What to do and see in Nairobi, Kenya: The Best Cultural Tours

July 4, 2021 Margarita Chappel

Known as the safari capital of Africa, Nairobi is an energetic, modern city that serves as a fascinating introduction to both wildlife and nightlife. Music clubs pulse with life, shops and markets bustle, and a mélange of restaurants will tempt your palate in this former Maasai watering hole. Top sights include the Karen Blixen Museum, Giraffe Centre and the black rhinos of Nairobi National Park. The compact city center is safe to walk in and taxis make other areas accessible.
Restaurants in Nairobi

1. Maasai Magic - A Day Which You Will Never Forget

One Horizon Africa
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5.0 based on 8 reviews

Maasai Magic is a tour in the Magical Kenya Signature Experience Collection – curated, unique, authentic and exceptional once-in-a-lifetime Kenyan travel experiences accredited by the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) This One Horizon day tour is a magical opportunity to connect with Kenya’s proud Maasai people in an authentic and interactive way by becoming part of the hustle and bustle of Maasai village life. Having maintained a semi-nomadic way of life on their communal lands for centuries, the Maasai are well-known for their distinctive dress, valued customs and unique social and family structures, which include rites of passage and revered respect for elders. On this fun and insightful day, you'll take part in the rituals of the warriors, perform daily tasks with the women, and share much laughter and many ideas as you listen to fascinating stories and folklore.

Inclusions: Lunch, Bottled Water, Tea or Coffee, Fresh Fruit, Return transfers from your hotel in air conditioned vehicles, 20 images of your visit

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Reviewed By TrekTruckTrainonFBk

I had grand plans on arrival in Kenya to do a couple of the One Horizon tours, however had issues with their booking system only booking for the day after tomorrow. This led to phone calls with owner-operator Colin, who was able to accomodate me with both tours I wanted in a half-day personalised tour. I was met by Carol at my hotel and travelled to meet mothers with HIV thriving thanks to a two-year rehabilitation program that teaches them trade and entrepreneurial skills so they can set up their own business to support their families. There I also met Solomon (and Colin, briefly) and together we travelled on to meet two grandmothers thriving off pig-farming and able to support their families for the first time in their lives. I honestly could write tons about these experiences, but I will keep it to this: being a development graduate, I know what good charity and bad charity looks like. Colin gets in there and asks what is needed in the community and then makes it happen. The programs come from the community and the community thrives because of it. This is charity at its best. All of the women but particularly the warm hospitality shown by the grandmothers and Carol and Solomon over a lunch we made together, hearing stories about Kenyan life, the struggles, was probably the single best tourism experience I ever had. Carol and Solomon answered every question I had and then some, and I felt so inspired by their hard work and dedication. Travelling for another two months across Africa this tour remained my number one experience and takeaway of what Africa is. I cannot recommend One Horizon highly enough.

2. 4 Day Masai Mara Safari

Shoor Safaris Kenya
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5.0 based on 12 reviews

Masai Mara is one of the most famous wildlife conservation areas in the world, with a rich & varied collection of African wildlife. This 4 day Masai Mara Safari by road offers you a superior safari experience with accommodation in quality safari lodges and with six exciting, fully private game-drives inside the main Masai Mara National Reserve. You also get an option of adding several activities at an extra cost such as Hot Air Balloon Flight, Nature walks and relaxing massage during your trip. The tour departs daily, subject to availability, starting and ending in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. This tour is ideal for tourists arriving on the morning flights into Nairobi from US, UK and India markets as they do not require an overnight stay in the city prior to the Safari. Travelers from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE if arriving on the Emirates and Ethihad flights will most likely require an overnight in Nairobi.

Inclusions: Lunch, Lunch, Breakfast, Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, 3 nights accommodation, Driver/guide, Private tour, Round-trip private transfer, Transport by air-conditioned minivan, All Fees and Taxes, Park Entry Fees

Exclusions: International flight tickets and visa costs., Tips, drinks, laundry, calls, and all such costs of a personal nature.

Reviewed By jasminn244

We had an absolutely amazing time and it was a breathtaking and wonderful experience. To be honest I think everybody should do a safari once in their lifetime! And if you can, you should definitely do that with Shoor Travel! Right from the start we have been in contact with Jane, who assisted us in organizing everything. As you can imagine we had a ton of questions, especially as my partner and I (36&32) were travelling with my parents (61&77) and wanted to ensure we have a very smooth trip. Jane was super patient, always very professionell and helpful and really a true angel. We cannot thank her enough. Jane is amazing! We were 6 days on the road with our driver guide John. He was an incredibly awesome, kind and knowledgeable guide, we had so much fun with him and the whole family enjoyed every minute of the tour. He is a really great guy and we appreciate him so very much! Furthermore we were soooo happy about the cozy bus with comfortable seats and pop up roof. We got into one of the Jeeps for the Balloon Safari and... Yes they do look nice and kind of super safari fancy but they are incredibly uncomfortable and everybody was happy to get into "our bus" afterwards. So please please keep those busses. We also added a few extra activities like the mentioned Baloon safari in Masai mara, a boat safari at lake Naivasha, a Massai village Visit and everything was perfectly organized. Furthermore the recommended hotels were simply amazing. We absolutely loved Serena Amboseli lodge and also liked the Lake Naivasha Country Club very much. The booked Kekooro Lodge in Masai Mara was not our favorite, but this has to do with the hotels very poor management and policy regarding drivers and guides, but this is a complete other story and has nothing to do with Shoor travel. To keep a long story short and wrap this up. We can only say THANK YOU Jane, THANK YOU John and thank you shoor travel for a once in a lifetime experience. If we ever have the chance to come to do a Safari again we will definitely book with you!

