The capital and largest city of Kenya, Nairobi, is situated in Nairobi County in the country’s central area. The name of the city, Enkare Nairobi, which translates to “cool water” in connection to the Nairobi River that flows through it comes from a Masai word that describes its 696 square kilometer area. The colonial rulers of British East Africa constructed Nairobi in 1899 as a hub for the colony’s sisal, coffee, and tea industries.
Nairobi City has many tourist attractions, but this article highlights and describes some of the top tourist attractions and sites you should visit in Nairobi City. Nairobi city is not only a capital city, but it is also a popular tourist destination full of incredible tourist attractions.
Tourism attractions in Nairobi city
Karen Blixen Museum
The Karen Blixen Museum is one of Nairobi’s most popular attractions. Located along Karen Road, roughly ten kilometers from the city center, at the base of the Ngong Hills, the museum serves as the former home of African-Danish author Karen Blixen, best known for her book “Out of Africa.” Karen Blixen lived in the house from 1917 to 1931, when she owned a coffee plantation. The museum has a display of Karen Blixen and her husband’s furnishings, photographs, and literature.
Nairobi National Park
The Nairobi National Park is the world’s unique National Park that is close to the capital city, which makes it a unique destination for a day excursion from the city center. The park is about 7 kilometers from Nairobi’s central business district. Nairobi National Park’s principal tourist attractions include black rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, elands, and a variety of birdlife with over 400 species. In addition to the Ivory Burning Site Monument, Nairobi Safari Walk, the Orphanage, and the hippo pool walking routes.
The Giraffe Centre
The Giraffe Centre in Nairobi is East Africa’s sole breeding facility that houses the endangered Rothschild giraffe. Jock Leslie-Melville started this non-profit center in the 1970s having successfully raised a juvenile Rothschild giraffe from his own residence. The giraffes are looked after for at the Centre till they are old enough to be transferred into national parks. Workshops, ecological expeditions, and other conservation-related activities are also organized by the Centre. Touring the Centre and paying the minimal entrance fee is one way to contribute to giraffe conservation. You will be able to feed them while caressing their chins and tongues.
Nairobi National Museum
The Nairobi National Museum serves as a historical and educational landmark in Nairobi that is ideal for visitors on a Nairobi city tour who want to learn more about Kenya’s history, culture, and traditions. Nairobi National Museum is situated on Museum Hill Road in Nairobi. It houses diverse cultural and natural history exhibits such as over 900 stuffed birds and mammals, fossils from Lake Turkana, local art exhibits, and a collection of remarkable minerals and rocks to learn about tectonic plates and the life cycle of volcanoes in the Geology gallery. There is additionally a Hominid vault at the museum that houses a collection of prehistoric bones and fossils, including preserved elephant fossils. Visiting the Nairobi Museum also allows guests to explore the snake park, which is nearby the museum. The snake park houses live specimens of Kenya’s most common reptiles, including Nile crocodiles, cape grass lizards, Angola blind snakes, angama caudospinosas, Drewes’ worm snakes, and others.
Kenyatta International Convention Centre
The unique and stunningly designed Kenyatta International Convention Centre, originally known as the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, is a cylindrical-shaped building. The Kenyatta International Convention Center, a 28-story structure with a floor size of 225,000 square meters and situated on Harambee Avenue in Nairobi’s city square, is one of the highest venues in Kenya for holding conventions. The Kenyatta International Convention Center was exquisitely designed with hues reminiscent of local African huts, and its main chamber is reminiscent of the ancient Roman senate. Despite not being the tallest building in Nairobi, its rooftop offers sweeping views of the city.
Bomas of Kenya
Bomas of Kenya is an active museum and amusement venue that celebrates the diverse cultures and tribes of Kenya. It is located 10 kilometers from the city center of Nairobi on the woodland edge road off Langata Road in Mageso Chamber. Bomas of Kenya is a recreation of a traditional hamlet with homesteads or bomas, each representing and showcasing one of the main tribes in Kenya. The highlight of each day is when traditional dances and songs are performed in front of a huge audience for the enjoyment of the tourists and the celebration of culture.
