10 Unusual Things to Do in Nairobi

The city in the sun, Nairobi is one lively and busy city to live in! A unique city that blends vast wildlife with various cultures in the region, what could be more appealing than enjoying exciting things while exploring what Nairobi city has to offer? The city has great and beautiful attractions, but if you want to enjoy everything Nairobi offers, here are 10 unusual things to do:

1. Treat Yourself to Delicious Cheeses

Brown’s Cheese Factory and Farm is known for its culinary delicacy – Cheese. If you are interested in food and fun, head to Brown’s and enjoy their tasty farm-fresh lunch and a tour around the farm. You get to taste a variety of cheese and foods made with cheese such as homemade breads, chutneys and salads. The farm is just 30minutes drive from Nairobi. This is a perfect experience for a weekend getaway; you will surely have a wonderful time as you shock your taste bud with yummy cheeses.

chevre-goats-cheese(1)

2. Kibera Slum Tour

Kibera slum, located in Nairobi, is the largest slum in East-Africa. You’ll get to experience a part of Kenya that is not usually seen by tourists. Kibera slum tour gives people an insight about the poor neighbourhood in Nairobi. You will definitely have fun, meet with the locals and enjoy their friendliness.

Kibera Slum Tour

3. Craft Shopping at Masai Market

Located in the central business district(CBD)Masai Market is always abuzz every weekend with locals and tourists alike ready to buy various crafts, jewellery, clothes, unique paintings and home accessories at an affordable price. You can find anything and everything here as long as you have the patience and time to bargain with the vendors.

Masai Market

4. Nyama Choma Zones

Nyama Choma”-grilled, roasted meat served with hot pepper, Ugali and “kachumbari” (tomatoes and onions) is simply one of the best things to do in Nairobi. Kenyans love their meat and Nairobi has various restaurants that offer mouth-watering “nyama choma”; The Carnivore Restaurant being one of them, serves a bountiful array of delicious tender roasted meat, and if one craves a road trip, Olepolos is famous with “Nairobians” for their goat meat and lovely scenery located about an hour’s drive away from Nairobi.

Nyama Choma Zone Photo Source: Kenyanfoodie

5. Toi Market

Located along Ngong road, Toi market is the second largest open air market where you can get to buy cheap second hand clothes and fresh vegetables as well for a good price. It requires a lot of energy as one rummage’s through heaps and bundles of clothes. The pushing and shoving in the market is worth the great deals one gets on clothes and household items.

Toi MarketPhoto Source: ruhilasraras.wordpress.com

6. Enjoy Matatu Rides

One’s experience with local transportation is never the same again after you ride a Matatu. Blaring sound systems, large giant flat screens are all part of a Matatu ride, known for their notorious and hazardous driving skills, lack of consideration for other motorists and pedestrians, shouting touts all add to the thrill of Matatu culture in Nairobi.

matatu rides Photo Source: swahilivillage.wordpress.com

7. Fun Time at Nairobi Parks

Despite it being a fast paced city to live in, Nairobi has beautiful parks that one can unwind, have your own little picnic with friends; Uhuru Park on the edge of the central business district with its lush lawns, Uhuru Gardens, Kenyan’s largest memorial park located in the quiet suburbs of Nairobi, is ideal for relaxing and having picnic with friends. The Nairobi Arboretum is ideal for a tree walk, The August Memorial Park– a small quiet park located in the midst of town in remembrance of the US embassy bombings that took place in 98, the park is small and quiet, despite it being right in the midst of the central business district.

Funtime at Uhuru Park Photo Source: dailystruggle.tumblr.com

8. Nightlife in Nairobi

Nairobi comes alive at night, and with a fast paced nightlife, it is hard to keep up with the various nightclubs around. The nightlife keeps changing but various clubs remain a favourite with many, such as The Simba Saloon at Carnivore, Mercury Lounge, K1 Klubhouse, Skylux Lounge and other various clubs located in Westlands also known as Electric Avenue for its vibrant nightlife.

Nightlife in Nairobi Photo Source: http://nairobi.afrileo.com/

9. Western Shopping Malls

If you’re in the mood for a little westernized feeling, the Sarit Center, Village Market, The Junction, Yaya Center, Capital Center and TRM shopping mall sprawl with various clothes stores, food courts and cinemas to cater for all ages. Panari Sky Center also includes an ice- skating rink, a first in East Africa!

Sarit Shopping Mall

10. Biking on Ngong Hills

Located just outside Nairobi; Ngong Hills is a forest reserve of rolling hills and a great place for outdoor activities like nature hiking, biking and horse riding. Ideal for an adventurous weekend.

Biking on Ngong Hills Photo Source: Chezabreaks

Nairobi has the best Ethiopian restaurants around, the traffic is crazy, but the city is very unique and vibrant with monthly music events such as Blankets & Wine, Jazz festivals and an array of music concerts. Be it rugby, football or horse-racing there’s always an event happening every weekend. The city in the sun is always full of surprises, one just needs to explore and discover them.


SEE ALSO: Cheap Flights to Nairobi | Travelstart Kenya


Our Readers Comments

  1. It very very wrong to use the suffering of poor ppleIin kibera slum and any other slum in Kenya to convince pple to visit kibera. It not a lifestyle we admire so no fun in it.

    • I agree with Tarui, The idea of selling poverty as a fun thing to do is hurtful to the people who live in the slums. If you are keen on being in the slums then volunteer your skills and be helpful rather than just observing

  2. come and visit the friendliest slum in the world,come and experience the positive side of kibera slums,for more info,www.kiberaslumtours.wordpress.com,facebook Diddy’s kibera tours,twitter@kiberatours,vayable.com Diddie’s kibera tours.

  3. As mentioned on the article, Nairobi has some best Ethiopian restaurants and Yejoka Garden is the best of them. They have over 40 authentic Ethiopian dishes alongside with few local dishes and vegetarian foods… They also serve Nyama Choma.
    They have live Band on weekends and their bar also is fully stocked from branded beers to wide variety of wines and whiskeys…

  4. Kiambethu Team farm tour, for a lovely brunch and tea tasting which can be followed by horseback riding in the tea fields. This for a sunny Sunday is what I term as Sunday delights:)

  5. Visit the United Nations Headquarters in Africa and the only headquarters in the global south and experience what many have described as “eye-opening” on a tour organised by the Visitors’ Service. On a tour, you may witness an international meeting in action in the state-of-the art conference facilities and learn more about the United Nations. Tour the beautiful grounds! It’s educational, informative and fun!

  6. Its important to know that the slum tourism is contributing to improvement of these areas. Assisting where the government is closing its eyes.

  7. Shame on you for listing a Kibera slum tour. It may be run down but it is home for the people who live there, and they deserve dignity like everyone else.

  8. Come on Travelstart. You can do better. The headline is very misleading. All of these things are in any half-decent guidebook, and are not particularly “unusual” in any way.

    Shame, as I was looking forward to learning about some genuinely unusual things to do in the city.

    Getting a bus, eating standard fare available on any street corner, visiting very well-known green areas, rummaging through bundles of used clothes, shopping in a standard Western Shopping Malls or drinking in pretentious bars don’t really show much imagination…

    Try again please. To start you off:

    1. Mud-sledding down the hill through Gikomba Market during rainy season.
    2. Out-running the cops when they try to extort money from you for breaking an imaginary red light. (though I guess that is not so unusual any more either)
    3. Negotiating a deal in a crack den in Majengo…
    4. Riding an ostrich, and then dining on the meat of the animal that carried you.
    5. Performing a social experiment to see how many hookers grope you or proposition you while out with your wife.
    6… Over to you

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