Exciting, educational & enthralling activities for you and your kids to enjoy, together, in Nairobi

All our blogs are born from our adventures as The SAFARI Company. A safari operator that organizes unique family-friendly safari and beach adventures throughout Africa.

We pride ourself in taking you away from the mainstream and rather let you in on the extraordinary, the beautiful, the quirky and the off-the-beaten-track destinations that will be loved by all.

In order to find these gorgeous places and experiences, we have our fingers on the pulse and our toes in the dust….. as a result of this, we love to share our findings with you. This time, please see our thorough Recommended Eateries List in Nairobi.

We’re so sorry if we’ve missed you out or got something wrong. This blog is, like all blogs, a constant work in progress, so please do let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Incredible Art & Culture:

1. Visit an Art Gallery – Kenya is full of great local artists for kids to enjoy. Try the Nairobi Gallery, Banana Hill Art Galleries, The GoDown Arts Centre or MattBronze (sculpted Bronze) etc.
   Our advice – If you need help, let us know your interests & location, then we will suggest the best for you.
2. Go on a tour & lunch at Kitengela Hot Glass & Glasstronomique Café – visit a charming glass-blowing studio near Nairobi National Park, you can also have lunch and a swim here (this could also be done with the park day)… and even stay.
   Our advice – Call to Pre-Book. Opening hours are Tuesday – Saturday 0800 – 1630 or Sunday & Monday 0800 – 1300. All other areas of the studio & café are open till 1630.
3. Nai Nami (Nairobi With Me) – is an inspirational “off-the-beaten-track” 3-hour walking experience of Downtown Nairobi, guided by youth from slums who raised themselves on the streets of Nairobi.
   Our advice – Great for older kids!
4. Street art tour of Kibera with local artists with Saviour – Look beyond the stereotypes and see Kibera through the eyes of the young artists who live there.
5. Visit Kibera Slum & HELP – We highly recommend the fantastic One Horizon who run a community centre in Kibera catering for the needs of 300 children and their parents.
   Our advice – Go!!! A life changing experience for adults & children.
6. Go and see an art performance, a play, a musical, dance – and/or another production at The Kenya National Theatre, The Phoenix Players or a host of other places.
   Our advice – Ask us where the best performance is on at any one time.
7. Visit the Kazuri Bead Workshop – where the women show you every step of the ceramic jewellery manufacturing process.
8. Go Granny Go – this is a lovely ‘helping’ day that most of our clients of all ages say ‘That was the best day of my life’ when they do it.
9. Visit the Masai Market. It’s bright, cheerful and lively!!! You can buy a variety of artefacts, ornaments, home décor and clothes from around Kenya, and Africa.
   Our advice – Remember to bargain .. and these are the days:
   • On Tuesdays – Kijabe St Pk next to Nairobi River & Prestige Plaza, Ngong rd.
   • On Wednesdays – Capital Centre, Mombasa rd.
   • On Thursdays – The Junction Mall & Ngong rd.
   • On Fridays – The Village Market, Limuru rd.
   • On Saturdays – High court parking, City Centre opp. Re-Insurance Plaza & Prestige Plaza, Ngong rd.
   • On Sundays – Yaya Centre, Valley Rd, Hurlingham.

It’s all about the animals:

1. Feed the giraffes at The Giraffe Centre – Truly an experience of a lifetime for both adults and children.
   Our advice – Open from 9:00am to 5:00pm every day. Go early to miss the crowds… Plus, go on the nature walk, it’s lovely.
2. Go on a picnic in Nairobi National Park! A Perfect Kids Activity. Go on a game drive and see the incredible amount of wildlife in this city-bordering park and either have a lovely picnic under an Acacia Tree or lunch at Ololo Lodge.
   Cost – From however much you would like to spend on a picnic or Kshs3,500 / USD 35 per person for lunch excluding drinks at the charming Ololo Lodge.
   Our advice – go with someone who knows, you’ll see a lot more and the day will be more fun!
3. Visit The Nairobi National Museum & Snake Park – Four pillars of Kenya’s national heritage – nature, culture, history and contemporary art.
   Our advice – The museum is open 365 days a year, from 8:30 to 15:30, go early to miss the crowds.
4. Last but by no means least, adopt a baby Elephant at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Langata – Play with it, feed and get to know it.
   Our advice – Book early, this is VERY popular!

