Kenya's capital and East Africa's busiest hub, with a national park on its edge, museums, forests and a lively food scene
Nairobi is where most journeys in Kenya begin. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport connects it with much of the world, and Wilson Airport handles the small planes that fly visitors out to the Maasai Mara and other parks. The city is a busy, fast-growing regional capital with a modern skyline, a large business district and many international organisations, including the headquarters of UN Environment and UN-Habitat.
It is also unusually close to nature. Nairobi National Park begins only a few kilometres south of the centre, so giraffes and rhinos can be photographed with skyscrapers behind them, and the leafy suburbs of Karen and Lang'ata hold the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum and an elephant orphanage. Within the city, Karura Forest offers trails and waterfalls, and the National Museum of Kenya gives a good grounding in the country's history and cultures.
Nairobi grew from a supply depot on the Uganda Railway, which reached the site on 30 May 1899. The name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning place of cool waters, after a stream that ran through the swampy ground. The settlement grew quickly and replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate in 1907.
At independence in 1963 Nairobi became the capital of Kenya, and buildings such as the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, opened in 1973, came to symbolise the new nation. Since then it has grown into one of Africa's major cities and a centre for business, technology, media and international diplomacy in the region.
Nairobi is a meeting point for people from across Kenya and East Africa, and Swahili and English are heard everywhere alongside many other languages. Food ranges from nyama choma (grilled meat) with ugali and kachumbari to Swahili coastal dishes, Indian-influenced snacks and international restaurants. Matatus, the colourful minibuses that carry much of the city's commuting traffic, are a symbol of everyday life, and the city has a vibrant music, art and tech start-up scene.
Visitors usually spend a day or two in Nairobi before or after a safari. A typical itinerary combines an early game drive in Nairobi National Park with a visit to an elephant orphanage, the Giraffe Centre and the Karen Blixen Museum in the south-west of the city. Others explore the National Museum, browse craft markets for Maasai beadwork, kikoys and carvings, walk in Karura Forest or enjoy the restaurants, cafés and nightlife of areas such as Westlands. Traffic can be heavy, so it helps to group sights by area.
Nairobi can be visited all year. Its altitude keeps temperatures mild, and nights can be cool, especially from June to August. The driest periods, roughly late June to October and January to February, coincide with the best safari season, while the long rains around April and May and shorter rains around November bring afternoon showers.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Nairobi National Park lies just south of the city centre, and the suburbs of Karen and Lang'ata to the south-west hold the Giraffe Centre and the Karen Blixen Museum, with the Ngong Hills beyond. Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate National Park lie north-west in the Rift Valley, and Mount Kenya and Ol Pejeta Conservancy lie to the north. Amboseli lies about 200 km to the south-east.
Kenya · 7 nights4★ LodgeKenya · 9 nights4★ ResortThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