3. NAI NAMI: Nairobi Storytelling Tour with Street Children

Bata, Watalii St, Nairobi City, Kenya Nai Nami - Our Streets. Our Stories.
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5.0 based on 282 reviews

With Nai Nami, you have the opportunity to experience the real Nairobi through the eyes of street children. Get inspired by their life stories and learn from their street skills! Nai Nami is a social enterprise with the aim to give disadvantaged youth from slums a future in life. We do this by building on their street skills and life stories.

Inclusions: Personal guide, Local lunch, Soft drinks, Lunch

Exclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off: The tour starts and ends in front of Bata Shop at Hilton Hotel in Nairobi CBD

Reviewed By sambissett

Coming to Nairobi, we were contemplating doing a Kibera tour. However, despite the fact the money goes back into the slum, we felt that it was still unethical tourism. Then I stumbled across this tour! Truly one of the best things I've ever done. Our guides, Mrembe and Typhoon were hilarious. Lots of laughs were had throughout the tour, and they introduced us to so many of their friends on the street. It's very eye opening to hear their stories about growing up on the streets, but it's also great to see where these guys are now, and making something of their lives. We got to see 'the real Nairobi'; certainly parts of the city ('downtown') that we wouldn't/shouldn't have ventured into on our own. We felt 100% safe with our guides the whole time, and it was overall an amazing experience. The tour finished up with lunch in a local kibanda (veg options available), which was delicious. If you do ONE thing in Nairobi, make it this.

4. Lonely Planet Experiences: Private Day Tour with the Maasai Tribe

Kenya Comfort Suites, Junction of Jakaya Kikwete and Ralph Bunche Roads Milimani Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi Urban Adventures
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5.0 based on 42 reviews

Experience the best travel stories for yourself! Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this Lonely Planet Experience powered by Urban Adventures. Experience the best travel stories for yourself! Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this Lonely Planet Experience powered by Urban Adventures. Spend time with Kenya’s Masai tribe and gain insight into the cultures and traditions of Africa on this small-group full-day tour from Nairobi. Visit a Masai village in Kenya's Ngong Hills with a guide, and learn of the role jewelry-making plays in local customs. Follow hints and tips to create your own piece of Masai jewelry, then enjoy a performance of traditional song and dance. Enjoy personalized attention from a guide on this small-group tour, limited to 12 people. This 7.5-hour tour includes pickup and drop-off at your Nairobi hotel.

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, Drop-off at your hotel, Unlimited bottled water, Tea and coffee, Light snacks, Wristband, Photographs of you and the group (3 to 4 images for each person and group)

Exclusions: Other souvenirs and personal items, Pick Up at Your Hotel

Reviewed By Druxilla80

Highly recommend this full day tour of Nairobi if you only have one day in the city! Visiting the Giraffe Centre and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in the morning is advisable to beat the crowds. The Giraffe Centre is a must - feeding and kissing giraffes and learning about the conservation and education the centre provides is an amazing experience. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is close by, and our guide Stephanie made sure we arrived early and secured us a perfect spot to view all the baby elephants. We had a solid hour learning about how the foundation saves orphaned baby elephants, and lots of opportunities to observe all the adorable baby elephants and how they are fed and looked after. Warning: you will definitely want to adopt one after! After a delicious traditional Kenyan lunch, we continued with Stephanie for a tour of Nairobi. We really enjoyed the views from the helicopter pad, and found the Archives and National Museum interesting. Stephanie was so friendly and knowledgeable, we were lucky to have her as our guide.

5. Kevins Kibera Slum Tours

Kevin’s Kibera Slum Tours
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4.9 based on 49 reviews

Profit from your booking will be used to support the local community and send children to school. Kevin spends his whole life in Kibera and he can tell you stories, show you places. Kevin rescued a few street children and put them in orphanage school and the kids consider him Big Brother.

Inclusions: Kibera guide

Exclusions: Food and drinks

Reviewed By Claudiaa000

Kevin gave me and my parents an amazing tour of Kibera. We met his family and friends and got firsthand information on what life is like in Kibera. Everyone we encountered was very friendly. I recommend Kevin’s tour to everyone who visits Nairobi. By booking this tour you are not only visiting Kibera, you are also helping out the Kibera residents because Kevin puts that money into local projects to help his neighbors and community. Thank you Kevin!!!

