KE · Nairobi County · 1.29°S 36.82°E

nairobi

Rhinos near the skyline, orphaned baby elephants and forest walks before the safari.

Best time
January–February and June–September are generally drier. April–May has the long rains, and November can be showery; the city sits high, so evenings are cooler than KL.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Addis Ababa, Dubai or Doha, about 13–17 hours all in. Jomo Kenyatta airport is 30–90 minutes from most neighbourhoods, depending on traffic. Kenya is 5 hours behind KL, and every visitor needs an eTA, applied for online before the trip.
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KE · Nairobi Countynairobi1.29°S 36.82°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Rhinos near the skyline, orphaned baby elephants and forest walks before the safari.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingNairobiKE, Nairobi County
KLnairobi
≈ 7,227 km from KL, as the crow flies
Nairobi skyline, with slight smog layer, seen from the rooftop restaurant at the Gem Hotel in Gigiri

Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Nairobi is more than the airport for a safari. A national park full of big animals runs right up to the city's edge, and the elephant orphanage, giraffes and forest trails fill a couple of days either side of the bush.

Makan

  1. Nyama chomaGrilled goat or beef with ugali and kachumbari, a tomato and onion salad.Map ↗
  2. PilauRice cooked with cumin, cardamom and cloves, brought inland from the Swahili coast.Map ↗
  3. MandaziLightly sweet fried dough, with a cup of spiced chai.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Nairobi National ParkLions, rhinos and giraffes on open plains, with the city skyline behind them.Map ↗
  2. Sheldrick elephant nurseryOrphaned baby elephants fed and bathed by their keepers, at the trust's nursery inside the national park.Map ↗
  3. Giraffe CentreEndangered Rothschild's giraffes fed by hand from a raised platform in Langata.Map ↗
  4. Karura ForestForest trails, a waterfall and caves, a quiet escape from the traffic.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Halal is easy: Nairobi has a large Muslim community, and the Somali restaurants of Eastleigh and the Swahili places serve halal as standard.
  • Book the Sheldrick nursery ahead with the trust. Most safari flights leave from Wilson airport, not Jomo Kenyatta, so leave plenty of time between them.
  • Use Uber, Bolt or a hotel driver at night rather than walking.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.