Nairobi City was Founded in 1899, the city was handed capital status from Mombasa in 1905. Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. . While visiting Nairobi, there are various activities that you can participate in such as excursions, day trips or short tours. The following activities can be done in combination with other safaris or on their own depending on the amount of time that you have for leisure.
Nairobi City Tour
Nairobi City Tour Day Tour offers you a perfect opportunity to see the city within a short time, learn about Kenyan history, traditions and culture. Below are the major highlights of the Nairobi City Tour;
- Drive past the old Nairobi Provincial Commissioners offices of 1902
- The Norfolk Hotel which was historically "The Place" for starting safaris as way back in 1904. Opposite the Norfolk is the Kenya Conservatoire of Music and the National Theatre and nearby is what was the only broadcasting stations in the country i.e. The Voice of Kenya (V.O.K now know as the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation).
- Pass by the Jeevanjee Gardens - the only park in the city that owned by the people, having been donated to Nairobians by Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee (1856– 2 May 1936) - an Indian-born Kenyan merchant, politician and philanthropist. One of the first and most influential Indian settlers in Kenyaand a leader of Kenya's Indian community.
- Visit the City Market where curios, crafts, fresh flowers and farm produce are sold. The City Market is housed in what was originally meant to be an aircraft hanger, but it was never used for this purpose.
- Drive past the largest Mosque in the country - the Jamia Mosque, and the McMillan Library built in pre-independent Kenya.
- Pass by the New Stanley hotel – one of the oldest hotels in Nairobi, built in 1902. This was at one time the centre for travelers during the earlier part of the 20th century.
- A few meters down the road you will come to The Kenya National Archives established in 1965 and it holds 40,000 volumes of public records and archives.
- Disembark from your vehicle and visit the Kenyatta International Conference Center for a chance to see panoramic views of Nairobi from its roftop.
- Drive past the City Hall, the Law Courts and on to Parliament Way, at the beginning of which is the Mausoleum - the resting place for Kenya's first president.
- Drive to Nairobi Upperhill Viewpoint from where you have a panoramic view of the city.
- Visit National Museum, a major International Centre for natural history and especially the study of human evolution with an array of spell binding displays of the early man, tribal regalia and the flora and fauna of Kenya. You will also visit to the snake park adjacent to the National Museum.
After the tour you will be driven back to your hotel.
Half Day Nairobi National Park Tour
Just 10km south of the Kenya capital city Nairobi the park is Kenya’s oldest park (gazette in 1946) – The Nairobi National Park. Several animal species roam within this park including four members of the big five except the elephant. Animals to be found here include; lions, leopards, zebras, rhinos, wildebeests, and other species including over 300 bird species including the Secretary bird, crowned cranes, vultures, peckers and many more.. Nairobi National Park is the only national park in the World located just a few minutes drive outside a capital city.
The Nairobi National Park half day tour begins in the morning or in the afternoon.
MORNING OPTION
06.00hrs: Pick up from Hotel /Airport
07.10hrs: Arrive at the Nairobi National park for the game drive
0710hrs - 10.20hrs: Game drive
1200hrs: Drop-off at your hotel
AFTERNOON OPTION
1400hrs: Pick up from your hotel
1500hrs: Arrive at the Nairobi National park for the game drive
1500hrs - 1730hrs: Game drive
1800hrs: Drop-off at your hotel
1 Day Nairobi National Park, David Sheldrick's Wildlife Trust (Elephant Orphanage) and Giraffe Centre Excursion
Pick up from your hotel early in the morning and drive to Nairobi National Park - the only national park in the World located just a few minutes’ drive outside a capital city. Enjoy a 3-hour game drive with chances of spotting, among other animals, rhinos, lions, buffalos, impalas, different antelopes and a variety of bird species with Nairobi city scrapers in the background.
From Nairobi National Park drive to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Elephant Orphanage) which is open 1 hr daily between 11am and 12 noon. Here a keeper will give a talk about the elephants and what led them to be orphans, where they came from, how they are getting on and the efforts being made to re-introduce them back to the wilderness. You will also learn how some of the previous elephant orphans from the trust are progressing in the wild.
Lunch will be had at own expense
Afternoon visit to the Giraffe Centre to see and hand feed the famous endangered species of Rothschild Giraffe and her family. Here you see the magnificent creatures and learn why they are endangered. You will also learn their behaviors, traits and more conservation education. To cap the visit, you get the chance to feed them under the supervision of a trained staff member.
Bomas of Kenya Tour
The word ‘Boma’ means a homestead hence the word Bomas is in plural. Located about 10km from Nairobi’s Central Business District, Bomas of Kenya displays traditional villages belonging to Kenya’s major ethnic groups, such as Mijikenda, Luo, Taita, Embu, Maasai, Kikuyu, Kamba, Kalenjin, Luhya, Kisii, Kuria to name just a few. The bomas are built using the same techniques that are used by local tribes, so the experience is truly authentic, much as you would find in the remote villages of Kenya so visitors can see traditional village life for the Kenyan communities. Each boma provides interesting insight about each tribe’s societal structure, crafts, music, dancing and much more.
The site was founded in 1971 by the Kenya Tourist Development Corporation to preserve the ancient traditions of the Kenyan people by building local and international awareness and advocacy. The site is also home to an impressive auditorium, one of largest in Africa that seats 3,500 people to watch the internationally recognized Harambee dancers.
Bomas of Kenya is very close to Nairobi National Park so this excursion in the afternoon can be combined it with a city tour in the morning or the nearby attraction like Giraffe Center and the Elephant Orphanage (David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust)
Dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant - The Meat-eaters Paradise
Carnivore Restaurant ia an open-air restaurant located in the outskirts of Nairobi city centre. The restaurant's specialty is meat, with an option of choosing between an all-you-can-eat lunch or dinner in a garden setting.
The restaurant serves a variety of juicy meats roasted over a charcoal fire including Ostrich, Crocodile, Camel and Venison served alongside beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Delicious side dishes which complete this African cuisine includes salads, soups, vegetable dishes and authentic sauces as well as desserts and Kenyan coffee.
The experience works on a simple all-you-can-eat basis: as long as the paper flag on your table is flying, the waiters will keep bringing the meat, which is carved right at the table. This dinning experience is enhanced by the informal, house cocktail the 'dawa' ( magic potion in swahili), which serves to hydrate, refresh and sharpen your palate for every delicious bite.
The tour to dine at the Carnivore departs at 1200hrs for lunch and 1900hrs for dinner. We recommend dinner or lunch at the carnivore which is famous for the succulent stew and barbecue dishes of game meat, as an 'add on' Kenya's special visit.
Dinner or lunch at the carnivore forms an excellent welcome or farewell dinner/lunch.