Itinerary for Three Days in Nairobi, Kenya
- Dates visited: December 2024
- Time Needed: 3 full days, 3–4 nights
General Information
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, located in the highlands on top of the Great Rift Valley. It’s known as the “Safari Capital of the World” due to its close proximity to major wildlife reserves and parks. With approximately 4.5 million people, it is East Africa’s largest city and filled with a melting pot of cultures. The main religions (in order of popularity) are Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism.
Overall, this guide outlines things to see and do over the course of three days in this bustling metropolis. Keep in mind that this is for groups that love to remain on the go. Alter based on your interests and abilities.
- Day One: Wildlife Day
- Day Two: Culture & Awareness Day
- Day Three: Hell’s Gate National Park Day Trip
Visa
Ninety-day tourist visas are needed for citizens of most countries, with some exemptions for local East-African countries like Uganda and Tanzania. Apply online via the eCitizen Kenya Platform. Processing takes approximately two to three days. It is possible to complete the form onsite but is not recommended as it is more tedious and time consuming. Print a physical copy and screenshot the digital version.
Vaccinations
The most important vaccination to have is for yellow fever as it is required in order to enter the country from other yellow fever-endemic countries, including most East African nations. I was not asked for it when I arrived from America via plane but needed it later on at the land border to Tanzania and back into Kenya from Uganda.
The risk of contracting malaria in Nairobi is low, but visitors are encouraged to take preventative pills as a precaution. A vaccine does not exist. I took Doxycycline (one of several options) and experienced no side effects though others report headaches and stomach issues. For the best results, take this one day before visiting an infected region and for up to four weeks after. Other pill options are listed on the CDC website.
It is also recommended to receive vaccines for Tetanus and Typhoid. Speak with a healthcare professional (or travel clinic) at least several weeks in advance to ensure you have everything you need ahead of time.
Communication
The official languages of Kenya are Swahili and English. Many Nairobians also speak “Sheng,” short for “Swahili-English-slang” which is, quite obviously, a mix of Swahili and English.
Wifi
WiFi is strong at most hotels, mainstream restaurants, and the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Weather
Nairobi is a mile above sea level, therefore it boasts moderate temperatures. Its summer runs from December through March, averaging temperatures in the low 80’s, while winter spans June through September and remains in the low 70’s. The city also had two rainy seasons. The “long” season is from March through May and the “short” is from October through September.
Most visit during the animal migration season in July and August. I instead visited in December and experienced quick, daily rain showers and mild, manageable temperatures. And on safari, I was still able to see all the animals — so overall I’d recommend this timeframe as well.
Safety
The capital isn’t the safest, with a nickname “Nairobbery” because of its reputation for petty crime. However, that’s no reason not to visit. I traveled as a solo female and felt secure so long as I followed these simple rules -
- Stay alert at all times.
- Keep possessions close to you and do not flash them out, especially in the downtown area or in a car with the windows down. Thieves are known to grab phones out of hands and from vehicles before tourists even know what’s happening. The only time when I felt ok taking my phone out was when I was with a guide that declared certain locations safe to do so.
- Take tours as much as possible instead of walking around on your own. Locals respect guides and tend to avoid messing with their guests.
- Do not walk around after sunset, both alone OR with a group.
Transportation
The closest airport to Nairobi is the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, one of the busiest airports on the continent. It takes approximately twenty to sixty minutes to reach from the city center depending on traffic and mode of transportation.
Nairobi offers two types of main roads — the free highway and the private expressway. The latter involves a toll fee. Most Kenyans avoid the tolls, therefore making the highways immensely congested, especially during the daily rush hours of 6–9am and 4–7pm. If you can, take the expressway as it is often clear and will save an ungodly amount of time.
