Nov 09, 2026
By Goodnight Staff 
Nairobi is a strange place.
It’s a large city, the largest in East Africa in fact. With more than four million people it has all the characteristics of a major city; skyscrapers, wide roads, traffic jams and a lot of noise.
And yet, there is another side of it that makes it completely unique.
Leave the CBD and, within a surprisingly short time, you can be walking through a quiet forest, watching wild animals or standing on a hill overlooking the Great Rift Valley.
And if you have a full day to spare, it gets even better. Ngong hills, forests and national parks are all within reach of the capital.
That's one of the things I like most about Nairobi. The city gives you options.
For first-time visitors especially, the diversity in experience is simply second to none in Africa.
Here are some of the best places to visit in and around Nairobi.
There are plenty of cities with beautiful parks. There are even cities with wildlife reserves nearby.
Nairobi is in a league of its own.
Just 8 kilometres from the city centre sits a genuine national park, covering 117 square kilometres of open savannah and wildlife. One moment you're looking at Nairobi's skyscrapers. Next, you're watching a lion, giraffe or rhino in the wild.
That combination is what makes the park so special. In fact, it is the only city in the world with a park right inside of it.
Established in 1946 as Kenya's first national park, it remains one of the easiest places in the country to experience a real safari without travelling deep into the countryside. More importantly, it is home to more than 100 animal species. These include buffalo, leopards, lions, rhinos and zebras.
The sprawling tree line also houses over 400 bird species which can be seen all over the city, not just in the park.
And yes, you really can see all of this with Nairobi's skyline in the background.
In fact if you are parked just at the right spot while still inside the city you could see the whole city and the park.
For me, that is the magic of the place. You don't have to choose between experiencing Nairobi the city and Nairobi the wild.
You can experience both on the same morning.
Nairobi is the UNEP (UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME) headquarters for a good reason. It is incredibly green. But you might not notice this while deep inside the CBD. You have to venture a little outside of the noisy skyscrapers.
Karura Forest is the best place to start.
Covering more than 1,000 hectares, this huge urban forest is located in the northern side of Nairobi. Venture just a few meters inside the walking and cycling trails winding through the indigenous forest and the noise of the city just seems to disappear surprisingly quickly.
Beyond that there is plenty to explore, including caves, streams and waterfalls.
This is one of the places I recommend to first-time tourists who want to escape Nairobi without actually leaving the city.
Just outside the city, rising along the edge of the Great Rift Valley sits the Ngong Hills. Its ridges and rolling hills give you wide views across the surrounding countryside. Perfect for a hike.
While the hike can certainly be demanding, you will get changing scenery as you move along the ridge with open distant farms, open grassland and a breathtaking view of the Rift Valley.
If you want to stretch your legs a little further away from the bustling Nairobi city this is one of the places I would choose.
It also gives you a very different perspective of the capital. From the hills, the city feels much smaller and more distant, while the vast landscape of the Rift Valley opens up in front of you.
If you, however, don't want to commit to a full day’s hike then the Oloolua Nature Trail is the perfect little getaway.
Located south-west of Nairobi's central business district, this forest trail takes you through a section of indigenous forest that feels surprisingly far removed from the busy city. It also has streams, walking paths, caves and even a waterfall.
What attracts most tourists to Oloolua is the fact that it is less obvious than some of Nairobi’s better known attractions. People don't come for a spectacle. They come to breathe some fresh air, walk and enjoy a few hours surrounded by trees while still being just a few minutes from the CBD.
Just next to Nairobi National Park is the Safari Walk. It's a piece of the Park carved out specifically for a walking tour giving visitors a chance to see animals such as leopards, lions, rhinos and buffalos up close.
Safari Walk works particularly well for families who want a more relaxed wildlife experience. You can walk around at your own pace rather than spending several hours in a safari vehicle.
For those history buffs who want to understand more about how Nairobi came to be, the Nairobi Railway Museum is the perfect place to start.
Sitting right in the heart of the city, the museum tells the fascinating story of the railway that was built to connect the Kenyan coast to the interior. Nairobi itself was an outgrowth of the project acting as both an administrative capital and inland port.
Inside and outside the museum, you can see historic railway equipment, photographs and old locomotives and carriages.
The Nairobi Railway Museum also makes a nice change from Nairobi's parks and forests.
If you want to take a little place of Kenya with home with you, Maasai Market is the place to look.
The market is known for tis colourful collection of African crafts, jewellery, artwork, clothing and souvenirs. It is also a good place to experience the enerrgy of Nairobi's open-air markets.
Of course, come prepared to bargain. It's part of the experience. This is Nairobi after all. Prices are not really set in stone.
You could spend hours just browsing, looking through enormous variety of handmade items and talking to vendors. But its really worth it if you want something personal to take home with you.
One of Nairobi’s major appeals is how quickly the city changes character. You could be surrounded by busy streets and traffic, turn a corner and suddenly find somewhere so much quieter.
City Park is one of those places.
Located in Parklands, which is just near the CBD, City Park is one of Nairobi's older public green spaces. It has walking paths, plenty of trees and a lot of open space making it a perfect place to slow down and maybe even have a picnic right in the city.
It is also known for its large population of Sykes' monkeys, which can be easily seen swinging across the trees.
While City Park doesn't possess the dramatic scenery of Karura forest or the wildlife experience of Nairobi National Park it provides a certain tranquility that is hard to find in a busy city.
Sometimes you just need somewhere peaceful to sit, walk around and watch the city go by.
Want to experience a little of the city's sporting culture?
Ngong Racecourse, located along Ngong Road is the perfect place to start. The racecourse is one of Kenya's few venues that hosts regular races throughout the year.
And even if horseracing isn't your thing, come for the atmosphere. Its lively with hundreds of cheering spectators cheering and enjoying the afternoon outdoors.
I have a bit of a personal history with Nairobi Snake Park.
I remember visiting as a kid and being absolutely terrified of the snakes. To be fair, there is something about standing a few feet away from a large snake when you are a child that makes you reconsider your life choices.
Thankfully, I have grown up a little since then.
Located next to the Nairobi National Museum, the Snake Park gives visitors a chance to see a variety of snakes and other reptiles up close. You can see species found in Kenya and learn more about the country's often misunderstood reptiles.
If you are visiting Nairobi with children, this can be a particularly memorable stop. They may come away fascinated by the snakes or, like me, slightly traumatised by them.
Either way, it is a different experience from Nairobi's parks and museums and a good option if you want to see another side of Kenya's wildlife.
And perhaps one day I'll finally get over my childhood fear of snakes.
Overall, Nairobi has a lot of sites for both adventurers and history buffs. For first-time visitors to Kenya, make sure you give yourself enough time to see more than just the usual tourist attractions.
Nairobi is a city worth exploring, not just passing through.
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