Nairobi
Nairobi, is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country.
Nairobi, 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 city goes beyond its borders and has expanded into neighbouring counties, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in Africa.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Worth seeing in and around Nairobi
10 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.
- 01University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is a collegiate research university based in Nairobi and is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dates back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970.
800 m · public university in Kenya · Wikipedia - 02National Assembly
The National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya is one of the two Houses of the Parliament of Kenya. Between 1966 and 2013, it served as a unicameral house.
500 m · lower house of the Parliament of Kenya · Wikipedia - 03Kenyatta International Convention Centre
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre, formerly the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, is a 32-story building located in Nairobi, Kenya. The KICC is located in the City Square of Nairobi, and is a crucial address for a number of Government offices, including those of recently elected Senators.
700 m · building located in Nairobi, Kenya · Wikipedia - 04Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family
The Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family is a Catholic Church Cathedral and Basilica dedicated to the Holy Family located in Nairobi. The Basilica is the seat of the Archdiocese of Nairobi.
400 m · cathedral in Nairobi, Kenya · Wikipedia - 05Senate of Kenya
The Senate of the Republic of Kenya is one of the two Houses of the Parliament of Kenya, along with the National Assembly. The Senate was first established as part of Kenya's 1963 Constitution.
700 m · upper house of the Parliament of Kenya · Wikipedia - 06Nairobi Railway Museum
The Nairobi Railway Museum is a railway museum in Nairobi, Kenya, adjacent to Nairobi railway station. Containing exhibits from the defunct East African Railways, it was opened in 1971 by East African Railways and Harbours Corporation.
1 km · national museum · Wikipedia - 07Nyayo National Stadium
Nyayo National Stadium is a 18,000-seater multipurpose stadium in Nairobi, Kenya. It is located at the square of Mombasa Road, Langata Road, and the Aerodrome Road.
2.1 km · multi-purpose stadium in Nairobi, Kenya · Wikipedia - 08Uhuru Park
Uhuru Park is a 12.9 hectare recreational park adjacent to the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya. It was opened to the public by the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on 23 May 1969.
300 m · park in Kenya · Wikipedia - 09Strathmore University
Strathmore University is a chartered university based in Nairobi, Kenya.
2.7 km · private university in Kenya · Wikipedia - 10Westgate
Westgate Shopping Mall is an upscale shopping mall located in the Westlands division of Nairobi, Kenya. It was first opened in 2007.
3.6 km · shopping mall located at Westlands in Nairobi, Kenya · Wikipedia
Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Wikivoyage says to 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.
From Wikivoyage: Nairobi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Things to do
- 01Go-Down Arts Centre
- 02Kazuri Beads
Started in 1977 the workshop of beads is adjacent to Karen Blixen's Museum.
- 03Village Market
Nairobi has a great variety of international food.
- 04Oloo’s Children Center
Lend a hand at the volunteer-operated school, take a tour of Kibera, and have a cup of tea with the OCC Founder.
From Wikivoyage: Nairobi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Where to 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.
- 01Hot
Spacious with ample seating, reasonably clean.
- 02KK Restaurant
Koinange Street and Standard Street (in CBD of Nairobi),.
- 03Roast House
In the city centre facing the matatu station on Tom Mboya Rd.
- 04Habesha
Near Yaya centre- great Ethiopian food for around USD5-6, although they serve Nescafé coffee rather than the traditional Ethiopian freshly-roasted beans.
- 05Red Sea
An authentic Eritrean restaurant located on the top floor of China Centre on Ngong Road near the Chinese embassy.
From Wikivoyage: Nairobi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Getting to Nairobi
- Airports
- Jomo Kenyatta (NBO), 13 km · Kilimanjaro (JRO), 240 km · Eldoret (EDL), 257 km
- Stations
- Wilson Airport, 3.9 km · Moi Air Base, 4.9 km · Nairobi railway station, 1.4 km
- Eldoret → Nairobi264 km · quickest by road, 5h 19m · KSh1,450–1,930
- Kisumu → Nairobi264 km · quickest by air, 3h 58m · KSh6,290–9,770
- Mombasa → Nairobi442 km · quickest by air, 4h 24m · KSh7,420–11,520
- Plan a tripFrom anywhereThe planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.
No local-transport research exists yet for Nairobi
Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Nairobi. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.
- Get inMatatus (11- to 18-seater minibuses) and shuttles (6-seater cars) are convenient, inexpensive (and often the only) modes of public transport for connecting Nairobi with towns and tourist destinations in the Rift Valley and Central Highlands such as Naivasha, Nyeri, Nanyuki, Isiolo, and Thika.
- Get inMatatus can be obtained from the River Road area.
- Get inExtreme caution should be exercised in this area because petty theft is a major concern; avoid showing valuables such as mobile phones, even while in the matatu (see safety section below).
- Get inThe best method of connecting to a matatu is to arrange for a taxi to drop you off and pick you up directly at the location of the matatu that you are boarding or alighting from.
- Get inIf you're boarding a matatu from Nairobi, tell the taxi driver your destination and they will drop you off at the correct location.
From Wikivoyage: Nairobi, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-09.
- 01455 km
- 02469 km
- 03507 km
- 04517 km
- 05540 km
If you know how people move in Nairobi – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.
Next door to Nairobi
Nairobi is 18 km from Kikuyu, the nearest large city, whose note carries the wider picture.