Have you ended up with a long layover in Nairobi, Kenya and want to know what to do? You’ve come to the right place! Here we will tell you exactly what to do on a long layover in Nairobi.
Having an 18-24 hour layover on a flight somewhere can be annoying. But these types of layovers can be a huge opportunity to explore somewhere new. And if that long layover happens to be in Nairobi, you’ll be able to experience a mini-safari in the world renowned Nairobi National Park.
For the sake of this article we are going to assume you are landing in the afternoon or evening and fly out the following afternoon or evening. So let’s see what there is to do with 24 hours in Nairobi!
Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent World Nomads, Booking.com, Viator, or Rentalcars.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.
24 Hours in Nairobi – What You Need to Know
Leaving the airport
Nearly everyone needs a visa to enter Kenya if you want to leave the airport. And you don’t want to spend 24 hours in Nairobi International. On a long layover you will need a transit visa for Kenya. It’s similar to a tourist visa but allows only a 72 stay in the country and it’s half the price.
The transit visa costs $21 USD and needs to be applied for ahead of time online using this link. You’ll need to create an account with the government of Kenya and upload some odd things like a photo of the back of your passport. And all your documents need to be in jpeg format. So if you have a PDF copy of your passport info page, you’ll need to take a photo of it.
The application is annoying and you don’t even get confirmation that it was successfully applied for. You just have to check back online a few days later to see if it was approved and print a copy of it to give to immigration.
Checked bags
Your checked bags will be checked to your final destination. However, I advise you to request upon check-in that you pickup your bags in Nairobi and recheck them again upon return to the airport.
Ethiopian Air lost my bag in Nairobi. They eventually found it and got to me almost a week later. If I went back in time I would have asked to pick it up there and check it in again. The extra hassle is worth the piece of mind knowing that your bag is going to make it. Nairobi International is not an airport you want to trust with your stuff.
You could invest in AirTag, which is a little GPS device you can put in your checked bag so you always know where it is. Or you can leave it in your husband’s car if you think he’s cheating. It was invented for luggage though!
How to get into Nairobi city
There are a few nice hotels near the airport, but you’ll have to stay in the city if you want to visit Nairobi National Park, as the tours won’t pickup at airport hotels.
To get to the city the quickest way is to take an Uber or a taxi (or a Bolt, which is exactly the same thing as Uber and is common in European and African countries). Uber works the same way it does in the US, just at a fraction of the cost. A ride to the business district will cost you about $8-12 and it’s a 30 minute drive with no traffic. If you’ve come during rush hour, expect significantly longer.
There is also a bus service that goes from the airport to central Nairobi. The 34J line takes about an hour (with no traffic) to the city center. It runs every 20 minutes between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM and costs only 50 Kenyan Shillings per direction. Depending on where you’re staying, though, you’ll likely have to hop on another city bus to get to your hotel.
Safety in Nairobi
Nairobi is not the most dangerous place in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have its issues. The most common crimes are muggings and assaults aimed at robbing you and stealing whatever you have on you.
There are certain neighborhoods you want to avoid. These include:
- Eastleigh
- Kibera (second largest slum in Africa)
- Kayole
- Mathare
- Mukuru
- Dandora
These neighborhoods are mostly the slums of Nairobi, but not all are slums. Even outside of these places, solo women should avoid walking around alone at night anywhere in the city. But overall it’s not too dangerous of a place if you avoid the bad neighborhoods.
Money
The currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling (KES). You won’t actually need any cash, as just about everyone takes cards these days. But if you want some for tips it might be worth it to take out a little local currency. Though anyone will also happily accept US dollars if you have those instead.
Nairobi Weather
For being essentially right on the equator, Nairobi is not hot and humid like you might expect. This is because of its significant elevation of 5500 feet (1795 m) above sea level. The high elevation keeps temperatures mild year round.
March is the hottest month with an average high of 82 degrees (28 C), while July is the coolest month with an average high of 72 degrees (22 C). Nighttime lows dip down into the 50s (10-15 C) year round.
April is the rainiest month, with rain falling almost every day. And July is the driest month, with rainfall rare.
Where to stay on your layover in Nairobi
The ideal neighborhood to stay in for your overnight layover is the Kilimani neighborhood. This is where most of the large western hotel chains like Sheraton and Radisson are. It’s also a safe neighborhood that’s a quick drive to Nairobi National Park.
Below are a few options for all budgets in the Kilimani neighborhood.