Deliciousness:

1. Go on a tour & lunch at a delicious lunch on a tea farm. This wonderful farm in Limuru provides a tranquil insight into life on a tea farm, a beautiful guided forest walk and a delicious lunch.
   Our advice – Book first (through us if you like) and then arrive at 11am.
2. Go on a Brown’s Cheese Factory & Farm Tour followed by a scrumptious Farm to Fork lunch – In the rolling hills of Limuru, it is well worth your while coming here for a 3-course lunch at the Brown’s farm.
   Our advice – Six person minimum or Kshs 24,000 (USD240) minimum cost. Always call to book.
3. Coffee Tours around Karunguru Estate Coffee Farm – A tour that will take you through the journey that coffee has to go through before getting to your cup. The tour includes a simple lunch.
4. Try traditional African Cuisine – Nyama Choma is the typical Kenyan barbeque, usually consisting of goat meat served with other delicious treats.
   Our advice – We suggest the following places if you want to try a traditional meal:
   • K’osewe Ronalo Foods – Kimathi street in the city center.
   • Kilimanjaro Jamia Restaurant – famous for Somali and Swahili dishes like pilau, biryani, and camel meat.
   • Le Palanka – Fine African Cuisine.
   • Amaica on Ngongo Road and JKIA – Serving Authentic African Cuisine, including rare indigenous delicacies.

Click here for our comprehensive list of Recommended Eateries in Nairobi

Beautiful Exercise:

• ✨ Visit Karura Forest – 1,000 acres of wonderful forest was recently resurrected to its former beauty by The Friends of Karura Forest. You can escape Nairobi, with your kids and actively visit the caves, waterfalls, rivers and incredible flora and fauna.
  Our advice – To go for a picnic, you must pre-book.
• ✨ Take a walk on the Oloolua Nature Trail. Take a little break away from the noise and the hubbub of the city, and stretch your legs in this quiet unwinding environment.
• ✨ Go up to the Top of The Kenya International Conference Centre (the K.I.C.C Helipad would be best)… The best place to get a 360-degree view of Nairobi in all its sun-bathed splendour.
  Our advice – Go out of rush hours… to prevent serious traffic… and negotiate a rate 🙂

Somewhere Fun to Stay for a Night or Two

If you book through us, you’ll get discounted rates:

4 to 5 Star

• 🐾 Stay in Nairobi National Park – at either the 5* game lodge Emakoko or the 4-5* Farm to fork Ololo Safari Lodge for a night or two.
• 🐾 For a bit of elegance and the warmest pool all year around, we’d highly recommend the new & improved 4-5* Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages.
• 🐾 If you have cleaner or older kids than I have, how about a night of Lamu luxury in Manzili House in leafy Karen… it’s beautiful.

3 to 4 Star

• 🏠 Stay near Westlands at the Hob House – which offers you a beautiful home away from home with great hospitality and the best breakfast in town.
• 🏠 Or in Langata, a stone’s throw from the Giraffe Centre, the Sheldrick elephants is Macushla House. We love this small, leafy hotel, bursting with colourful characters and a lovely pool for the kids.

Beautiful BnB’s

• 🌿 Go and stay on a tea farm, in the Fig & Olive little wooden cabin surrounded by tea in Tigoni (one hour from Nairobi).
• 🌿 Edaala Comfort Cottage Rooms – Charming Kenyan family and charming Kenyan place. Situated in leafy Langata it features simple but very comfortable and very clean self-contained cottages in the garden of a family home.
• 🌿 A night in leafy Karen, on a double decker bus! – Oh yes, it is a converted bus in the quiet leafy Nairobi suburb of Karen. An incredible adventure for a family, go and stay here, take some supper with you and spend a night on this bus.

To book any of the above, as well as an adventure, get in touch. There is a tonne of other fun to be had in Nairobi, from ice skating to GP Karting, horse racing to rallying, visiting malls to amazing restaurants, sooooo many incredible restaurants… but we have stuck to ‘safari & adventurous’ options.
Enjoy our beautiful country.