To get to my hotel from the airport and around the city in general, I hired a driver directly through my hotel. The city is massive and not walkable for both safety and logistical reasons. My driver averaged $40 USD for one way from the airport and $20 to most inner-city destinations. Uber and Bolt are far cheaper options. I received mixed messages about the safety of these apps and because I was a solo female traveler, was hesitant to use them. The hotel manager stated that it’s always safer to utilize a driver whereas several female travelers expressed that they felt at ease using Uber on their own. Do what is most comfortable for you. Either way, do not use the following methods -
- Hail a Taxi — Cabs have reputations for ripping off tourists and utilizing poor driving practices. For example, a friend’s taxi driver continually stopped the car on the side of the road to ask for more money, even after she negotiated the price before getting in the car. She ended up paying more than double the asking price.
- Hop on a Matatu — These public buses, also referred to as “moving art galleries” are named after the spray-painted “tattoos” (artwork) that cover their facades. They’re visually appealing but not recommended for tourists as petty theft, overcrowding, and reckless driving are rampant.
- Rent a Car — Traffic in Nairobi is some of the worst in the world. Most traffic lights are unreliable or don’t work at all so navigating through congestion is only for the highly skilled. Parking is also limited and break-ins common. Not to mention, the police force has a corrupt reputation and is known to pull over tourists for the littlest infractions, demanding unjustified fines be paid onsite. Stick to hiring drivers and utilizing rideshare apps. If you DO decide to brave the rental, know that Kenyans drive on the left side of the road.
Drinking Water
Tap water is not potable and usable public fountains are nonexistent. Plan to purchase bottles.
Payment
The country’s main currency is the Kenyan Shilling (KES). Credit cards are accepted in most establishments but cash is required in local markets and smaller restaurants. ATMs are plentiful and accessible even on Sundays when banks are closed. Sometimes ATMs don’t have much cash and/or deny users who try to withdraw larger amounts (ex. $200 USD). If that happens, try taking out the maximum that the screen indicates or even slightly less as these lower amounts are more likely to be approved.
Note: Most of this outline highlights costs in USD. This is a conversion to make it easier for some readers. Costs vary and everything is charged in the local currency when in person.
Tipping
Tipping is not mandatory or expected in restaurants and bars. Tip tour guides approximately 10% of the tour cost per person.
Attire
Modesty is appreciated in Nairobi. Dress respectfully and earnestly but don’t feel like you need to cover shoulders and knees like in nearby Zanzibar. Feel free to wear thick strapped tanks and shorts so long as they are not too revealing and tight.
Accommodations
The Westlands, Karen, and Langata are the safest and most popular areas to stay in — the latter two located in the outer suburbs. I can’t speak to Karen and Langata as I didn’t visit those areas. As for the Westlands, PrideInn Westlands Luxury Boutique Hotel is a great option, with renovated rooms, fast WiFi, and an onsite restaurant (though the food is nothing to write home about). The Heron Hotel, a ten minute drive away, is another good choice. It’s not as nice as the PrideInn but offers an affordable spa (which I highly recommend), pool, and two onsite restaurants. These restaurants are also not spectacular but Nairobi isn’t known for its food scene.
Electrical Outlets
Kenya uses the same outlet type as those in continental Europe; the type F plug.
HOW TO BEST SPEND YOUR TIME:
DAY ONE: Wildlife Day
Today is focused on nature — so book a tour like this option that explores the city’s wildlife offerings in one go. Start the day with an early pickup to head to Nairobi National Park. Nairobi is the only city in the world that boasts a national park within its city limits. Without traffic (and with the express lane), the drive takes around twenty minutes. Most tours do not include the national park entrance fee ($45 USD), so prepare to pay individually upon arrival. Cash and cards are accepted.
The park spans twenty-nine thousand acres and is home to rhinos, buffalos, impalas, giraffes, baboons, lions, and hippos — among many others. Guests are welcome to visit any time of year and guaranteed to see animals as they are protected and contained within park borders. Most tours involve an open air vehicle to allow folks to stand and experience wildlife up close. Getting out of the car is reserved for designated picnic areas to ensure the safety of both the animals and guests.
