africa. Nairobi can be your starting point for discovering what comes next.
Taste Nairobi
Food and dining
Nairobi’s food scene reflects the diversity of the city. Visitors can experience Kenyan dishes alongside Indian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, European and other international cuisines.
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Foods visitors may want to try
Depending on where you eat, you may encounter nyama choma, ugali, sukuma wiki, chapati, samosas and many other Kenyan dishes and ingredients.
Nyama ChomaUgaliSukuma WikiChapatiSamosas
Classic Kenyan experience: The Carnivore Restaurant — Nairobi's famous open-air nyama choma grill, open since 1980.
Something familiar: Lucca — Italian dining inside the Villa Rosa Kempinski, Westlands.
Accommodation
Where to stay in Nairobi
Nairobi has accommodation for many types of travellers, from luxury and business hotels to boutique properties, serviced apartments, hostels and budget accommodation.
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City Centre
Convenient for central Nairobi, business activities, city attractions and transport connections.
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Westlands
A lively area with hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment.
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Karen
A greener area with access to wildlife, conservation and several Nairobi attractions.
Travel smart
Practical safety information
Nairobi is a large and busy city. Travellers should use sensible precautions and check current local travel advice before their journey.
1
Keep valuables secure and avoid displaying large amounts of cash unnecessarily.
2
Use reputable transport providers and confirm your destination before travelling.
3
Stay aware of your surroundings, particularly in crowded areas.
4
Keep important travel documents and emergency contacts accessible.
Stay safe
Emergency contacts in Nairobi
Save these numbers before you arrive. They cover the same national services used across Kenya.
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Police / General Emergency
999 or 112
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Kenya Red Cross
1199
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St. John Ambulance
020 221 0000
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Fire & Rescue (Nairobi)
020 222 2181
Continue your journey
Where can you go from Nairobi?
Nairobi is not only a destination. It is one of the places where travellers can connect different parts of East Africa.
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Nairobi → Maasai Mara
Continue from Kenya’s capital toward one of East Africa’s best-known safari regions.
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Nairobi → Amboseli
Travel south toward Amboseli and its famous views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
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Nairobi → Mombasa
Leave the capital for Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, beaches and Swahili culture.
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Nairobi → Lake Naivasha
Head into the Great Rift Valley for lakes, landscapes and nature experiences.
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Nairobi → Kampala
Continue west into Uganda and discover another part of the East African network.
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Nairobi → Tanzania
Connect your Kenyan journey with Tanzania, safari destinations and Zanzibar.
🌍 BEYOND NAIROBI
Your East African journey can continue.
Start in Nairobi and discover more of Kenya, then continue into Tanzania, Uganda and other destinations across East Africa.
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Nairobi is only the beginning.
Discover Nairobi, find your route, connect with East Africa and continue your adventure.
www.easafariroutes.com
Planning a trip to Kenya?
Tell us where you want to go, your dates, group size and budget. We will reply with options and put you in touch with an operator. There is no charge for asking.
Official Kenya websites
Always confirm visa, park and health requirements on the official site before travelling.