Kenya, the cradle of mankind, is an incredible country to visit. It’s nearly impossible to not immerse yourself in Kenyan culture when visiting. While it may be rich in culture and history, getting to know the locals was undoubtedly my favorite part of the trip.
If you prefer video content, check out my Instagram story highlights for a video recap.
Splitting Time Between Nairobi & the Safari
While visiting Kenya, I split my time between Nairobi and the Maasai Mara. If you’re in Kenya, you may as well hop over to Zanzibar to enjoy their beautiful beaches. But if you prefer to stay in Kenya, then Mombasa is a great option to get a taste of the Indian Ocean.
Two of the best safaris in Africa are found in The Serengeti, Tanzania and The Maasai Mara, Kenya. You would be amiss to not plan a safari, even if for 3 days, while visiting Kenya. For more information on planning a safari, check out this blog post.
You should first plan the duration of your safari. From there you can decide how much time to spend in Nairobi, or another region of the country on both the front and back end of the trip. I opted to fly into Nairobi and explore for two days before going on safari. I spent 4 days and 3 nights on safari then headed back to Nairobi for my last two days in the country.
Nairobi, Kenya
Where to Stay
Nairobi has a plethora of hotels to choose from. However, I wanted to be comfortable, so I opted to stay at 5-star hotels. The Radisson Blu, both the Arboretum and Upper Hill location (which was recently built), are great! I stayed at both locations; Arboretum was the better option and bang for your buck. If you want an Instagram and animal worthy experience, there is also the Giraffe Manor, however, it is very costly.
Things to Do
The options of things to do in Nairobi are never ending, especially since it is such a big city. When planning activities around Nairobi, you may want to consider which side of the city you’ll be in and try to get as much done while there so to avoid traffic.
- Walking City Tour with the Nai Nami Guys. This tour is given my former street boys that changed their lives around. They take you around the dangerous parts of the city (you will be safe with them, don’t worry) and the violence and poverty they experienced. It was a beautiful experience.
- See the views of Nairobi from the top of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the 6th tallest building in Kenya.
- Maasai Markets. Shop for locally made clothes and beautiful souvenirs at Maasai Markets. There’s a schedule of where the markets pop of on a given day of the week, so plan ahead and Google the schedule.
- National Archives and Nairobi National Museum to learn of Kenya’s rich culture. Pro Tip: ask for a tour guide, it’s free and a better way to learn about everything in the museum!
- Kazuri Beads factory to see how local women makes jewelry out of beads, which you’ll learn the significance of jewelry to Kenyan ceremonies.
- Giraffe Centre to feed the giraffes.
- Nairobi Elephant Orphanage at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
- Bomas of Kenya to learn of Kenyan culture i.e., the different tribes and their dances.
- Nairobi National Park – this is a great option if you are on a budget and/or in Kenya for a short period of time and want to see wildlife. FYI, you will likely see a rhino here instead at the Maasai Mara.
Restaurants
- About Thyme
- Carnivore – great for meat lovers
- Talisman
- The Alchemist
- Mama Oliech Restaurant – great if you want authentic Kenyan food, Mark Zuckenberg and Obama dined there! Make sure ugali, chapati, and the fried fish.
- The Social House Nairobi
- Botanica Kitchen & Bar – LOVED thus restaurant! The passion fruit spicy margarita lives in my mind rent free
- Ashanti – if you’re craving Ghanian food
- Hero at the Trademark Hotel – incredible sushi!
