Nairobi

About Nairobi

Kenya's capital city, with Nairobi National Park — home to the endangered black rhino — a short drive from the central business district.

Highlights

• Nairobi National Park, a short drive from the city centre
• Black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes in the park
• Over 400 bird species recorded in the park

• ▶Zebra and the city
• Tea country at Tigoni
• Nairobi at dusk
• ▶A giraffe browsing

Guides for Nairobi

• Nairobi: the city and its national park

  Nairobi National Park on the city's edge, the National Museum, and arriving by air or train.

• Entering Kenya: the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)

  Who needs Kenya's eTA, who is exempt and for how long, the documents to have ready, and how long approval takes — from the official portal.

• Kenya park entry fees explained

  Who pays which rate at Kenya's national parks and the Maasai Mara, how seasons and children's ages change the fee, and what costs extra.

• Getting around Kenya

  The Nairobi–Mombasa train, domestic flights from Wilson Airport, and realistic road times between Kenya's main destinations.

• Planning a Maasai Mara safari

  Who runs the reserve, when the migration usually arrives, how to get there by air or road, and what to confirm before you book.

• Visiting Amboseli

  Elephants and Kilimanjaro views, the court case over who manages the park, and the main airstrip's 2026 flood closure.

• Mombasa: Fort Jesus and the Old Town

  Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town, arriving by air or train, and getting on to the south coast.

• Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate

  A Rift Valley lake that is a Ramsar wetland, and Hell's Gate National Park next door — what sources confirm.

• Lake Nakuru: flamingos and rhinos

  A shallow alkaline lake famous for flamingos, a rhino sanctuary, and what to check before you go.

• Tsavo East: red elephants and the Galana River

  One of Kenya's largest parks, between Nairobi and the coast — what sources confirm, and reaching it by train or road.

• Samburu: northern Kenya's reserves

  Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba — the Ewaso Ngiro river, Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe, and planning a long journey north.

• Mount Kenya

  Africa's second-highest mountain: its forests, moorlands and glaciers, the Lewa extension of the World Heritage Site, and what to plan.

• Aberdare National Park: moorland, forest and rare wildlife

  Kenya's highland park of moorland and bamboo forest: elephants, black rhinos, bongo, over 250 bird species, trout fishing and camping.

• Tsavo West: Mzima Springs, lava and rhinos

  Kenya's second-largest national park — springs under the lava, the rhino sanctuary, Lake Jipe, and reaching it by road or train.

• Meru National Park: rivers, rhinos and Elsa's country

  A quieter park east of Meru town — the rhino sanctuary, thirteen rivers, and the story of Elsa the lioness.

• Mount Elgon: caves, salt-mining elephants and moorland

  A mountain park on the Uganda border — Kitum Cave, Koitoboss Peak, and reaching it from Kitale.

Things to do in and near Nairobi

Where next from Nairobi

Compare Nairobi with Mombasa