Kenya • Nairobi

Things to Do in Nairobi Before Your Safari

By Stephy, Travel Specialist at Tourgy Tourz · Published 8 October 2026

Most Kenya safaris begin in Nairobi, and many travellers rush straight through. That's a mistake. With one extra day, you can hand-feed giraffes, watch orphaned baby elephants come in for their milk and see lions with skyscrapers on the horizon. Here are the best things to do in Nairobi before your safari, and an easy one-day plan.

1. Game drive in Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is just a short drive from the city centre, and it is the only national park in the world beside a capital city. Lions, rhinos, buffalo, giraffes and zebras roam the open plains with the city skyline behind them. An early morning drive is the best time for wildlife, and it's a wonderful warm-up for your main safari.

2. Visit the baby elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescues and raises orphaned elephants and rhinos before returning them to the wild. During the daily public visiting hour, the young elephants come in for their bottles of milk and play in the mud while keepers share their stories. Visits must be booked online in advance, and you can foster an orphan to follow its journey. It's one of the most moving experiences in Kenya.

3. Feed the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre

At the Giraffe Centre in Lang'ata, you can climb a raised platform and come eye to eye with endangered Rothschild's giraffes, feeding them by hand. The centre is run by a conservation charity, the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), and also teaches Kenyan schoolchildren about conservation. It's a favourite with children and adults alike.

Tip: next door is Giraffe Manor, the famous hotel where giraffes poke their heads through the windows at breakfast. It books up many months ahead, so ask us early if it's on your wish list.

4. Step into history at the Karen Blixen Museum

The farmhouse of Danish author Karen Blixen, who wrote Out of Africa, sits at the foot of the Ngong Hills. Tour the house and gardens to learn about colonial-era Kenya and the story behind the famous film.

5. More things to do in Nairobi

• Kazuri Beads: a workshop that employs local women to make handmade ceramic beads and pottery. Great for meaningful gifts.
• Nairobi National Museum: Kenya's history, culture and natural heritage under one roof.
• Bomas of Kenya: traditional dance performances and homesteads from Kenya's many communities.
• Local markets and cafés: taste Kenyan coffee, nyama choma (grilled meat) and fresh tropical fruit.

Where to stay in Nairobi before a safari

The leafy suburb of Karen is our favourite for safari travellers. It is peaceful, green and close to the Giraffe Centre, the Sheldrick Trust and Wilson Airport, where most light aircraft depart for the Masai Mara. If you have a late international arrival, we can also arrange a hotel near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Practical tips

• Traffic: Nairobi traffic can be heavy, so we plan your day by area to save time.
• Bookings: book the Sheldrick visit and any special hotels well in advance.
• Getting around: use a private driver-guide rather than self-driving.
• Entry: check Kenya's current entry rules, including the online Electronic Travel Authorisation, before you fly.

Next stop, the wild: read our Kenya Safari Guide, choose your Mara camp or add the Rift Valley with our Lake Nakuru guide.

A baby elephant gulps its milk, a giraffe's long tongue curls round your hand and the Ngong Hills glow at sunset. Your Kenya love story begins before you even reach the bush.