Ngong Hills
The Ngong Hills are wonderfully beautiful green hills that are the greatest location in Nairobi for Kenya sightseeing safaris. The name “Ngong” is a Maasai word that means “knuckles” and refers to the hills’ likeness to the rear of a fist facing the sky. The Great Rift Valley’s Ngong Hills are a well-liked tourist destination in Nairobi because of its proximity to the city and ability to provide a cool refuge from the heat and intoxicating ambiance of the metropolis. The Ngong Hills are the peaks of a ridge that overlooks the Great Rift Valley. The area was previously inhabited by white settlers who constructed farms during the earliest colonial days. On the hills, there also exist half-timbered buildings and flower gardens similar to those found in England. Buffaloes, gazelles, giraffes, bushbucks, baboon troupes, and the occasional Klipspringer can be found. Ngong Hills offers various walking routes that wind through the hills, providing vistas of wildlife and magnificent views of the verdant hills and valleys.
Kenya’s national archives
Kenya’s national archives are located on the outskirts of downtown Nairobi, along Moi Avenue, next to the Ambassador Hotel. This nationwide archive was established by an act of Kenya’s parliament in 1965, and it is under the oversight and management of the Vice President’s office and the State Department for National Heritage and Culture. Kenya’s national archives are kept in the historic Bank of India building, and it also houses the Murumbi exhibition, which shows African items collected in the nineteenth century. The national archives showcase the tribal culture, history, politics, and distinctive art of Kenya. The gallery’s main floor is host to significant historical documents and a collection of images documenting Kenya’s political past. Additionally, the gallery showcases artwork and artifacts from one of Africa’s most well-known collectors and exhibitors, Murumbi.
Railway Museum
The Railway Museum was established to commemorate Kenya’s rich train history and its effect on the country’s growth. The Museum displays and showcases an intriguing collection of train and ship models, images from the early construction of the Uganda railway, railway publications, maps, sketches, and a silver service set utilized on overnight trains bound for Mombasa. Another collection of steam locomotives and rolling stock on show at the Railway Museum is a model of the German-built MV Liemba, which is still operated along Lake Tanganyika. Another popular exhibit at the Railway Museum is the carriage used by Captain Charles Ryall in his search for the ‘Man-eater of Kima’ in 1900. Captain Charles Ryall was a colonial officer who placed himself in the carriage to shoot the man-eating lion.
Kazuri Bead Factory
The Kazuri Bead Factory is located in Mbagathi Ridge, Karen, and is a popular destination for those seeking unique souvenirs and presents while also aiding underprivileged local women who make the beads. Kazuri bead factory’s name is taken from a Kishwali term that means “small and beautiful.” On this trip, visitors may engage with local women who make shiny, brightly-colored beds and other clay items from scratch. Single mothers and women with disabilities work in this factory.
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was started in 1977 by Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her departed husband David, who served as a warden at Tsavo East National Park. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is located along Mbagathi Road and was established primarily as a sanctuary for young abandoned elephants and rhinos. During your tour to the park, you will be able to feed the baby elephants and rhinos and see these wonderful beasts playing in the mud.
Mamba Village
Mamba is a crocodile sanctuary near Karen’s outskirts. The Village occupies approximately 30 acres of land. The Village is home to over 75 crocodiles. The Mamba Village is a great spot to take the family, especially the kids. The sheer enormity and power of the crocodiles will stun you when you witness them being fed.
Parliament building
The Parliament building in Nairobi, which is located in the city center, is one of the most wonderfully constructed structures. It is a commanding structure with a striking architectural design. You can sign up for and obtain a permit to attend one of the open legislative sessions, or you can simply explore the public galleries. Photos are not permitted inside or outside the building. To gain access to the premises, you must bring your passport or other forms of identification.
Village Market
The Village Market is a retail center with over 152 businesses that include restaurants, cafes, pubs, waterslides, bowling lanes, stationary, apparel, and everything else you’d expect to find in a shopping center. The stores in the village are a combination of African tradition and modern culture. There is a modern cinema, a bowling alley, and a water slide at the market. The Village Market is a popular shopping destination for Kenya’s middle class, tourists, and expats.
Masai markets
The Masai are among the world’s most well-known indigenous cultural groupings. Nairobi has numerous opportunities to interact with these fascinating nomadic herdsmen. Every Tuesday, the Masai Markets open in different areas of the city, providing an excellent opportunity to purchase souvenirs, local drawings, paintings, necklaces, wood carvings, curios, fabrics, and jewelry. Kenyatta market is one of the others.