Things to Do in Nairobi

34 attractions across Nairobi, grouped the way you would actually plan them rather than alphabetically. Every entry below carries current opening hours and a Google rating, so you can tell a place worth an afternoon from one worth twenty minutes.

Entry fees change more often than most guides admit — Kenya Forest Service took over Karura’s gate collection in August 2025 and Kenya Wildlife Service revised its rates that October. Where a fee matters, we link to the guide that tracks it rather than printing a number that may already be stale.

Wildlife and national parks

Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a national park inside its boundary. You can watch rhino graze against an office skyline in the morning and be back in the city centre for lunch — which is why most first-time visitors start here.

Nairobi National Park guide: entry fees, how to buy tickets, and when a tour makes sense →

Animal encounters and family days out

The cluster of wildlife attractions around Langata and Karen works well as a single day. These are close enough to combine, and most open early — worth knowing, because the tour coaches tend to arrive mid-morning.

Giraffe Centre guide: entry fees, opening hours and the quietest times to visit →

Giraffe Centre - null
Top Pick 2026Top Picks have a Google rating of 4.5 or higher from 200+ reviews and are still open. They are never paid for.
Visit·Langata

Giraffe Centre

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.6(17,015)
Nairobi Animal Orphanage - null
Visit·Langata

Nairobi Animal Orphanage

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.4(6,292)
Nairobi Safari Walk - null
Visit·Langata

Nairobi Safari Walk

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.4(6,159)
SGR Terminus Nairobi - null
Visit·South C

SGR Terminus Nairobi

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(22,673)
Uhuru Park - null
Visit·Upper Hill

Uhuru Park

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.1(23,186)
Maasai Market - null
Visit·CBD

Maasai Market

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(5,301)
Uhuru Gardens - null
Visit·Kilimani

Uhuru Gardens

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(3,989)
Nairobi Mamba Village - null
Visit·Langata

Nairobi Mamba Village

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.0(2,071)
$$$$
Ivory Burning Site & Picnic Area - null
Top Pick 2026Top Picks have a Google rating of 4.5 or higher from 200+ reviews and are still open. They are never paid for.
Visit·Langata

Ivory Burning Site & Picnic Area

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.6(340)
Machakos Peoples Park - null
Visit·Utawala

Machakos Peoples Park

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(2,503)
Snake Park - null
Visit·Parklands

Snake Park

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(1,437)
Westlands Market - null
Visit·Westlands

Westlands Market

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.3(1,067)
Impala Observation Pt - null
Visit·Langata

Impala Observation Pt

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.5(152)
Ruaka Falls - null
Visit·Gigiri

Ruaka Falls

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.5(63)
Ridgeways Pine Creek Gardens - null
Visit·Gigiri · Ridgeways

Ridgeways Pine Creek Gardens

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.1(122)
KICC rooftop - null
Top Pick 2026Top Picks have a Google rating of 4.5 or higher from 200+ reviews and are still open. They are never paid for.
Visit·CBD

KICC rooftop

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.5(291)
Small Axe Riparian Park - null
Visit·Kasarani

Small Axe Riparian Park

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.2(44)
Ngong Hills - null
Visit·Karen

Ngong Hills

Kids WelcomeFamily-Friendly
Google4.7(24)

Museums and heritage

Nairobi's museums cover far more than colonial history — the National Museum's palaeontology collection is among the most significant in the world, and the city's places of worship are working buildings rather than exhibits.

Parks and green space

Green space is where Nairobi residents actually spend their weekends, and it is the cheapest thing on this page by a wide margin.