11 Top Rated Tourist Attractions in Nairobi City

11 Top Rated Tourist Attractions in Nairobi City: Nairobi city double as both Kenya’s capital city and a great tourist destination, Nairobi city is also Kenya’s main gateway to famous national parks and destination as it where most safaris in Kenya begin from heading to Kenya’s safari destinations such as Maasai mara national reserve, Amboseli national park, Lake Nakuru national park and many more.

Nairobi city was founded by the colonial authorities in 1899 during the colonial rule in the British East Africa covering an area of 696 square kilometers which makes it the largest in Kenya. Nairobi as a great Kenya safari destination comprises of many tourist attractions including nature, wildlife habitats, historical and cultural sites.

This article lists and details 11 top ranted tourist attractions travellers shouldn’t miss while on their Kenya safari in Nairobi city.

Nairobi National Park

Nairobi national park is one of the greatest wildlife destination to visit in Nairobi on a Kenya safari, this park is one of the kind national park situated in a city centre of Nairobi in a distance of only 7 kilometers from the Nairobi’s sky scrapers, Nairobi national park is a famous site for ivory burning site and as a rhino sanctuary.

Nairobi national park as a rhino sanctuary protects over 50 rhino individuals, in 1989 the then president of Kenya president Moi ignited 12 tons of elephant tusks and rhino tusks in attempts of combating animal poaching and boosting the country’s conservation image on the world status. Monument to commemorate this historic occasion. Nairobi national park is a habitat to a variety of many wildlife species such as lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes and many more. On top of animals, the park habits over 400 bird species recorded to be living in the wetalnds and grasslands of the park. These birds include ostriches, Jackson’s Widowbird, African Water Rail, Spotted Thick-knee, Speke’s Weaver, Secretarybird, Northern Pied Babbler, Pangani Longclaw, African Quail-finch, Zebra Waxbill, Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Ruppell’s Robin-chat, White-tailed Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Red-throated Tit, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Martial Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Nairobi Pipit, Croaking Cisticola, Desert Cisticola and many more.

Visiting Nairobi national park offers travellers an opportunity to spot animals on a game drive safari, spot birds on bird watching and tour the park on a safari walk.

David Sheldrick wildlife trust

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a must-visit tourist destination in Nairobi situated at the main gates of Nairobi national park along Mbagathi Road, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is an orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program founded by Daphne Sheldrick in 1997. This project was established in memory of her (Daphne Sheldrick) late husband David who was a former warden at Tsavo East National park, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust cares for young abandoned elephants and rhinos and is dedicated to releasing animals back to the wild, while on a visit in this site you get an opportunity to a stroll with beautiful animals as they play in the mud and drinking from giant baby bottles. Entrance fees paid to access David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is used to support the conservation efforts of this project.

Giraffe centre

Giraffe centre is a non- profit centre dedicated to the endangered Rothschild giraffes, this centre is situated on the edge of Nairobi national park along Langata Road. Giraffe centre lies on the grounds of the plush guesthouse and a Giraffe Manor, this centre was established purposely to conserve and protect the giraffes, offer conservation education to children and travellers. The Giraffe centre is a popular destination in Nairobi comprised of displayed information about the Giraffes and a raised platform with prepared pallets from which travelers gets to feed the giraffes. Visiting the Giraffe center you get a grand opportunity of watching giraffes with their gray tongues slurping the little faces, also you can talk a walk on a 1.5 kilometer self-guided forest walk in Nairobi national park adjacent to the Giraffe centre.

Karen Blixen museum

Karen Blixen Museum is listed among the tourists attractions in Nairobi and a must visit destination while on a Kenya safari in Nairobi city, Karen Blixen museum is situated a long Karen road in Nairobi and sits on the foothills of Ngong hills. This museum is a former residence home for Karen Blixen a famous author for her book “out of Africa” where she lived from 1917 to 1931, Karen Blixen is also famous for her pen name Isak Dinesen and during her stay she ran a coffee plantation. Up to date, this house still poses its well-preserved colonial architecture and comprises of a kitchen in a separate building, a coffee drying plant in the woodlands, displayed furniture, photography and books which belonged to Karen Blixen and her husband Denys Finch Hatton.

Visiting Karen Blixen Museum while on a Kenya safari offers an insight in the story and life of Karen Blixen and the colonial era in Kenya.

Nairobi national museum

Nairobi national Museum is a historical and education site in Nairobi perfect for travellers on a Nairobi city tour with intentions of learning more about Kenya’s history, culture and traditions. Nairobi national Museum is located along museum Hill road in Nairobi city, this museum comprises of diverse cultural and natural history exhibits including more than 900 stuffed birds and mammals, fossils from Lake Turkana, local art exhibits, collection of impressive rocks and minerals for learning about the tectonic plates and life cycle of volcano in Geology gallery. In the museum there is also a Hominid vault containing a collection of prehistoric bones and fossils including preserved fossils of an elephant, visiting Nairobi museum offers tourists an opportunity to visit the snake park which is adjacent to the museum on a combined ticket. The snake park inhabits live specimens of Kenya’s most common reptiles such as Nile crocodiles, cape grass lizard, Angola blind snake, angama caudospinosa, Drewes’s worm snake and many more.

