Nairobi City County · Kenya
Nairobi travel guide
Nairobi is a city in Nairobi City County, Kenya, home to about 5,545,000 people.
- Best months
- January, February and June to October
- Nearest airport
- WIL4 km · Nairobi Wilson Airport
- Currency
- KESKenyan shilling
- Time zone
- Africa/Nairobi
- Language
- English, Swahili
About
About Nairobi
Nairobi ( ny-ROH-bee) (Jiji kuu la Nairobi, in Swahili), is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2026, it has a population of 5.6 million and a metropolitan population of 15.95 million, making it the 8th most populous city in Africa and the 4th most populous metropolitan area.
The word Nairobi is derived from a water hole known in Maasai as Enkare Nyorobi, which means "cool waters". Nairobi, which had been a swamp area, was founded in 1899 as a railway camp for the Uganda Railway. By 1905, the city had become the capital of Kenya (then the British East Africa Protectorate), supplanting Mombasa and Machakos, the previous capitals. With the spread of plagues in the early 1900s, the town was burnt down and had to be rebuilt. Having a railway helped it to grow rapidly, becoming the second largest city in Kenya behind Mombasa.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Nairobi
See
Nairobi is known as the safari capital of Africa; however, the city has still managed to keep up with modernization. Unlike other cities, Nairobi is surrounded by 113 km² (70 mi²) of plains, cliffs and forest that makes up the city’s Nairobi National Park. The city is filled with many things to do during the day and the night. Tourists can have their pick from numerous safaris (wildlife, cultural, sport, adventure, scenic and specialist), ecotourism tours, restaurants, culture, shopping and entertainment. While in Nairobi, tourists can also engage in numerous sports from golf, rugby, athletics, polo, horse-racing, cricket and football (soccer).
- Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC)
- August 7 Memorial Park
- Westlands by night
- UN Office at Nairobi
- Nairobi Mamba Village
- Nairobi National Museum
- National Railway Museum
- Nairobi Gallery
- Karen Blixen Museum
- Bomas of Kenya
- Nairobi National Park
- Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
Do
- Go-Down Arts Centre
- Kazuri Beads shop
- Village Market
- Try excellent food
- Nightlife
- Oloo’s Children Center (OCC)
- Ice-skating
- Ngong Racecourse
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Nairobi to stay in
The area around Tom Mboya Street & River Road has a lot of low cost hotels. Budget accommodation in Nairobi is from Ksh 1000 for a single room.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Nairobi
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Nairobi are January, February and June to October. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; April is the wettest, with about 182 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Nairobi: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Nairobi Wilson Airport (WIL), about 3.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO, 13 km) and Nanyuki Civil Airport (NYK, 138 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
For general information about visas and vaccinations, etc., see the Kenya article.
Getting around
Be careful getting around Nairobi. Traffic is very bad like any other major city, but if you use common sense and a local or guide you should be able to get where you want. Hiring a car is convenient as it allows you the freedom to explore Nairobi at your own pace. Most rental companies in Nairobi offer self-drive and chauffeured options respectively. You will find that a large fleet of cars available for hire are Japanese: Toyota, Nissan or Mitsubishi. You can hire both automatic and manual transmission. All rental cars are right-hand drive.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
WIL · Nairobi Wilson Airport
NBO · Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
NYK · Nanyuki Civil Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Nairobi
Eat
Nairobi has a wide range of Indian restaurants that speaks to the significant South Asian community in Kenya. The city also offers other restaurants specializing in different European and Asian cuisine. Restaurants serving international cuisines can be found in downtown and in the areas of Westlands, Hurlingham, Kilimiani, and Lavington. Among the many cuisines available are Italian, Brazilian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, German and French restaurants.
Stay safe
Nairobi has a reputation for thievery. Beware of snatch and grab, con artists, or groups of people following you. Scams are elaborate and can involve up to 10 or more people working together. The best advice for a tourist is to stay in the city centre, know where you are at all times, and pretend you know where you're going (even if you don't). If you find yourself in an unfamiliar area your best bet is to find a taxi (although you will probably pay dearly if the driver suspects a panicked westerner!) Don't carry large quantities of money or passports on the street, and assume that anyone trying to engage you is up to no good or trying to sell you something.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Nairobi: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Nairobi?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Nairobi are January, February and June to October. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; April is the wettest, with about 182 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Nairobi?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Nairobi Wilson Airport (WIL), about 3.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO, 13 km) and Nanyuki Civil Airport (NYK, 138 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Nairobi?
Kenyan shilling (KES).
Nearby
Destinations near Nairobi
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.