Overview
Take a trip to Nairobi on your Kenya Vacation
Located in the south-central part of Kenya, Nairobi is one of the most prominent cities in Africa, both politically and financially. The most populous city in East Africa, Nairobi is the country's capital and gateway for a Kenya safari.
Originally an uninhabited swamp area, Nairobi was chosen to become a supply depot for the Uganda Railway in 1899. With its central location between Mombasa and Kampala as well as the network of rivers that supplied the camp with water, Nairobi soon became the railway’s headquarters.
By 1905, Nairobi had replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British protectorate and the city continued to grow. Remaining under Britain’s control until 1963, Kenya was granted independence and Nairobi was named the capital of the republic.
Big game viewing on a Kenya vacation has always been an important part of Nairobi’s appeal. The city is surrounded by 113 square kilometres (70 square miles) of cliffs, plains and forests that make up Nairobi National Park. Within the park are large herds of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo as well as giraffes, lions, cheetahs and many other animals.
Known as the “Green City in the Sun”, Nairobi is considered by many to be the safari capital of Africa while remaining a cosmopolitan city with excellent shopping and restaurants.
Big game viewing on a Kenya vacation has always been an important part of Nairobi’s appeal. The city is surrounded by 113 square kilometres (70 square miles) of cliffs, plains and forests that make up Nairobi National Park. Within the park are large herds of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo as well as giraffes, lions, cheetahs and many other animals.
Known as the “Green City in the Sun”, Nairobi is considered by many to be the safari capital of Africa while remaining a cosmopolitan city with excellent shopping and restaurants.
At a Glance
Languages
English, SwahiliCurrency
Kenyan Shilling (KES)What do the experts say?
Goway guests can enjoy unforgettable moments like bush breakfasts, night game drives, and personalized safaris in luxury tented camps
The Samburu Reserve is one of the most colourful game-viewing areas in the country, home to species found nowhere else—like the reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra
In peak months like August, the migration draws huge crowds to the river crossings. But conservancies around the Mara limit vehicle numbers, so you still get intimate wildlife moments
Kenya offers the best wildlife viewing with the world-renowned Masai Mara, plus unique species only found in places like Samburu.
I wouldn’t recommend self-driving as Kenya’s roads can be tricky, and they drive on the left side, which can confuse visitors used to North American systems
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
NairobiMostly Cloudy
26°C / 79°F
29mm / 1.1"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
-
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ExcellentBased on 5,213 ReviewsWe entrusted Goway with every detail of our trip from start to finish and they came through for us superbly! Every single detail was smooth sailing. It was a joy to plan our travels with Goway!! We had an amazing trip of a lifetime!
E&DI recently went on an African Safari with my brother-in-law and sister and another couple who I knew. The entire experience was absolutely unbelievable. The complete details were flawlessly coordinated from the transfers to the breathtaking lodges. Our guides Peter showed us Kenya and Maulid Tanzania were very knowledgeable and very sharp eyes for finding the animals.
We were able to see the animals up close, learn a lot about the people, birds , vegetation etc.
We had several sundowners in the bush really added to a magical experience with beautiful sunsets.
I would highly recommend Goway to all my friends, they will not be disappointed.
Thank you to Bijal for the excellent African Safari that you put together for us. You were wonderful.Nancy HayWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. ClaireGoway planned a custom 2 week safari trip for my wife and I which was beyond perfect. Extremely satisfied with the entire process from planning, booking and follow up. Special thanks to my Travel Specialists, Brooke Theron and Angela DonnellyNeil RWorking with Allan is absolutely a dream. He is one of the most responsive people I’ve had the pleasure of working with and his attention to detail is unmatched. I truly wish I could just use him for every single trip I need to book.Liz PooreKimberly Brown from Goway Travel made my trip to Australia & New Zealand a very memorable and remarkable experience. Every step and detail was fantastic and I will never forget the trip of a lifetime and it was because of the experience of Kimberly. If you are thinking about taking a trip to New Zealand and Australia, I highly recommend contacting Kimberly from Goway travel. David KleinWe had a blast and felt covered by GoAway throughout. This was our first time using a travel agent and Melissa and her team made it easy. I also appreciated the quick communication while on our trip. I only wish that we got our official itinerary and tickets sooner as we did not receive them until a week prior. But it is busy season so I understand. Courtney McCarthyElise created a fantastic trip to South Africa. Our experience could not have been better. Thank You so Much!!Dave McVayOur trip to Japan was great. All our Goway arrangements preformed like clockwork and the guides for the tours were wonderful. Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was in total fog but at least the lunch was very good and so was the drum solo, also our tour guide kept our spirits up ( she was the best).
Taryn picked hotels that were very convenient to the meeting point of our tours which was much appreciated and organized all aspects of our trip perfectly. So from our airport pickup to our last day in Tokyo everything ran very smoothly so we have used Goway before and will certainly use it again and reccommend Goway to others.JW
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