Exciting, educational & enthralling activities for you and your kids to enjoy, together, in Nairobi

All our blogs are born from our adventures as The SAFARI Company. A safari operator that organizes unique family-friendly safari and beach adventures throughout Africa.

We pride ourself in taking you away from the mainstream and rather let you in on the extraordinary, the beautiful, the quirky and the off-the-beaten-track destinations that will be loved by all.

In order to find these gorgeous places and experiences, we have our fingers on the pulse and our toes in the dust….. as a result of this, we love to share our findings with you. This time, please see our thorough Recommended Eateries List in Nairobi.

We’re so sorry if we’ve missed you out or got something wrong. This blog is, like all blogs, a constant work in progress, so please do let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Incredible Art & Culture:

1. Visit an Art Gallery – Kenya is full of great local artists for kids to enjoy. Try the Nairobi Gallery, Banana Hill Art Galleries, The GoDown Arts Centre or MattBronze (sculpted Bronze) etc.
   Our advice – If you need help, let us know your interests & location, then we will suggest the best for you.
2. Go on a tour & lunch at Kitengela Hot Glass & Glasstronomique Café – visit a charming glass-blowing studio near Nairobi National Park, you can also have lunch and a swim here (this could also be done with the park day)… and even stay.
   Our advice – Call to Pre-Book. Opening hours are Tuesday – Saturday 0800 – 1630 or Sunday & Monday 0800 – 1300. All other areas of the studio & café are open till 1630.
3. Nai Nami (Nairobi With Me) – is an inspirational “off-the-beaten-track” 3-hour walking experience of Downtown Nairobi, guided by youth from slums who raised themselves on the streets of Nairobi.
   Our advice – Great for older kids!
4. Street art tour of Kibera with local artists with Saviour – Look beyond the stereotypes and see Kibera through the eyes of the young artists who live there.
5. Visit Kibera Slum & HELP – We highly recommend the fantastic One Horizon who run a community centre in Kibera catering for the needs of 300 children and their parents.
   Our advice – Go!!! A life changing experience for adults & children.
6. Go and see an art performance, a play, a musical, dance – and/or another production at The Kenya National Theatre, The Phoenix Players or a host of other places.
   Our advice – Ask us where the best performance is on at any one time.
7. Visit the Kazuri Bead Workshop – where the women show you every step of the ceramic jewellery manufacturing process.
8. Go Granny Go – this is a lovely ‘helping’ day that most of our clients of all ages say ‘That was the best day of my life’ when they do it.
9. Visit the Masai Market. It’s bright, cheerful and lively!!! You can buy a variety of artefacts, ornaments, home décor and clothes from around Kenya, and Africa.
   Our advice – Remember to bargain .. and these are the days:
   • On Tuesdays – Kijabe St Pk next to Nairobi River & Prestige Plaza, Ngong rd.
   • On Wednesdays – Capital Centre, Mombasa rd.
   • On Thursdays – The Junction Mall & Ngong rd.
   • On Fridays – The Village Market, Limuru rd.
   • On Saturdays – High court parking, City Centre opp. Re-Insurance Plaza & Prestige Plaza, Ngong rd.
   • On Sundays – Yaya Centre, Valley Rd, Hurlingham.

It’s all about the animals:

1. Feed the giraffes at The Giraffe Centre – Truly an experience of a lifetime for both adults and children.
   Our advice – Open from 9:00am to 5:00pm every day. Go early to miss the crowds… Plus, go on the nature walk, it’s lovely.
2. Go on a picnic in Nairobi National Park! A Perfect Kids Activity. Go on a game drive and see the incredible amount of wildlife in this city-bordering park and either have a lovely picnic under an Acacia Tree or lunch at Ololo Lodge.
   Cost – From however much you would like to spend on a picnic or Kshs3,500 / USD 35 per person for lunch excluding drinks at the charming Ololo Lodge.
   Our advice – go with someone who knows, you’ll see a lot more and the day will be more fun!
3. Visit The Nairobi National Museum & Snake Park – Four pillars of Kenya’s national heritage – nature, culture, history and contemporary art.
   Our advice – The museum is open 365 days a year, from 8:30 to 15:30, go early to miss the crowds.
4. Last but by no means least, adopt a baby Elephant at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Langata – Play with it, feed and get to know it.
   Our advice – Book early, this is VERY popular!