If a tour isn’t for you, renting a vehicle and exploring at your leisure is an option. However, I wouldn’t recommend this. The park is very confusing with limited signage and cell service so getting lost is highly likely. Not to mention, you’ll miss out on commentary from local guides who know fun facts about the animals, their mating and eating habits, and general wareabouts.
After roughly three hours in the park, head next door to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, one of Africa’s oldest wildlife charities. This conservation organization shelters orphaned baby elephants and rhinos, most of whom are victims of poaching. It is open to the public daily from just 11am-12pm so it’s a tight window. If visiting without a tour, know that advanced reservations are mandatory. Spend that hour watching them feed while getting to know their individual stories.
Enjoy a final stop twenty-minutes away at the Giraffe Center, a wildlife and environmental conservation center. This organization was founded to save the Rothschild Giraffe, a subspecies found only in East Africa. When it was first created, only 130 of this subspecies existed in Western Kenya but after extensive breeding efforts, over 300 exist across all of the country’s national parks. Learn about these conservation efforts and dig into the various types of giraffes in Kenya.
Plan to spend some time in traffic when returning to your hotel. The drive in the afternoon averages between one hour to ninety minutes due to rush hour.
Note: If you’re not a huge animal person and consider this to be too much for one day, focus solely on the Nairobi National Park with a shorter trip through Kenya Bush Expeditions. Perhaps pair it with the Bomas of Kenya; a culture experience involving a deep dive into various Kenyan ethnic groups.
DAY TWO: Culture & Awareness Day
Today is emotionally heavy but important for awareness and education. It consists of two tours depicting the impoverished side of Nairobi. Wear close-toed shoes to protect from mud and garbage. In addition, don’t take unnecessary valuables like jewelry, nice cameras, or passports as pickpocketing does occur.
Begin with a morning tour led by Nai Nami, a social enterprise employing former street youth as its guides. Over 300,000 children are homeless in Kenya, with most between the ages of five to fifteen. Sixty thousand of those are in Nairobi. These former street kids showcase their neighborhood to underline the harsh conditions in which they grew up. For a deeper dive into this enterprise, watch this heart wrenching yet quick ten-minute film highlighting several of the tour guides’ experiences.
Many guides don nicknames given to them in their previous street lives. My guide’s name was Quick — a nod to his former pickpocketing abilities. In three hours, walk through the Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown areas of the city as the guide points out key landmarks and emphasizes the vile living conditions in which so many children still endure. Most kids were born outside the city center but moved downtown as they are able to make more money begging here. This is one of the many reasons why they are homeless and do not have parents looking after them.
Notice teenagers (and sometimes young children) sniffing paper bags or opaque water bottles. This is a horrific petrol-sniffing addiction (referred to as “petrol of the dead”) many fall victim to that causes them to look and act like zombies. Instead of giving cash directly to the children, guides encourage visitors to donate funds to the “mamma” — a local woman or group of women who sell street meals. The equivalent of roughly $2 USD feeds one child — so donate what you can as it’s an easy way to support the community without financing addiction.
Although most of this tour is harrowing, it also provides lighthearted, interesting information. Learn the difference between the Swahili “mambo” vs. “jambo” (mambo is a more casual “what’s up” whereas “jambo” is a touristic way to say “hello.”) Dive into why Midtown has a massive Hindu population. And discuss the city’s law prohibiting smoking in public areas.
End the tour with an included lunch at the locally adored Ndiirra Cafe for a taste of traditional Kenyan fare and the opportunity to mingle with other tour guides who are eager to share their own stories. Then, Uber or have a driver pick you up to return and regroup at your hotel. Don’t walk for safety reasons.