Where to stay in Nairobi
Budget: Golf View Serviced Apartments
Mid range: Lenana Suites
High end: Four Points by Sheraton Hurlington (not really high end, but high end for Nairobi)
Out of this world experience: Giraffe Manor, where the resident giraffes might try to eat your breakfast
Flight options for a long layover in Nairobi
The most likely flight option for getting a long layover in Nairobi is to fly Kenya Airways. Kenya Airways has direct service from Nairobi to dozens of African cities and some international non-African destinations, including New York, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Mumbai, Dubai, and Bangkok.
If you’re connecting on Kenya Airways to another African destination, look at the flight options and see if you can get one with an overnight layover at no additional cost.
It’s also possible to get a Nairobi layover on Ethiopian Air. This is how I ended up with 22 hours in Nairobi. I was coming back from Lilongwe, Malawi, and it was far cheaper to fly through Nairobi with a long layover than go straight from Lilongwe to Addis Ababa. Ethiopian also has way more US, Europe, and Asia destinations than Kenya Airways so be sure to check them out too.
Note that unlike some airlines – like Turkish Airlines – Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines will not provide you with a hotel when you have a long layover on the same ticket. You are responsible for booking and paying for your accommodation.
Travel Insurance
Even on just a short layover in Nairobi, you want to make sure your travel insurance policy includes your layover. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. World Nomads process coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.
What to do With 24 Hours in Nairobi
How to spend your day in Nairobi depends on what your goals are. Depending on where in Africa you are traveling, you might want to see some African wildlife, or you might be on your way to an epic safari already and you’d prefer to see the city. So we will break this layover guide into two options.
Option 1: Nairobi National Park
Option 2: Cultural Nairobi city exploration
If you’re not on your way to or from an African Safari elsewhere, then I highly recommend the Nairobi National Park option. If you are, then you might be disinterested in seeing more wildlife.
Either way, your first night will be the same. let’s assume you will arrive between 16:00 and 22:00 and leave the next day in the same time frame. When you arrive in Nairobi, head straight to your hotel. You’re likely not going to have any time to explore the city today.
If you’re doing the national park, your day will start really early tomorrow, before 6 AM, so depending on your level of ambition, you might just want to chill at your hotel.
If you want to go out, Nairobi has some great restaurants to try. Some restaurant recommendations are below. It’s best to take an Uber or a taxi to get to these places, unless they’re right by your hotel.
- Carnivore – a locally famous restaurant that is known for having exotic meats like ostrich and crocodile
- Mama Ashanti
- Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant
If you also want to experience some of Nairobi’s nightlife, you’ll want to head to Westlands, just northwest of the city center. Westlands is where you can find Nairobi’s trendiest bars and clubs. For more info on where to go in Westlands you can refer to this website.
Option 1: Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is a small national park at the south side of the city that is a protected wildlife habitat for over a dozen species, including:
- Lion
- Zebra
- Giraffe
- Impala
- Black and white rhinos
- Ostrich
- Cheetah
- Leopard
- Hyena
- Baboon
- Water Buffalo
- Hippopotamus
- Jackal
- And more
These animals live in the vast grasslands of the park just as they would in the endless Serengeti. The only difference is that there’s a thriving metropolis just a few miles away. Nairobi National Park is the only national park in the world entirely within a city limit.
It’s certainly interesting to be seeing a lion with the towering skyline of Nairobi in the distance. But so is Nairobi National Park. The park is only partially fenced on the three sides that border the city, so the animals are free to leave to the south if they want. Only some of the species in the park, like wildebeest, migrate seasonally though.
Booking your National Park tour
There are dozens of tours of Nairobi National Park and you will need to book at least a day in advance. In order to do a tour, however, just note that your flight must leave Nairobi at 3 PM or later or you won’t have enough time to properly tour the park. So let’s assume your flight time is after 3:00.
Here are some basic facts about the tours:
- Length of tour: 4-6 hours, depending on your tour operator. This includes about 3-4 hours in the park, depending on how many other people your driver has to pick up.
- Cost of tour: $60-120 (the standard price is about $60 for all operators but if you go alone you sort of get screwed and have to pay double)
- Tour pickup: at your hotel, but they don’t pickup anywhere. When you book you will be able to see a list of hotels your operator picks up at, so be sure you are staying at one of those
- Level of narration: each operator is different, so be sure to read reviews. Some drivers just drive while others give explanations and show you the best spots to see the animals.
- Vehicle type: tours put you in an SUV or a van with an open top so you can stand up and take unobstructed photos.