Deliciousness:

1. Go on a tour & lunch at a delicious lunch on a tea farm. This wonderful farm in Limuru provides a tranquil insight into life on a tea farm, a beautiful guided forest walk and a delicious lunch.
   Our advice – Book first (through us if you like) and then arrive at 11am.
2. Go on a Brown’s Cheese Factory & Farm Tour followed by a scrumptious Farm to Fork lunch – In the rolling hills of Limuru, it is well worth your while coming here for a 3-course lunch at the Brown’s farm.
   Our advice – Six person minimum or Kshs 24,000 (USD240) minimum cost. Always call to book.
3. Coffee Tours around Karunguru Estate Coffee Farm – A tour that will take you through the journey that coffee has to go through before getting to your cup. The tour includes a simple lunch.
4. Try traditional African Cuisine – Nyama Choma is the typical Kenyan barbeque, usually consisting of goat meat served with other delicious treats.
   Our advice – We suggest the following places if you want to try a traditional meal:
   • K’osewe Ronalo Foods – Kimathi street in the city center.
   • Kilimanjaro Jamia Restaurant – famous for Somali and Swahili dishes like pilau, biryani, and camel meat.
   • Le Palanka – Fine African Cuisine.
   • Amaica on Ngongo Road and JKIA – Serving Authentic African Cuisine, including rare indigenous delicacies.

Click here for our comprehensive list of Recommended Eateries in Nairobi

Beautiful Exercise:

• ✨ Visit Karura Forest – 1,000 acres of wonderful forest was recently resurrected to its former beauty by The Friends of Karura Forest. You can escape Nairobi, with your kids and actively visit the caves, waterfalls, rivers and incredible flora and fauna.
  Our advice – To go for a picnic, you must pre-book.
• ✨ Take a walk on the Oloolua Nature Trail. Take a little break away from the noise and the hubbub of the city, and stretch your legs in this quiet unwinding environment.
• ✨ Go up to the Top of The Kenya International Conference Centre (the K.I.C.C Helipad would be best)… The best place to get a 360-degree view of Nairobi in all its sun-bathed splendour.
  Our advice – Go out of rush hours… to prevent serious traffic… and negotiate a rate 🙂

Somewhere Fun to Stay for a Night or Two

If you book through us, you’ll get discounted rates:

4 to 5 Star

• 🐾 Stay in Nairobi National Park – at either the 5* game lodge Emakoko or the 4-5* Farm to fork Ololo Safari Lodge for a night or two.
• 🐾 For a bit of elegance and the warmest pool all year around, we’d highly recommend the new & improved 4-5* Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages.
• 🐾 If you have cleaner or older kids than I have, how about a night of Lamu luxury in Manzili House in leafy Karen… it’s beautiful.

3 to 4 Star

• 🏠 Stay near Westlands at the Hob House – which offers you a beautiful home away from home with great hospitality and the best breakfast in town.
• 🏠 Or in Langata, a stone’s throw from the Giraffe Centre, the Sheldrick elephants is Macushla House. We love this small, leafy hotel, bursting with colourful characters and a lovely pool for the kids.

Beautiful BnB’s

• 🌿 Go and stay on a tea farm, in the Fig & Olive little wooden cabin surrounded by tea in Tigoni (one hour from Nairobi).
• 🌿 Edaala Comfort Cottage Rooms – Charming Kenyan family and charming Kenyan place. Situated in leafy Langata it features simple but very comfortable and very clean self-contained cottages in the garden of a family home.
• 🌿 A night in leafy Karen, on a double decker bus! – Oh yes, it is a converted bus in the quiet leafy Nairobi suburb of Karen. An incredible adventure for a family, go and stay here, take some supper with you and spend a night on this bus.

To book any of the above, as well as an adventure, get in touch. There is a tonne of other fun to be had in Nairobi, from ice skating to GP Karting, horse racing to rallying, visiting malls to amazing restaurants, sooooo many incredible restaurants… but we have stuck to ‘safari & adventurous’ options.
Enjoy our beautiful country.