12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city, has long been the gateway to some of Africa's best adventures. But this vibrant metropolis has plenty of exciting things to do before you head out on safari.

Nairobi's rich history and tribal culture is brought to life in its excellent museums. The Karen Blixen Museum is a big hit — especially with fans of the Out of Africa book and film, who come to see where the namesake Danish author toiled on her coffee farm in the beautiful Ngong Hills.

Even in such a bustling city, wildlife is a huge draw. Nairobi is one of the only cities in the world with a safari park in its borders. A mere 15-minute drive from the skyscrapers of the city center, you can enjoy a classic African wildlife experience at Nairobi National Park. Lion, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, rhinoceros, and buffalo roam the sun-soaked savanna here, and animal lovers can cuddle baby elephants and connect with giraffes at the excellent animal sanctuaries nearby.

Nairobi is also the gateway to the world-famous safari parks, which have captivated adventure seekers for more than a century. Discover the top places to visit in this cosmopolitan capital with our list of the top attractions in Nairobi.

Nairobi National Park

Kenya's first national park, Nairobi National Park lies only seven kilometers from the skyscrapers of Nairobi's city center. A haven for wildlife, the park is also a rhino sanctuary, which protects more than 50 of these critically endangered creatures.

In addition to the rhinos, you can see lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, and more than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the wetlands.

Nairobi National Park is also a famous ivory burning site. In 1989, President Moi ignited 12 tons of elephant tusks and rhino horns here, boosting the country's conservation image on the world stage. Today, a monument marks this historic site.

The Nairobi Safari Walk is a popular attraction, offering animal lovers the chance to spot wildlife on foot, and walking trails weave around the area known as Hippo Pools.

At the park's main gate, you can bond with orphaned baby elephants and rhinos at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Address: Langata Road, Nairobi

Official site: http://www.kws.go.ke/parks/nairobi-national-park

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

At the main gates of Nairobi National Park, this orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program is a must-see for animal lovers. Daphne Sheldrick founded the project in 1977 in memory of her late husband David, a former warden at Tsavo East National Park.

The center cares for young abandoned elephants and rhinos and works to release the animals back into the wild. You can watch these lovable creatures up close as they frolic in the mud and drink from giant baby bottles. Best of all, your entrance fee helps support the project's conservation efforts.

If you want to help even more, consider adopting an orphaned elephant, rhino, or giraffe - you'll receive regular updates on their progress long after you leave.

Address: Mbagathi Road, Nairobi

Official site: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

Giraffe Centre

At the Giraffe Centre, on the edge of Nairobi National Park, visitors can come face to face with endangered Rothschild's giraffes. This non-profit center lies on the grounds of the plush guesthouse, Giraffe Manor, and its main mission is to provide conservation education for children.

The visitor center displays information about these graceful creatures, and a raised platform allows you to feed them at eye level with specially prepared pellets.

This is one of the most unusual things to do around Nairobi, especially with children - photo ops with wet, gray giraffe tongues slurping little faces are priceless.

After communing with these long-lashed beauties, you can enjoy a 1.5-kilometer self-guided forest walk in the adjacent nature reserve.

Address: Langata Road, Nairobi

Karura Forest Reserve

Are you craving some solitude near the city? You're in luck. The beautiful Karura Forest is a cool, shady oasis just a few kilometers from the city center.

This lush green space is actually one of the largest urban forests in the world, and you'll discover all kinds of things to see and do here. Hike to a multi-tiered 15-meter waterfall. Enjoy a picnic in the gardens. Watch monkeys clamber through the trees, or just sit quietly by Lily Lake and soak up the tranquility. Bike riding is also popular along the well-marked red-clay trails.

Wildlife also thrives here. Besides monkeys, you might also see duiker (small antelope), butterflies, and many species of birds. After all your forest adventures, sit back and relax with a snack and a drink at the open-sided river café.

Karen Blixen Museum

One of Nairobi's top tourist attractions, the Karen Blixen Museum, at the foot of the Ngong Hills, is the former home of the famous namesake Out of Africa author. Karen Blixen, also known by her pen name, Isak Dinesen, lived in the house from 1917 to 1931, where she ran a coffee plantation.

Today, you can tour the well-preserved colonial farmhouse, a kitchen in a separate building, a coffee-drying plant in the woodland, and an agricultural college on the grounds.

Furniture that belonged to Karen Blixen and her husband is on display, as well as photographs and books owned by Karen and her lover, Denys Finch Hatton. Enthusiastic guides bring the story of Karen Blixen and colonial Kenya to life.

Address: Karen Road, Nairobi

Official site: http://www.museums.or.ke/karen-blixen/

Nairobi National Museum

The National Museum in Nairobi is an educational way to spend a few hours on a city stopover. The museum displays diverse cultural and natural history exhibits including more than 900 stuffed birds and mammals, fossils from Lake Turkana, ethnic displays from various Kenyan tribal groups, and exhibits of local art.