- Extras: no food or drink is included in your tour unless the booking specifically says so. Bring all your own water and any snacks you might want.
Tour operators
With so many options it can be difficult to choose which tour operators to go with. I booked with Wasili Kenya Safari through Viator and had a great experience with them. I highly recommend going with them if you want great service and a personalized experience.
You can book a 6 hour morning safari with Wasili using this link at Viator.
There are dozens of other tour operators as well you can choose from. You can check out some additional options below.
Once you book, you will get the contact info for your operator so be sure to reach out to them to confirm pickup time and location.
Self-drive option
Tours are not actually required to visit Nairobi National Park. The park is open to all and it’s totally possible to do a self-drive safari. In fact, many people choose this option and you’ll see tons of vehicles driven by tourists all over the park.
You don’t technically need a 4×4 to drive through the park, but I really don’t think it’s smart to go without one. I saw dozens of small cars driving in the bumpy dirt roads and it just didn’t look like a good idea. You really want a 4×4, ideally one with high clearance.
If you do decide to do a self-drive safari, you can rent a vehicle from the Nairobi airport using Rentalcars.com. Be sure to look for an SUV or something else with 4WD.
Advantages of self-drive:
- Freedom to spend as much time in the park as you’d like
- Freedom to go where you want to go
- You don’t have to go back to the hotel after the park
Disadvantages of self-drive:
- You don’t get a local guide who knows all the best spots for viewing wildlife
- You won’t have a radio that the other guides use to share where lions and other more elusive animals have been spotted
- You have to rent a vehicle at the airport and park it at your hotel, which can be hectic when you’re just on a layover
- You won’t have an open-top safari vehicle you can stand in, though you might have a sunroof
- You’ll have to navigate yourself around the park and for the most part there is no mobile reception
- It’s not any cheaper than doing a tour unless you have a large group
I don’t advise doing self-drive if you’re just in Nairobi for one day. It’s just not worth the hassle.
National Park Passes
Whether or not you’re doing a tour or self-drive you will need to pay for entrance to Nairobi National Park. And it is not cheap. At $43 USD per person it makes you realize just how much of a bargain American national parks are. It’s almost as much as the tour itself.
You can either pay the fee ahead of time online or do it on the spot. If you’re doing it on the spot, you will need to bring your passport and be prepared for it to take a while. The park staff will basically just go through the online form with you and fill it out.
It’s quicker just to do the form yourself online the day before. You’ll get a confirmation PDF you can save to your phone and show to the park staff and they’ll let you right in.
The form takes about 3 minutes to fill out and can be accessed here. Note that you’ll need a government of Kenya account, but you already have that from your transit visa application.
Best time of year to see wildlife
While Nairobi National Park can be visited all year round, the best chances for seeing the most wildlife come in the dry season. This is defined as between June and early October and again from January to February.
There are two rainy seasons in Nairobi, a short one from late October to December and a longer, more heavy one from March – May. During the rains the animals won’t be out as much, whereas during the dry season you’ll likely see them huddled around water sources.
It hardly ever rains during the dry season, and that also helps to keep the tall grasses low enough to see wildlife and to keep the dirt roads in good condition. So for these reasons, the dry season is the best time of year to visit.
The tour through the park
Once you enter the gates of Nairobi National Park you’ll be enthralled by a vast grassland of African savanna (there are three gates but you’ll enter through the “main gate” on your tour). After a few minutes driving through a dense forest you’ll meet the grassland. All of a sudden it’s like you’ve left the city and entered wild Kenya, even if you can see the city skyline just 5 miles away on your left.
There is no set route through the park. All the roads are dirt roads and while there are a few main roads, the side roads zigzag in seemingly random orientations. The roads are actually remarkably well-captured by Google Maps so be sure to have a quick look and maybe download Nairobi offline maps before you go (remember there is no service in the park).
The park is organized into 30 different “markers”. These are basically road intersections with stone masonry signs that give the park some structure. The guides will often use them as landmarks when telling each other about a wildlife spotting. For example: “lion spotted at #9.”
When doing an organized tour, your guide will know where to go and you really don’t have to pay any attention. If you’re self driving, just make sure to drive slowly, be constantly on the lookout, and if you ever notice a congregation of vehicles, it’s likely someone spotted a lion or leopard.
Wildlife safety
There are two rules for safety in Nairobi National Park. First, don’t ever get out of the vehicle, and second, don’t forget rule 1. You are on an African safari with dangerous wild animals that can kill you. Doesn’t matter that you’re still technically in Nairobi. Don’t get out of the vehicle!
