Nairobi began in 1899 as a railway depot in a swamp, chosen because it was the last flat ground before the escarpment. It now holds around five million people and is the commercial and diplomatic hub of the region, with the only United Nations headquarters in the global south.
Nairobi National Park
The park begins seven kilometres from the city centre and covers 117 square kilometres, fenced on three sides and open on the fourth to allow migration. It holds lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe and one of the most successful black rhino populations in Kenya, all photographable against a background of tower blocks. There is no elephant. The new railway line built through the park on a viaduct remains a subject of dispute among conservationists.
Elephants and giraffes
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery on the park edge rears orphaned elephant calves, most of them victims of poaching or drought, and opens to visitors for one hour daily at eleven. Fostering an orphan allows a quieter evening visit. Nearby, the Giraffe Centre lets you feed endangered Rothschild giraffe from a raised platform, which is touristy and also genuinely charming.
Karen and the museums
The Karen Blixen Museum occupies the farmhouse where the author of Out of Africa lived from 1917 to 1931, at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Nairobi National Museum has strong palaeontology, including material from Turkana, and a good ethnographic collection. The Railway Museum is small, dusty and excellent, with the carriage from which a superintendent was taken by one of the Tsavo lions.
The city
Kenyatta Avenue and the central business district are walkable by day. Westlands and Kilimani have the restaurant and bar scene; Carnivore is the well-known meat restaurant and Mama Oliech is where Nairobi eats fried tilapia. Maasai Market rotates between locations on different days of the week and is the place for crafts, with hard bargaining expected. Township tours of Kibera exist and should only be done with resident-run organisations.
Practicalities
Traffic is severe and the expressway is worth its toll. Ride-hailing apps are cheap and safe. Do not walk in the centre after dark and do not carry visible valuables. The city sits at 1795 m so evenings are cool year round, which surprises people who packed for the equator.