Destination guide
Nairobi: the city and its national park
Reviewed 16 Oct 2026 · Each statement is labelled.
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park, designated in 1946 and managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service, covers about 117 km² and is a short drive from Nairobi's central business district.
Source: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Its wildlife includes the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes and giraffes, and over 400 bird species have been recorded there.
Source: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Visitors can use the park's picnic sites, three campsites and walking trails.
Source: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Nairobi National Museum
The Nairobi National Museum, run by National Museums of Kenya on Museum Hill, has permanent galleries on human origins, mammals, Kenyan history, life-cycle traditions, currency and banking, and Asian-African heritage, as well as botanical gardens.
Source: National Museums of Kenya (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Arriving and leaving
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, run by the Kenya Airports Authority, is about 18 km from Nairobi. It is Kenya's largest airport and handles both international and domestic flights.
Source: Logistics Cluster (WFP-led humanitarian logistics network) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Wilson Airport, about 5 km from the city centre, is run by the Kenya Airports Authority, and about 90% of its flights are domestic.
Source: Logistics Cluster (WFP-led humanitarian logistics network) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Kenya Railways runs a Link train from Nairobi Central station to Nairobi Terminus, timed to meet each Madaraka Express departure to Mombasa.
Source: Kenya Railways (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Allow extra time for road transfers across Nairobi, especially when you have a flight or train to catch — traffic varies a lot through the day.
KenyaPlus planning advice, not from an official source.
Road times from Nairobi
The table below shows KenyaPlus estimates of driving time, not live traffic data.
Worked out as described under the table: from openrouteservice road routes plus an allowance for stops where KenyaPlus holds them, otherwise straight-line distance × 1.3 at an assumed 50 km/h average, including stops.
| To | From Nairobi | From Mombasa |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | — | ~6½ h (long day) |
| Maasai Mara | ~5 h | ~11½ h (too far for one day) |
| Amboseli | ~4½ h | ~6½ h (long day) |
| Diani Beach | ~7 h (long day) | ~½ h |
| Mombasa | ~6½ h (long day) | — |
| Naivasha | ~1½ h | ~8 h (long day) |
| Lake Nakuru | ~2½ h | ~9 h (long day) |
| Tsavo East | ~5½ h | ~3 h |
| Samburu | ~5½ h | ~12 h (too far for one day) |
| Lamu | ~10 hto Mokowe + boat (too far for one day) | ~5½ hto Mokowe + boat |
| Mount Kenya | ~3 h | ~9½ h (too far for one day) |
| Malindi | ~9 h (long day) | ~2 h |
| Watamu | ~8½ h (long day) | ~2 h |
| Aberdare National Park | ~4 h | ~10½ h (too far for one day) |
| Lake Bogoria | ~4½ h | ~11 h (too far for one day) |
| Kakamega Forest | ~6 h (long day) | ~12½ h (too far for one day) |
| Tsavo West National Park | ~4½ h | ~4½ h |
| Meru National Park | ~6 h (long day) | ~12½ h (too far for one day) |
| Shimba Hills National Reserve | ~11½ h (too far for one day) | ~1 h |
| Mount Elgon National Park | ~6½ h (long day) | ~13 h (too far for one day) |
Driving time on the road route plus 20% for stops and slower traffic (Road routes © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors). Orange: a long day (over 6 h). Red: too far for one day (over 9 h).
Confirm before you travel
- Nairobi National Park entry fees, opening hours and how to pay — KenyaPlus doesn't hold them yet
- Museum opening hours and fees with National Museums of Kenya
- Link train and Madaraka Express times with Kenya Railways
Ready to plan?
Turn this into a day-by-day plan and run the Trip Reality Check.
Sources
- Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) — Nairobi National Park (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- National Museums of Kenya (opens in a new tab) — Nairobi National Museum (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- Logistics Cluster (WFP-led humanitarian logistics network) (opens in a new tab) — Kenya — Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Logistics Capacity Assessment) (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- Logistics Cluster (WFP-led humanitarian logistics network) (opens in a new tab) — Kenya — Wilson Airport (Digital Logistics Capacity Assessment, citing kaa.go.ke) (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- Kenya Railways (opens in a new tab) — Madaraka Express Passenger Service (checked 16 Oct 2026)