Nairobi's best experiences are often timed or outdoors, so a little planning goes a long way. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery visit, where orphaned elephants arrive for their midday milk feed, runs for just one hour from 11:00 and must be booked in advance by email, with the donation paid in cash on arrival. Pair it with the nearby Giraffe Centre or Karen Blixen Museum to make the most of a morning in the south-west of the city.
For fresh air, Karura Forest on the northern edge has more than 50 km of trails, a waterfall and Mau Mau caves, and entry is paid by M-Pesa through eCitizen. The Nairobi Safari Walk on Lang'ata Road is an easy boardwalk past rhino, big cats and pygmy hippo, good for families and short visits. Creative travellers should head out to Kitengela Hot Glass near Ongata Rongai to watch glassblowing, best in the mornings, while fit walkers can tackle the ridge of the Ngong Hills with a Kenya Forest Service guide. Start hikes and forest walks early, before the midday heat and any afternoon rain.
5 places · Updated October 23, 2026
Our top 3 things to do in Nairobi
Thing to do
A one-hour daily visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's elephant nursery, where orphaned calves come in for their midday milk feed and mud bath.
View details — Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Nursery VisitThing to do
A large protected forest on Nairobi's northern edge with more than 50 km of trails for walking, running and cycling, a waterfall and caves used by Mau Mau fighters.
View details — Karura ForestThing to do
A Kenya Wildlife Service boardwalk on Lang'ata Road that leads through wetland, savannah and forest habitats past rhino, big cats, pygmy hippo and other Kenyan wildlife.
View details — Nairobi Safari WalkThing to do
A glassblowing studio and artists' compound on the plains south of Nairobi, where visitors watch glassblowers at work, cross a swaying bridge and eat at the café.
View details — Kitengela Hot GlassThing to do
A ridge walk along the four peaks of the Ngong Hills south-west of Nairobi, with views over the Great Rift Valley on one side and the city on the other.
View details — Ngong Hills Hike