How Many Days To Stay In Nairobi Without Getting Bored

When visiting Kenya,  Nairobi is one of the cities that you need to spend a few days in.  But the question may have to ask yourself is how many days you should spend visiting Nairobi without it becoming monotonous? 

How many days should I stay in Nairobi?   You should spend at least two days in Nairobi. Two days will be sufficient for you to see all the major attractions in the city and its environs. More than three days will be too many and you will not have enough interesting things to see to fill up your day with activity. Let’s look at some of the activities that you should consider doing when in Nairobi to fill up your time and if you have more than two days, find additional activities in the outskirts that may be interesting to consider.

Two days are ideal in Nairobi

As a local, I have been in most of the popular attractions in Nairobi and to be honest, I don’t think there are enough interesting things to do in Nairobi to cover more than two full days of activities. Nairobi city itself has a number of attractions that you will want to check out but none of these would take more than a few hours to complete. 

Here are some of the popular tourist destinations in Nairobi and how long it would take to see them.

Tourist Attraction	Go?	Time You Should spend There	Notes
Nairobi National Park:	Maybe	6 Hours	The park is not as vast as some of the other parks in Kenya like the Masai mara but it offers enough driving time and animals to keep you occupied for 6 Hours. Not great for a multi day visit though.
Animal Orphanage	Maybe	2 Hours	This would take about 2 hours to complete if you spent a lot of time there. Its sort of a zoo located right next to the Nairobi Park. You can combine it with your visit to the Nairobi National Park
Giraffe center	Yes	1 Hour	It’s an interesting center where you get to interact with giraffe up close. You will get to feed them treats and this is a fun short activity for Nairobi
Mamba Village	No	1 Hour	Its a nice place to visit to interact with crocodiles but I would not place it at the top of my list of places to go when visiting Nairobi.
National Museum	Maybe	3 Hours	You will see a lot of interesting things about Kenya’s history and the archeological discoveries made here.
Masai Market	Yes	2 Hours	You definitely want to spend time at the Masai Market since to buy souvenirs to take back home. You will find them at the best prices here than in any other place in Kenya. However, you will need to negotiate to get a good deal.
Bomas of Kenya	Maybe/No	2 Hours	Its a good place to discover the culture of the different tribes in Kenya.
National Archives	Maybe	1 Hour	Located within the Central Business District of Nairobi, you will get a quick tour of the history of Kenya. There are a number of cool things to see here.
Carnivore	Maybe	3 Hours	If you are interested in seeing the different food and culture of the Kenyan People, Carnivore restaurant is an interesting place to visit. On some days, you will find a live comedy event.
Nairobi Nightlife	Maybe	4 hours	Music and dancing are your things, you can visit Westlands and hit the clubs.
Ngong Hills Hike	Yes	6 Hours	Ngong Hills has some very interesting views and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good hike. It’s a tough hike and you will need to be fit to complete the trail.
Karura Forest nature walk	Yes	3-4 Hours	This is a more moderate nature trail that weaves through the Karura Forest. It’s a great place to go to reconnect with nature.

You can stretch  out the time in Nairobi but the activities are less fun

As I have indicated in the table above, there are a number of places that you can visit in Nairobi to spend more than the two days I have recommended. However, these places may not be great enough to leave you impressed and awed and I for the places marked as maybe, I would personally not go again after having visited most of them at least once.

If you have more than two days to spend in Kenya, I would recommend that you spend your first day and a half visiting the places I have recommended as a yes then head out to the outskirts of the city for other activities that might be more memorable and worth while for you.

Activities Outside Nairobi that take less than a day

There are a number of tourist attractions that you can visit that are just a few hours from Nairobi but would be more than worth it to visit. They are popular with tourists and locals alike and would make your time in Nairobi more memorable without having to make a multi-trip journey away from the city.

So some of the paces you should give a visit if you have a bit more time in Nairobi than two days are: 

Kereita Forest

Location: 1.5 Hours from Nairobi

How long to spend there: 4-7 Hours

Kereita forest is a good location to spend a spare day in Nairobi since its located close to Nairobi but far away enough from the hustle and bustle of the city.

This location is popular with us Kenyans  because of the activities you will find here:

1. Ziplining: The forest has 6 ziplines that span 2 Km (1.2 Miles) and these are a fun way of seeing the incredible views of the pine forest.
2. Paint Ball: This is one of the few locations in Kenya where you can play paintball and its a great place to have a fun group duel with your friends.
3. Mountain Biking: This is a great way to view the forest without having to walk.

Hells Gate National Park

Location: 3 Hours from Nairobi

How long to spend there: 5-6 Hours

Activities:

1. Bike riding: I have written a more in-depth article about renting a bike at Hell’s gate National Park.
2. Canyon hiking/ Walking Safari: this is the main attraction of the park. You will walk on gorges that have been carved out by water. It’s an interesting place to visit. 

Lake Nakuru National Park

Location: 4 Hours from Nairobi

How long to spend there: 4 Hours Tour Drive

Note: You may need to spend one night in Nakuru to avoid traveling back to Nairobi at night. Here is a list of hotels you may consider staying in when in Nakuru

This is another great park that is very popular with tourists and its a great place to visit if you have an extra day in Nairobi. 

It’s popular for the following activities:

1. Wildlife: The park is popular for its rhinos (both white and black rhino). It also has many of the popular safari animals. Sometimes, flamingos come to the lake.
2. Birdwatching

You will probably want to book a safari vehicle to take you to lake Nakuru. Read my article on how to choose a safari company for guidance on choosing a good company for this trip

Mt Longonot Hike

Location: 2.25 Hours from Nairobi

How Long to spend there: 5 Hours

Mt Longonot is also another popular hiking destination for hikers and its not too far away from Nairobi. You can plan an entire day there and you will get to enjoy amazing views of the Rift Valley on your way there and on the peaks of this volcanic mountain. 

The hike is challenging and some sections are steep and can get slippery when wet.

Mt Kilima Mbogo Hike

Location: 2 hours from Nairobi

How long to spend there: 4 hours

 This is another interesting hike you can take at the Oldonyo Sabuk National Park. The hike is not very challenging if you take the road route but will be a challenging climb for those not used to walking long distances.

You can picnic at the summit. They have a nice well-maintained picnic area with a few tables and an open field.

If you will be spending time in Nairobi then proceeding to a safari, please check out the following posts we have written about going on Safari in Kenya. We think they will be helpful

1. Kenya Safari Cost (With Examples of Popular Safari Destinations)
2. How Much Money to Visit Kenya – A Detailed Guide
3. How to Choose a Safari Company in 10 Easy Steps
4. 20 Beginner Tips For Taking Better Safari Photos (No Jargon)

I wish you all the best as you plan for your visit to Kenya. Make it memorable.

A Final Word

As you prepare for your trip to Africa, I would like to recommend a few products that would help make your life easier. 

1. Information About Africa: I have created a YouTube channel that focuses on things about traveling to Africa that only Africans can tell you about. Check out the channel for insights about African culture and things you can do as a traveler to optimize your trip. You should also visit TripAdvisor forum posts (Here is the Kenya Forum) and ask questions about your particular situation. There are a lot of people who are happy to help you out. 
2. Choosing a Safari Company: I have written an extensive article on how to choose a safari Company. You can. Check it out before starting the process of searching for a safari company.
3. Safari Planning Services: If you’d rather leave the planning to an expert, I offer personalized safari planning services. I handle everything from helping you choose the right safari company, creating your custom itinerary, managing bookings, and even providing a packing list and reminders for important trip details. It’s like having a personal assistant dedicated to your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, so you can focus on enjoying the adventure. Learn More in this article