There are a few limited exceptions to the rule. At the outskirts of the park there are a few designated picnic areas that it is safe to get out of the vehicle at. But your worries are not over, as hungry baboons like to hang out at the picnic areas.
The baboons are mostly afraid of humans and will not attack you. But if you actually have food and try to have a picnic they will flat out steal it from you, and they will be quite aggressive about it. Do not take any food or garbage out of your vehicle if a baboon is around!
Wildlife photography
As much as I’d like to tell you that the animals all like to chill right by the edge of the road, you’re smart enough to know that’s not the case. While they can often be spotted on the side of the road or even in the road, most wildlife you will see from a distance.
Smartphones have come a long way and now feature remarkable cameras that can zoom up to 15x and still get you pretty good quality. But nothing beats a DSL camera with a zoom lens. If you can fit your big ole camera on your trip, it’s worth it just for the park.
I took all the photos on this page with an iPhone 14, and you can tell which were taken at distance. They are still pretty good, but a DSL would have gone a long way.
Kenyan souvenirs
After your time is up in the park you’ll be taken to a big souvenir shop outside the park. If you’re self-driving you can obviously skip this part. The shop also has a cafe and the drivers like to stop for tea after a busy morning.
The shop features all sorts of Kenyan arts and crafts and actually has some neat stuff at fair prices. There are quite a few staff members, but I found them to not be pushy, the complete opposite of the shops outside the Pyramids of Giza.
End of the tour
After the shop you’ll be taken back to your hotel. Depending on your flight time, you might have time to walk around the city a bit, or just have lunch somewhere before going back to the airport.
As you probably won’t be back till about noon, you’ll either have to get a late checkout from your room, or store your bags with your hotel. If you have a late checkout you might even have time for a quick nap!
For lunch options, it really depends on where you’re staying, as you won’t have a lot of time to be taking more Ubers or taxis back and forth. If you’re staying at the Four Points Sheraton like I did, I highly recommend the Mombasa curry at Pablo’s Restaurant on the ground floor.
If you have a late flight you may have time to hit some of the city attractions mentioned in Option 2 below. But you’ll probably be pretty tired and want to just head back to the airport and get on to your final destination.
Option 2: Explore Nairobi City
If you’d had enough African wildlife on your trip already, then you might not be interested in the park. Good thing there are still plenty of things to do in Nairobi city that will satisfy your lust for new experiences.
Nairobi is a bustling city with a population of 4.4 million people. It’s huge and spread out and one of the most developed cities in Africa. Skyscrapers rise into the sky and people are out hustling around at all hours of the day.
Without telling you a step by step itinerary, let’s go through the top things to do in Nairobi then you can decide which order you want to hit the main attractions. After breakfast at your hotel, set out on foot or by Uber/taxi depending on where you are staying.
Nairobi National Museum
The Nairobi National Museum is like a natural history museum with a focus on east Africa and the history of Kenya. It’s one of the best museums in all of Africa and there are a number of permanent and temporary exhibits on display.
The Nairobi National Museum is open 7 days a week from 8:30 – 5:30 and entrance is 1500 KES for international visitors. If you visit one museum in Kenya, this is the one to see.
Maasai Market
Maasai Market is a large outdoor arts and crafts market in Nairobi that showcases the artistic skills of the native Maasai people, among other indigenous tribes. Just be sure to haggle prices, as the vendors usually start with ridiculously high “tourist prices.”
The market has no permanent home and moves around the city by day of the week. For determining where it will be on the day you’ll be in town, check out this website for more info.
Kenya National Archives
The Kenya National Archives holds some of the country’s most important documents, historical records, and artifacts. If you’re interested in Kenyan history – or don’t know anything about Kenyan history and want to learn about it – the archives can be a great place to spend some time.
The archives building is in central Nairobi and is open from 8-5 on weekdays and from 8-12 on Saturdays. Entrance is only 50 KES.
Giraffe Centre
If you’ve ever wanted to feed a giraffe, then the Giraffe Centre is for you. Located just west of Nairobi National Park, The Giraffe Centre is dedicated to giraffe conservation. They breed the endangered Rothschild giraffe and releasing them into the wild to restore the population is one of their main missions.
At the farm, you can see the world’s tallest animal up close and personal. It costs 1500 KES for a 1 hour slot to visit the giraffes. Advanced booking is recommended.