Bomas of Kenya

Bomas of Kenya is a cultural and traditional showcasing site located 10 kilometers from Nairobi, Forest Edge Road, off Langata Road, Mageso chember. The Bomas of Kenya are a living museum established in celebration of various colorful tribes of Kenya and their culture and traditions, this site offers a great opportunity for travellers to learn more about the lifestyle, art, music, crafts and culture of Kenya tribes such as Masai, kikuyu, Kisii, Luhya and many more.

Bomas of the Kenya encompasses a recreated traditional village consisting of homesteads or Bomas with each Boma reflecting the culture and traditions of Kenya’s major ethnic groups. Every afternoon a team performs traditional dances and song in the large theater of the structure.

Kazuri bead factory

Kazuri bead factory is an incredible site to visit for a Kenya tour while in Nairobi city, Kazuri Bead factory is located in Mbagathi Ridge, Karen and is a great site for travellers looking for unique souvenirs and gifts while supporting disadvantaged local women making the beads. This factory is name is derived from a kishwali word meaning “small and beautiful”, Kazuri bead factory offers free factory tour and on this tour travellers get ti interact with local women making shiny, brightly-colored beds and other pottery item from scratch. Women operating in this factory are single mothers and disabled women.

National Archives

National Archives is a great tourist attraction in Nairobi city located at Moi Avenue, the National Archives are housed in the old Bank of India building. The National archives showcases and highlights the Kenyan tribal culture, history, politics and exquisite Kenya art, among the displayed items in National Archives includes historical documents and a collection of photographs, paintings and artifacts displayed in the main floor. Paintings and artifacts displayed are from the collection of Joseph Murumbi one of the Africa’s most famous collectors, dominate the exhibits.

The second floor of the national Archives displays more art, postage stamps and the National Archives reading room, this room is used for personal and professional projects.

Ngong hills

Ngong hills are incredibly scenic green hills and best spot for Kenya sightseeing safaris in Nairobi, these hills are named from a Maasai world “Ngong” meaning knuckles derived from their resemblance to the back of a fist facing the sky. Ngong hills is situated in the Great Rift Valley, Mageso chamber, Nairobi, these hills are popular site to visit while in Nairobi due to their closeness to the city offering a refreshing retreat from the intoxicated atmosphere of the city and city heat.

Ngong hills are peaks of a ridge overlooking the Great Rift Valley, during the early colonial days the ridge was previous inhabited by the white settlers who established farms. On the hills there are also half timbered houses and flower gardens more similar to those in England, Ngong hills inhabit a variety of wildlife species such as buffaloes, gazelles, giraffes, bushbucks, troupes of baboons and occasional Klipspringer. Ngong hills comprises of several walking trails traversing through the hill offering sights of the animals and scenic views of the green hills and valleys.

Railway museum

Rail Museum IS another great attraction in Nairobi city along Uhuru road, Railway museum was established in celebration of the rich history of the railroad in Kenya and its impact on the development of Kenya. The Museum displays and showcases fascinating collection including train and ship models, photographs from the original construction of the Uganda railway, railway magazines, maps, drawings and a silver service set used on overnight trains heading to Mombasa.

Another collection of steam locomotives and rolling stock displayed in the Railway Museum include a model of the MV Liemba built by the German and is still used along lake Tanganyika. Another favorite exhibit at Railway Museum is the carriage used during the hunt for the `Man-eater of Kima by Charles Ryall in 1900, Captain Charles Ryall was a colonial officer and in attempt to kill the man eater he positioned himself in the carriage to shot the man-eating lion. While waiting for the man eater he fell asleep and he was dragged out of the widow by the lion.

Kenya international conference centre

Kenya international conference center is an architecturally impressive building in a distinctive cylindrical shape, the conference center is located in Harambee Avenue in Nairobi. Kenya international conference is a 28-story tower dominating the skyline of Nairobi overlooking a large amphitheater, the conference is an internationally claimed venue for conferences, meeting and exhibitions. The structure features pale terracotta façade resembling the color of the traditional African huts and its central plenary hall resembles the ancient roman senate. Kenya international conference center comprises of restaurants at the rooftop and from the restaurant you get to enjoy panoramic views over Nairobi.

Where to stay in Nairobi city while on a safari

Nairobi city has a number of hotels to stay at while on your Kenya safari in the city, these hotels are categorized and offered as luxury, midrange and budget.

Luxury

The Boma Nairobi
Fairmont The Norfolk
Hemingways Nairobi

Midrange

InterContinental Nairobi
Sarova Stanely
Villa Rosa Kempinski

Budget

Hotel central park
Progressive park
Kenya comfort hotel