Kenya Trip Planning: Is it Worth Spending a Day in Nairobi?
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If you are planning a trip to Kenya and wonder if it is worth spending a day in Nairobi, this blog post is for you.
Recently, I took a 2 week vacation for a safari adventure in both Kenya and Tanzania. While most of the itinerary is packed with different safaris, including the must-visit Masai Mara and Serengeti. I hesitated a lot about whether to budget a full day in Nairobi.
In the end, I did and didn’t regret that at all! The day I spent in Nairobi was so different from the other days in my whole vacation. Whether you are traveling to Kenya for a greater safari adventure or just a layover, I highly recommend spending a day in its capital city.
🦒🦒🦒 Package Tour Is Also Available! ✅
For Dedicated Time Saver Only
Package tour that includes the Nairobi Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, and Nairobi National Park are also available online. But I would only recommend that to those who want to save time for planning and would stay in Nairobi mainly for layover
What To Do In Nairobi For A Day
Factoring in the transit time from Nairobi airport to the city center by Uber, a day in Nairobi would have around 6 to 8 hours of free time. Generally, you will need two days to cover all the main icons in Nairobi. That’s why I was selective about my itinerary there.
The attractions that I chose:
Giraffe Center: A must-go icon in Nairobi and probably the only place on earth you can sustainably have a close encounter with a Giraffe.
Karen Blixen Museum: One of the most famous icons in Nairobi, used to be the former home of the famous author of “Out of Africa, It is just less than 10 minutes Uber away from the Giraffe center. I would recommend skipping the attraction instead if you are not very into “Out of Africa”.
Nairobi National Museum: The best place in Nairobi to understand the Country’s culture with great exhibitions.
Maasai Market: A Small local market that is popular but usually very overpriced. In that the visit time could be as short as 15 minutes.
Kenyatta International Conference Center: Another local icon that passing by is sufficient, and is near the city center
Nairobi City Market: A hidden gem in Nairobi, where it has more than 20 souvenir shops at the center of the market. It is usually a lot cheaper than the Maasai Market and easier to bargain with.
Carrefour Mega: The best place to buy groceries, coffee, and local snacks without getting ripped off. The market runs 24 hours and is the best place to spend time after dinner, after all other icons are closed.
Local restaurant: Most local restaurants are cheap. I chose Kay restaurant, which has high-quality Kenyan dishes at an affordable price.
The attractions that I didn’t choose but could be worth going to:
Elephant Orphanage: Sanctuary for orphaned elephants. I didn’t choose it because there are so many similar sanctuaries in Asia, and I will also have to pay the Nairobi National Park entrance fee, even if visiting the sanctuary alone.
Nairobi National Park: It is a good safari in Nairobi with lions, giraffe, zebras and etc. However, as I will be going to the Masai Mara, I give a pass.
🦒🦒🦒 Package Tour Is Also Available! ✅
The reverse is true for layover
If you are staying in Nairobi for a day or for more than 12 hours because of layover, then the animal packed itinerary would be great for you to have a taste of safari along with Giraffe center and elephant orphanage.
Morning: Start with the Giraffe Center
The Giraffe Center is the best icon in the city and probably one of the most unique experiences in the world. So you should have that as the first stop. Founded in 1979 to protect endangered Rothschild’s giraffes, it allows visitors to feed these gentle giants from a raised platform—yes, including the famous “giraffe kiss” with their long tongues!
For full details, including how to feed the Giraffe there, check out my dedicated post for the Giraffe center review.
Morning: Go to the Karen Bilexn Museum nearby (optional)
The Karen Blixen Museum is just around 10 10-minute Uber ride from the Giraffe Center. It is the former home of the famous Danish author Karen Blixen, best known for her memoir “Out of Africa.” The museum offers a glimpse into Blixen’s life and her experiences in Kenya during the early 20th century.
If you are into the book, then you will probably be fond of the showcases her personal belongings, including furniture, photographs, and artifacts that reflect her life as a coffee plantation owner and writer.
Since I am not a fan of “Out of Africa”, I found it a bit boring. So I may probably skip this attraction if I were to go to Nairobi again.
Afternoon: Lunch & Shopping
In the afternoon, we will be going back to the city center for a local lunch. There are plenty of good restaurants there. For a local restaurant, my recommendation is Kay restaurant, and for international food, the best one is
“CJ’s”.
Maasai Market
Maasai Market is the most popular place for souvenir shopping in Nairobi. However, I find it is very overrated or overpriced, to be exact. This open-air market rotates locations weekly. During my last visit, it was located near the Nairobi Cinema.
Despite being the most famous one, it is actually a small market compared to the Merkato in Ethiopia or the Chatuchak market in Thailand. There are only a few alleys with souvenirs like
beaded jewelry, wood carvings, fabrics with East African prints, and handmade curios.
It is good to walk by and take some pictures, but for shopping, I would introduce you to the city market instead.
Nairobi City Market
Compared to the Masai market, Nairobi City Market is a hidden gem and the best place for shopping. From the surface of the beautiful building, you may think it is a local fresh market. Although it does sell fresh products like meats, fruits, and vegetables, little did most visitors know that in the middle of the market, it has loads of souvenir shops. And even better, the variety and also the price are a lot better than those of the Masai market.