Nairobi Safari Walk
The Nairobi Safari Walk is a special path that takes you along the edge of Nairobi National Park. It is not included in the tours or the national park admission fee. If you want to do the safari walk, it’s an additional $22 USD payable at the entrance gate.
It’s essentially an elevated boardwalk that takes you through a small corner of the national park. All the park’s animals can be spotted from the boardwalk, though you can’t be guaranteed to see anything since you’re only in a small part of the park.
Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
At the KWS Magadi Gate entrance to Nairobi National Park you’ll find the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage nursery. The Sheldrick Trust is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating elephants and they operate a nursery in the park where you can see and play with the elephants.
The agency’s goal is saving elephants, and not showing them off to the public, so they have very limited visiting hours and your admission fee goes towards elephant rehabilitation. Visiting is only possible between 11 AM and 12 PM and advance booking is required.
In order to visit the orphanage you will need to pay for entrance to Nairobi National Park as well as the $20 ticket they charge. So if you do not plan on visiting the park, it can get pretty pricey to visit the orphanage. Book well in advance, as it’s often fully booked.
Getting Back to the Airport
Nairobi traffic can be horrendous, so if it’s a weekday, be sure to allow extra time for getting back to the airport. I recommend, again, taking an Uber or a taxi from your hotel.
If you have an earlier flight, like 3:00 or 4:00 you can likely negotiate with your tour company to be dropped off at the airport. Many companies will offer this service but you’ll need to check on this before booking. If your flight is after 4:00, you’ll have time to go back to your hotel.
Be sure to also allow ample time at Nairobi International, as it’s likely unlike any other airport you’re ever been to. You might get an email the day before telling you to arrive 4 hours early for your flight. That’s a bit too much, but 2.5-3 hours is a good idea. This is because Nairobi International has some pretty ridiculous security checks.
To start, you’ll have to get out of your Uber/taxi/shuttle at the airport entrance gate and go through a security check. This is while your driver takes a ticket like going into a carpark. He will then pick you up on the side of the road after you’ve gone through security. You can leave your bags in the car, but I advise you to take your valuables just in case.
Back in the car, it’s a few more minutes to the passenger drop off area. Here you’ll wave goodbye to your driver and get in the queue to enter the airport. Yes, that’s right. There is a long line just to enter the airport due to another security screening.
But wait, first there are the drug sniffing dogs. You’ll be told to place all your belongings on the ground while a cute hound sniffs around for illicit drugs. Everyone gets checked. No discrimination here.
The line to enter the airport moves at a snail’s pace. A guard at the door will check your passport and then you’ll go through security. It’s a standard security check, but obviously including your checked bags too (again, my recommendation is to ask to pick up your checked bag in Nairobi). Laptops need to be taken out but shoes can stay on. Hooray! Finally in the airport!
After checking in and going through outgoing immigration you now have the third and final security check. Just in case they didn’t get you the first two times! Now you see why they tell you to get to the airport so early?
24 Hours in Nairobi – FAQs
Is it safe to walk around Nairobi during the day?
It is safe to walk around most of Nairobi during the day, but there are certain neighborhoods you should avoid at all times due to muggings and carjackings. These are: Eastleigh, Kibera, Kayole, Mathare, Mukuru, and Dandora.
How much time do you need in Nairobi?
The city of Nairobi is not the reason most people come to Kenya. That being said, the city has some amazing ways to get in touch with African wildlife. You want at least one day in Nairobi, though it’s possible to spend far more and still be entertained.
Do I need a visa for a layover in Kenya?
You only need a visa for a layover in Kenya if you plan on leaving the airport. If you want to leave the airport you will need a transit visa, which can be obtained online. Print out the confirmed visa and carry it with you at the immigration check.
Do I need cash in Nairobi?
You don’t really need cash in Nairobi, but if you plan on going to local markets it will be nice to have. If you’re just doing a long layover in Nairobi, it’s not necessary to take any cash out unless you want to tip a driver or something. They’ll also happily take USD or euros.
Can I drink the tap water in Nairobi?
You cannot drink the tap water in Nairobi. Be sure to only drink bottled water and be weary of any street food, as you don’t know how it was prepared. Unless you’re cool with getting seriously ill.
Final Word
A long layover in Nairobi is a golden opportunity to see some fantastic African wildlife in Nairobi National Park or explore the bustling city center. Taking a morning tour of the park is the best thing to do on a long layover and the timing works out great for late afternoon, evening, and night flights. And if you are on your way to a longer African safari there are still great things to do with 24 hours in Nairobi!