Next, join a tour of Kibara which typically begins around 1:30pm. Kibara is the largest slum in Africa, measuring around 2.5 square miles (roughly the size of Central Park) with an estimated population of one million people — over one third of Nairobi’s residents. Select an excursion that includes roundtrip transportation as getting an Uber in that area can be difficult, especially at rush hour when traffic is horrendous. Kibera Tours allows guests to add-on transfers for a small fee.
Kibera originated as a Nubian settlement camp post-WWI and has become the second largest slum in the world (and the largest in Africa). The government does not recognize its legitimacy and therefore does not provide infrastructure such as schools, public healthcare, and sewage systems. Instead, residents are forced to orchestrate as much as they can on their own.
Explore this area with a local guide born and raised in the settlement who exposes the infinite hardships. Visit homes no larger than 8’x10’ that squeeze up to eight people. Learn about the notorious “flying toilets”, a term used to describe waste bags that residents use to defecate in then promptly throw as far as they can. Purchase repurposed trinkets and handmade jewelry at a women-owned bead shop. Lastly, explore reasons why 75% of the population is under the age of eighteen.
I understand these tours are upsetting and seemingly monetize people’s hardships. I thought this as well. However, proceeds from these tours go directly to guides and their communities in efforts to improve conditions. The guides were overwhelmingly thankful for our participation. They also felt it was important for tourists to understand the depravity and seriousness of the conditions in Nairobi in hopes that continued education and awareness will push for greater change.
DAY THREE: Hell’s Gate National Park Day Trip
Spend the final day with a day trip to Hell’s Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha. Hell’s Gate, just sixty miles outside of Nairobi, was one of the inspirations for Disney’s The Lion King. Lake Naivasha is located in the Great Rift Valley and home to over four hundred bird species as well as buffalos, giraffes, hippos, and zebras.
I booked this tour and unfortunately never made it to the park because of standstill traffic so horrific that we had to turn around after several hours of not moving. I tried to go the Friday before Christmas when many Kenyans head out of town to visit family for the holidays; so I was unknowingly doomed from the start. To avoid a catastrophe like this, confirm with your tour at least a day in advance to ensure recent traffic hasn’t been too harrowing and there are no holidays that might impede on the trip.
Crossing the Border to Tanzania
Tanzania is home to the famed Serengeti National Park, so many people pair a weekend in Nairobi with a trip to the Bush. Flying from Nairobi to Arusha, the largest city closest to the park, is the fastest option apart from flying directly into the park itself (which is very pricey). Another more affordable option (and also easy) is to transfer via shuttle. To do so, book a spot on the Riverside Shuttle, a thirty-person bus frequented by locals and tourists alike which averages around a five hour drive not including time at the border crossing. The bus provides local hotel pickups within the city center as well as the airport.
Although Riverside advertises air conditioning, the system doesn’t always work properly. This happened to me so I just kept my window open and was fine. Large bags are covered and placed on the roof of the vehicle, so put everything you might need for the ride in a smaller bag to carry onto the bus. It is worth noting that the luggage covers are very strong and thick — so my bag was not damaged or wet even after we experienced an intense thunderstorm on the road.
It is normal for public buses to get pulled over at random by policemen. I was told repeatedly by locals that this is purely to try to catch drivers in making small mistakes (expired insurance, unpaid fines, etc.) so the cops can demand a small payout. Typically tourist buses do not fall victim to this — however, my bus from Nairobi to the Tanzanian border was pulled over twice. Once just to try to catch the driver making a mistake. The second merely because the police alleged our driver looked at him the wrong way. We were let off within five minutes after the driver explained his disposition (and profusely apologized); but this is a strong example of the corruption that pervades the Kenyan police force. Not to mention, it’s another reason why renting a car as a tourist and without knowing the language is a bad idea.
Customs itself is tedious depending on crowds. It took my bus about two hours to get through both sides. Ensure your yellow fever card is readily available and to speed things up, purchase the Tanzania visa (or Kenya visa if going the other way) ahead of time. If that’s not an option, onsite visas are available.
