Top Tourist Attraction in Nairobi City Kenya : Nairobi is the capital and biggest city of Kenya. The name comes from Maasai phrase “Enkare Nairobi”, which means “’place of cool waters”, highlighting the Nairobi River that runs through the city. This city is only the center where parliament meets, but hosts thousands of Kenyan businesses and key international companies and organisations, including United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Office in Nairobi. Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture. Nairobi city was founded in 1899 by the colonial masters of the British East Africa as a centre for the colony’s coffee, tea and sisal industry. The city is not only a breathtaking tourist’s attraction but also houses a variety of stunning features that attracts visitor’s world wide such as;
- Nairobi national park
Nairobi national park is the most visited and the oldest national park in Kenya. The park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nairobi city. This incredible national park covers an area about 117 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest national parks in Kenya. the park lies about 10 kilometers from the Nairobi center along Langata road. It harbours a variety of for wildlife including rhino sanctuary, which protects more than 50 of these critically endangered creatures. Besides the rhino, this park you can also spot see lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, as well as different kinds of bird species.
Nairobi national park’s most famously known for housing the ivory burning site where 12 tons of elephant tusks and horns were ignited, the burning site monument is a historic site boosting conservation efforts of the country. Today, a monument marks this historic site.
While on your Kenya wildlife safari here, you will have the chance to embark on a variety of activities such as Nature Walks, Birdwatching, visiting Nairobi Animal Orphanage, game drives, Rhino Tracking and Cultural Tours among others.
- Nairobi National Museum
The Nairobi National Museum is another important tourist attraction in Nairobi city. The Nairobi National Museum is only 20 minutes from the Central Business District. The Museum was initiated in 1910 by a group of enthusiastic naturalists under the then East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society [currently the East African Natural History Society (EANHS)], who needed a place to keep and preserve their collections of various specimens. The museum showcases Kenya’s rich cultural heritage and natural wonders. The Nairobi national museum is one of the sites you ought to visit if you are interested in learning about the history, culture and politics of Kenya. Museum hosts both temporary and permanent galleries that attract learners and tourists alike.
During your visit, you’ll have the chance to see over 900 stuffed birds and animals, view ancient fossils from Lake Turkana, and admire displays representing different Kenyan tribes, along with local artwork.
One highlight is the Geology Gallery, where you can check out an amazing selection of rocks and minerals and discover interesting facts about how tectonic plates move and how volcanoes form. The Hominid Vault is another fascinating area, featuring ancient bones and fossils, including a well-preserved elephant fossil.
If you want to enjoy some peace and quiet after exploring the museum, take some time to wander through the beautiful botanical gardens located on the grounds.
More so, this Museum aims to interpret Kenya’s rich heritage and offers a one stop for visitors to sample the country’s rich heritage both for education and leisure. In addition to the Museum, visitors are treated to a variety of shopping and dining facilities, as well as botanical gardens that offer a serene environment.
- The Karen Blixen Museum
The Karen Blixen Museum, located at the base of the beautiful Ngong Hills, is one of the must-see places and a top tourist attraction in Nairobi. This was once the home of Karen Blixen, a well-known writer who is famous for her book “Out of Africa.” She lived in this house from 1917 to 1931 while managing a coffee plantation. Visitors to the museum can explore the charming colonial farmhouse, a separate kitchen, and a coffee-drying area nestled in the woods, along with an agricultural college that is part of the property.
Inside the museum, its features the furniture that belonged to Karen Blixen and her husband is on display, as well as photographs and books owned by Karen and her lover, Denys Finch Hatton. Enthusiastic guides bring the story of Karen Blixen and colonial Kenya to life.
- The Giraffe Center
The Giraffe Center is a non-profit facility located near Nairobi National Park, right along Langata Road. It focuses on protecting the endangered Rothschild’s giraffes while also educating and inspiring children about conservation. This is one of the most unusual things to do around Nairobi, especially with children – photo ops with wet, gray giraffe tongues slurping little faces are priceless.
At the center, you can learn all about these magnificent animals and even interact with them up close. There are elevated platforms where visitors can feed the giraffes, allowing for a truly unique experience at eye level.
Additionally, the Giraffe Center features a 1.5-kilometer self-guided trail through the forest, where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and enjoy the presence of the tall, graceful giraffes in their habitat.
- Kenyatta International Convention Centre
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre often referred to as KICC, formerly the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, is a 32-story building located in Nairobi in Kenya. The Kenyatta International Convention Centre 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. The KICC has been listed among the top venues for hosting conferences on. This remarkable structure, with its unique cylindrical design, rises 28 stories and reaches a height of 195 meters above sea level, covering a vast area of 225,000 square meters. It has become one of Kenya’s premier venues for both international and national conferences and meetings.
Kenyatta International Convention Centre was stunning built in resemblance color of local African huts, giving it a vibrant and local touch, while its central penalty hall echoes the ancient roman senate, though this building is not the tallest building in Nairobi, from its roof top you can enjoy panoramic views of Nairobi city.
- The Nairobi railway museum
The Nairobi railway museum represents the historical growth of this country and Nairobi Railway Museum narrates the tale of this country’s evolvement; indeed, it is the rail that developed Kenya to the country it is now! ‘It is not uncommon for a country to create a railway, but is uncommon for a railway to create a country. Nairobi Railway Museum is owned by Kenya Railways and is the only Railway Museum in East and Central Africa. Inside the museum, visitors can see an array of interesting items, such as models of trains and ships, old photographs capturing the building of the Uganda Railway, railway magazines, maps, and even a silver dining set that was used on overnight journeys to Mombasa.
Among the exhibits, there’s a notable collection of steam locomotives and train cars, including a model of the MV Liemba, which was built by the Germans and is still operational on Lake Tanganyika today.
One of the most talked-about displays is the train carriage linked to the infamous Maneater of Kima incident in 1900. In this story, Captain Charles Ryall, a colonial officer, set up in the carriage hoping to shoot a lion that had been preying on locals. However, he ended up dozing off and was unfortunately pulled out of the carriage by the very lion he was trying to hunt.
- Bomas of Kenya
Bomas of Kenya is also another tourist attraction found in Nairobi city. The Bomas of Kenya is a tourist village displaying traditional villages belonging to several tribes of Kenya, The Bomas of Kenya is a home to the largest auditorium in Africa featuring replicas of traditional homesteads locally known as Bomas from 23 of Kenya’s ethnic groups. Located just 10 kilometers from the heart of Nairobi, off Langata Road, it sits along Forest Edge Road. At Bomas, you can explore a traditional village that features homesteads, each representing different major tribes of Kenya.
One of the highlights of a visit is the afternoon performances, where you can enjoy captivating traditional dances and songs in a large theater. These shows not only entertain visitors but also honor and showcase Kenya’s unique cultural heritage. Another highlight is a visit to Harambee Dancers Portfolio and cultural artefacts. The Bomas of Kenya collects and preserves cultural artefacts from various communities of Kenya, some of the artefacts including stools, food and beverage containers used in a daily life and traditional circumcision knives, ritual masks and others reserved for special ceremonies.
