Outdoors · Nairobi · Kenya
7 best outdoor things to do in Nairobi
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Samwalton9, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 11–14 hours across 4 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 11–14 hours
- Areas
- Langata, Nairobi National Park and Karen
Outdoors in Nairobi
Nature · Langata
1.Nairobi National Park
Enter as the gates open in the early morning, when predators are most active and traffic on Langata Road is lighter; KWS gates are cashless, so carry a card.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Nairobi National Park
2.Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage
Stand at the front of the rope line on the side nearest the mud wallow; the calves often splash the first row.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Nature · Langata
3.Giraffe Centre
Combine it with the elephant orphanage and the Karen Blixen Museum, which are all within a 20-minute drive of each other.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Museum · Karen
4.Karen Blixen Museum
Read or watch Out of Africa beforehand; the guides point out rooms and views that appear in the book and the 1985 film.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Zoo · Langata
5.Nairobi Safari Walk
Pair it with a game drive from the main gate, which is right next to the boardwalk entrance.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Park · Gigiri
6.Karura Forest
Hire a bike and ride the loop to the waterfall in the morning, then have lunch at the café near the main gate.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Active
- Kids
Nature · Karen
7.Oloolua Nature Trail
Wear shoes with grip; paths near the waterfall get muddy after rain.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Langata | Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre and Nairobi Safari Walk | Half a day + 1 hour + 1–1.5 hours |
| Nairobi National Park | Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage | 1 hour |
| Karen | Karen Blixen Museum and Oloolua Nature Trail | 1 hour + 1.5–2 hours |
| Gigiri | Karura Forest | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 6 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage. The longest visit is Nairobi National Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage: Visits must be booked online in advance through the trust's website, and slots fill up in the safari high season.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Langata): Nairobi National Park → Giraffe Centre, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Langata, Nairobi National Park and Karen): Nairobi Safari Walk → Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage → Karen Blixen Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Karen and Gigiri): Oloolua Nature Trail → Karura Forest, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 3 rainy days, busy crowds. Warmer, dry and sunny; still excellent for safaris with slightly fewer visitors than August.
- July: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. The coolest month, often grey in the morning; peak safari season as the wildebeest migration usually reaches the Maasai Mara.
- August: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Cool and dry with peak safari demand; book flights to the Mara and lodges well ahead.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Westlands — Restaurants, malls and the city's main bar district north-west of the CBD
- Karen — Leafy suburb of large gardens at the foot of the Ngong Hills
- Langata — Suburb bordering Nairobi National Park, home of the Giraffe Centre and Bomas of Kenya
- Gigiri — Diplomatic quarter around the United Nations complex and Village Market
More of Nairobi
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Nairobi?
Nairobi National Park. Kenya's first national park, opened in 1946, covers about 117 km² of grassland and acacia bush just south of the city.