Nairobi: Cheap Flights & Best Hotels

Nairobi Travel Guide

About Nairobi

Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a national park on its doorstep, where giraffes and lions roam against a backdrop of skyscrapers. Kenya's capital is East Africa's business and transport hub and the usual starting point for safaris to the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and beyond. Give it a couple of days and you will find wildlife sanctuaries, a growing food and arts scene, and leafy suburbs with a long colonial-era history.

When to Visit

Nairobi sits at altitude, so the climate is mild all year, with warm days and cool evenings.

• Long dry season (roughly June to October): The most popular time for safaris, including the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara, often from around July to October. July and August are the coolest months in Nairobi.
• Short dry season (roughly January to February): Warm and sunny, another excellent safari window.
• Long rains (roughly March to May) and short rains (roughly November to December): Greener landscapes and lower prices, but some roads and camps are affected. Showers are often in the afternoon or evening.

Things to Do

Nairobi National Park

Game drives here can reveal rhinos, lions, giraffes, zebras and buffalo with the city skyline in the background. Early mornings are best for wildlife.

Giraffe Centre

Feed endangered Rothschild's giraffes from a raised platform, a favourite with families.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

The orphan elephant nursery is open to the public for a limited daily visit, when keepers bring the young elephants out for feeding. Check booking rules in advance.

Karen Blixen Museum

The farmhouse of the author of Out of Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills.

Nairobi National Museum

Kenya's history, culture and natural history, with a snake park next door.

Markets and Culture

The Maasai Market moves between locations on different days and is good for beadwork, carvings and fabrics. Bomas of Kenya presents traditional dances from different communities.

Beyond the City

• Maasai Mara: Kenya's most famous reserve, reached by road or a short flight.
• Amboseli: Elephants with views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
• Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate: Boating, cycling among wildlife and gorges, within a day trip.

Food

Kenyan staples include ugali (maize meal), sukuma wiki (sautéed greens), githeri (beans and maize) and nyama choma, grilled meat that is a social event in itself. Swahili coastal dishes such as pilau and biryani reflect long trade links with the Indian Ocean world. Chapati and mandazi (a fried dough snack) are everywhere. Kenya's Indian community means excellent Indian restaurants, and vegetarian meals are easy to find. Try Kenyan tea and coffee, both world-renowned.

Getting There and Getting Around

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is a major African hub with connections across the continent, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Wilson Airport handles light-aircraft flights to safari airstrips. The Madaraka Express train links Nairobi and Mombasa.

Traffic in Nairobi can be very heavy. Ride-hailing apps are the most convenient and widely used way to get around. Local minibuses, known as matatus, are cheap and colourful but can be confusing for newcomers. Most safari operators include transfers.

Where to Stay

• Westlands: Restaurants, nightlife and many hotels.
• Karen and Langata: Leafy and peaceful, close to the Giraffe Centre and national park.
• Upper Hill and Kilimani: Central business areas with international hotels.
• Gigiri: A quieter, diplomatic area near the UN offices.

Budget Tips

• Compare safari packages carefully; group and shared-vehicle safaris are much cheaper than private ones.
• Travel in the green season for lower lodge rates.
• Use ride-hailing rather than hotel taxis.
• Eat at local cafés and Indian restaurants for good-value meals.
• M-Pesa mobile money is widely used; a local SIM can make payments easier.

Practical Information

• Entry: Kenya requires most visitors to obtain an electronic travel authorisation before travel. Rules have changed recently, so check the official Kenyan government portal.
• Health: Ask a travel clinic about vaccinations, including yellow fever, and malaria precautions for safari areas.
• Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES).
• Languages: English and Swahili.
• Safety: Avoid walking at night, keep valuables out of sight and follow your government's travel advice.
• Plugs: Type G.

Plan Your Trip

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