In the Geology Gallery, you can explore an impressive collection of rocks and minerals and learn about tectonic plates and the life cycle of a volcano. The Hominid Vault contains a collection of prehistoric bones and fossils, including the preserved fossil of an elephant.

At the museum, visitors can purchase combination tickets, which include entrance to the adjacent Snake Park with live specimens of Kenya's most common reptiles.

If you're looking for a dose of nature on your Nairobi trip, save time to stroll around the tranquil botanical gardens here after your visit.

Address: Museum Hill Road, Nairobi

Bomas of Kenya

About 10 kilometers from Nairobi, Bomas of Kenya is a living museum celebrating the colorful tribes of Kenya. This is a great place to learn about the lifestyle, art, music, crafts, and culture of each tribe.

The complex encompasses a recreated traditional village with homesteads or bomas, each one reflecting the culture of a major ethnic group. Every afternoon, a team performs traditional dances and songs in the large theater. Audience participation makes the performances even more enjoyable.

Location: Forest Edge Road, off Langata Road, Mageso Chember

Official site: http://www.bomasofkenya.co.ke/

Kazuri Beads Factory Tour

Looking for some unique souvenirs and gifts for family and friends? The Kazuri Beads Factory is a great place to shop. Best of all, you're helping disadvantaged local women at the same time.

Kazuri means "small and beautiful" in Swahili, and these shiny, brightly colored beads surely fit the bill.

Join a free factory tour and see how local women, including many single mothers, make the beads and other pottery items from scratch. After the tour, you can purchase some to take with you, knowing you are purchasing from a World Fair Trade Organization member. Prices are relatively reasonable.

This is a great tour to combine with a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum, as the factory lies right nearby. It's also one of the top free things to do in Nairobi, although it's hard to leave here without buying some of these beautiful beads.

Address: Mbagathi Ridge, Karen, Nairobi

Kenyatta International Conference Centre

Named for the Republic's First President, Jomo Kenyatta, the distinctive cylindrical Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC) offers breathtaking 360-degree views from its rooftop viewing deck.

The building is an internationally acclaimed venue for conferences, meetings, and exhibitions, and it's an eye-catching landmark in the city. Though not the tallest building in Kenya, it dominates the skyline with a 28-story tower overlooking a large amphitheater. Its pale terra-cotta façade recalls the color of traditional African huts, and the central plenary hall resembles the ancient Roman Senate.

Zoom up to the rooftop viewing platform to take photos of the sprawling city below, and you can also enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants.

Address: Harambee Avenue, Nairobi

Ngong Hills

"Ngong" means "knuckles" in Maasai, a fitting name since these beautiful pointed green hills resemble the back of a fist facing the sky. They are a popular place to visit close to Nairobi and provide a welcome respite from the city heat.

The Ngong Hills are the peaks of a ridge overlooking the Great Rift Valley, and many white settlers established their farms here in the early colonial days. Half-timbered houses and flowering gardens remain, but seem more suited to southern England than Africa.

Several walking trails traverse the hills, offering beautiful views of the valleys below. Wildlife is also visible in the area. Buffalo, gazelles, giraffes, bushbuck, the occasional klipspringer, and troupes of baboons are often glimpsed grazing along the roadside.

If you're an Out of Africa fan and you're looking for other places to visit in the Ngong Hills, stop by the grave of Denys Finch Hatton, the lover of famous Danish author, Karen Blixen. It lies on the eastern slopes, graced by an obelisk and garden.

Address: Great Rift Valley, Mageso Chember, Nairobi

Railway Museum

The Railway Museum in Nairobi celebrates the rich history of the railroad in Kenya and its impact on the nation's development. Among the museum's fascinating collections are train and ship models, photographs from the original construction of the Uganda Railway, railway magazines, maps and drawings, and a silver service set used on overnight trains to Mombasa.

A collection of steam locomotives and rolling stock are also on display, including a model of the MV Liemba, built by the Germans and still in use along Lake Tanganyika.

A favorite exhibit is the carriage used during the hunt for the Maneater of Kima in 1900. Captain Charles Ryall, a colonial officer, positioned himself in the carriage to shoot a man-eating lion; unfortunately he fell asleep and was dragged out the window by the lion.

Address: Uhuru Road, Nairobi

National Archives

You'll find a little bit of everything about Kenya at this museum. Housed in the old Bank of India building, the National Archives spotlights Kenyan tribal culture, as well as the country's art, history, and politics.

Paintings and artifacts from the collection of Joseph Murumbi, one of Africa's most famous collectors, dominate the exhibits. The main floor gallery displays historical documents and a collection of photographs.

The second floor houses more art, a display of postage stamps, and the National Archives reading room, which is used for personal and professional projects.

Along with the Nairobi National Museum, this is one of the top places to visit in Nairobi on a budget, and it will broaden your understanding of Kenya's rich history and culture.

Address: Moi Avenue, Nairobi

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