Kenyatta International Convention Center
Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) is a 28-story modernist tower, built in 1973, that stands as a symbol of post-colonial Kenya in the CBD. For tourists like us, you can get into the park below the building, but not unlikely to get into the convention center itself. So, for us with only one or two days in Nairobi, passing by that shall be more than enough.
🦒🦒🦒 Package Tour Is Also Available! ✅
What If You Have 2 Days In Nairobi
For those having 2 days in Nairobi, you could spend a day with an animal encounter at the Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, and the National Park. Then the other day, for all the museums and city center shopping.
Afternoon (at 4 pm): Explore the National Museum of Kenya
As the last stop for the afternoon, take an Uber from the city center to the National Museum of Kenya. Established in 1929, it houses exhibits on Kenya’s natural history, culture, and evolution, including the famous Hall of Kenya, which showcases fossils from the cradle of humankind. The bird exhibition is probably the most amazing one I have ever seen in all the museums in more than 70 Countries in the world. Compared to other African museums like the one in Ethiopia, you will find a lot more animal exhibitions here in Kenya.
The entrance ticket is 1,200 KES (~ 10 USD). If you top up another 300 KES (~2USD), you can buy a combo ticket that includes a snake park nearby. But warning, there isn’t much to see there compared to most other zoos, like the one in Saigon or other places. So only go there if you have say around 30 minutes spare time.
The museum closes at 5:30 pm, an hour and a half (assuming you are arriving at 4 pm), which shall be more than enough.
Night: Dinner & Shopping at Carrefour Mega
Most safari tour departs very early in the morning, around 7 am. So you should not over-exhaust yourself on the first day. So for the night, just have another nice local dinner, and after that, head to the last destination – Carrefour Mega.
While you may have bought a lot of handicrafts, textiles, magnets, and key chains in the city market. If you are looking for coffee, tea, and local snacks as souvenirs, Carrefour is the best choice for that without being ripped off. You may also want to have some snacks and supplements during the safaris in the coming days. On average, you will be sitting in a Jeep for more than 5 hours a day, so this is the right time to get some supplies for that.
The supermarket opens 24 hours a day, so it is the best choice for nighttime visits after all other icons are closed.
Safety in Nairobi: Safe, but could get a bit tricky after 8 pm
Similar to other African cities, safety is a concern in Nairobi. While it is not as dangerous as Cape Town, prone to hustling in Addis Ababa or full of tourist scams like Egypt, you should still be careful, especially during the night.
During my last visit, things have been perfect during the daytime. People were welcoming and helpful. However, things would turn around during the night after 8 pm when people start drinking. I encountered some hustling and even being asked for coffee money by the officials (although somehow politely rejected).
That’s why I recommend you take an Uber straight back to your hotel after shopping at Carrefour.
Currency exchange in Nairobi
If you are looking for local currency (KES), there are a lot of good exchange shops near Kimathi Street. I used the one called “Wall Street Forex Bureau”. I wouldn’t recommend a lot of KES because it wouldn’t be needed in most cases.
Most of the museums and icons accept cards only in Nairobi. The safari tour cost, tips, and even the souvenir shops in the coming days accept USD or EUR (though the rate is slightly worse). The only place that I had to use KES was only local restaurant, and I believe they will probably take USD as well if it has to be the case. So I suppose exchanging around 100 USD is more than sufficient. After all average meal price in Nairobi is less than 10 USD, unless you need to buy a very overpriced souvenir.
Spending a day in Nairobi is a wise choice
After my day in Nairobi, I started my 11-day safari tour covering the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, and other safaris. I encountered a lot of animals and was amazed by each of the safaris. It was a very good experience. However, the memories I had in Nairobi, such as feeling the tongue of a giraffe, souvenir shopping and etc, are just so different. It adds a good variety to my whole Kenya-Tanzania vacation.
If you are also hesitating whether to budget a full day in Nairobi for your safari vacation, the answer is yes, you SHOULD!
🦒🦒🦒 Package Tour Is Also Available! ✅
Nairobi Has All You Need
Nairobi itself has all you need for the taste of Africa. From animal encounter to cultural experience, you can get the most even if you are staying even for merely 1 day !
Frequently Asked Questions On A Day In Nairobi
What is the best 1 itinerary in Nairobi?
Start with the Giraffe Center, then the CBD area, the national museum, and end with shopping at Carrefour. If you are doing a layover instead, then you may consider a full-day tour for Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, and Nairobi National Park.
Is Nairobi worth visiting for 24 hours?
Yes, there is a lot to see and experience in a day in Nairobi.
Is Nairobi dangerous for solo travelers?
During the day, it is generally fine. But nighttime it could be dangerous, especially for a female solo traveler.
Best time for one day in Nairobi?
From 9 am to 6 pm, when most of the icons are open.
How to get around in 1 day?
Uber, Uber, and Uber!
Top souvenirs in Nairobi?
Coffee, tea, handicrafts, and magnets.
Any Currency tips?
Local currency is not a must. Most icons only accept cards. Souvenir shops and local shops also accept USD. If you are to exchange for KES, you can do that near the CBD area.
Where to stay in Nairobi?
The CBD area, which is close to most of the icons. Or else the Westland area is also a good choice and usually safer. During my last visit, I stayed in the After 40 Hotel, which is around 12 USD per night in the CBD area.