6. 1 Day Tour Lake Naivasha And Hell's Gate From Nairobi Daily Trips

day to day safaris
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4.9 based on 7 reviews

1. Hell’s Gate is one of Kenya’s smaller national parks, which can be explored on foot.A game walk or bicycle (optional ) ride amid gracefully grazing gazelles,larger antelopes,Zebras and Giraffe is a delightful experience Take a nature walk at the shores of the lake and a boat-ride to view Hippos,Buffalo,Water buck,Antelope,Giraffes,Zebra among others. 2. Hell's Gate National Park is a park located between Lake Naivasha and the Longonot and Suswa volcanoes. It is covered by ashes from the Longonot eruption which occurred 100 years ago, the park is famous for its geothermal station, Lower Gorge and spectacular sceneries (cliffs, volcanoes gorges, geothermal steam). : Kindly note that the Amount of Entry Fees is Usd 26 which is not included and is payable by visa card or credit card, No cash payment.

Inclusions: Bottled water, Driver/guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Transport by air-conditioned minivan

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase), Souvenir photos (available to purchase), All Fees and Taxes

Reviewed By victoriacR8313OA

Incredible experience! Saw 4/5 the big five on this epic journey. The drive from Nairobi was long, but the driver made it fun with playing local music. The camp we stayed at was great, food was good, tents were clean, and we had hot water/shower/sink/toilet. The safari was incredible, and our driver made sure we saw as much as we could. We watched the sunset in the park during the sunset drive and the sunrise the next morning during the sunrise drive. We also visited the Masai Mara village which was such an interesting experience. 100% recommend the safari and village tour with day2daysafaris. Also, if you're wondering about traveling during the pandemic, everything was safe and recommend traveling now as there are very few tourists.

7. Nairobi Maasai Village Day Tour

Safari Port
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4.8 based on 13 reviews

Get a Day to Day Experience with Masai Community. Learn how women prepare food & cook,weave Necklaces & Wrist bands, how the milk goats and many other lessons to from the community. Visit the Cattle Market and the shopping town. The Maasai community  live in small mud-thatched villages, surrounded by their cattle and smaller livestock. For hundreds of years the Masai have roamed these lands of Kenya and Tanzania, living a free, nomadic lifestyle. Their traditional lands now comprise much of Kenya’s national parks. A highlight of your safari vacation is a visit with these Maasai people. Many of the tribes welcome visitors to their villages to view up close their culture and lifestyle.

Inclusions: Driver/guide, Local guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Live entertainment, Private tour

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Lunch, Gratuities, Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Reviewed By mellie075

It was a great tour. You can see the coffee process from the beginning to the end. And the end of the tour, you can tast different kind of coffees. Obed was a fantastic professional guide. Very friendly and respectful. You can ask him everything you want, and he can tell you.

8. See Kibera with a Non-Profit Leader

Yaya Centre, Argwings Kodhek Rd, Nairobi, Kenya Seed Foundation
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4.6 based on 84 reviews

Our tour brings you home to the humble lives of Kibera informal residents and you get a first hand encounter to their daily endavours and struggles to have a transformed future. Come listen to their eye opening stories of optimism and hope.

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Reviewed By elmrlo

Highly recommend this tour of the Kibera slums. Our guides Winnie and Willie were gracious and engaged and gave us an insiders look at life inside the Kibera slums. The proceeds of the tour go to support the educational mission inside the slum - which made it all the more worth the time.

9. 4-Day Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari from Nairobi

Bencia Africa Adventure & Safaris
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4.6 based on 34 reviews

Discover the Masai Mara National Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park on a 4-day tour from Nairobi with transfers from the city’s hotels and airports. Go deep into the African plains and set out on daily game drives across the park. All the Big Five are here with many mammals and birds in this Masai Mara plain. Watch for the animals that emerge at dusk, see hippos and crocodiles along the banks of the Mara River, see the park’s stunning ‘Great Migration'. Feast your eyes with sightings of flamingos and White Rhinos in Lake Nakuru. • Safari is all inclusive, joining a small group (max. 6 pax)  • Accommodation with meals based on tour option chosen at time of booking • Accommodation includes big bed, linen, towels, toilet and bathroom inside. Hot water and electricity are available on schedule

Inclusions: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Pick up and drop off at your location in Nairobi, Transport in a safari-modified minivan, pop-up roof, fully equipped, each person near the window, 1 liter of bottled water per person per day in a vehicle, Professional english-speaking driver, guide, All safari game-drives as per itinerary, All entry fees and taxes, Air rescue by AMREF

Exclusions: Alcohol drinks, beverages - available to purchase, Cultural visits to maasai villages (15 USD p/p) - option, Airport pickup / drop off, remote locations (20 USD per group)

Reviewed By jeanpr92

This is an amazing tour!! From the lunch, the guide brought us to a really tasty roadside restaurant for lunch that is clean and super tasty food. And the lodge was superb! It was close to the National Park! We saw all the Big 5 and the driver was amazing and focused on having the guests see all of the animals as his goal! This is a once of a lifetime experience I cannot recommend highly enough!

10. Half-Day Cultural Tour to Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi

Gracepatt Ecotours Kenya
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4.5 based on 10 reviews

Explore the traditional lifestyle of Kenyan tribes at Bomas of Kenya, a tourist village located around 10 kilometres from the capital city of Nairobi. A half day tour of the village is enough to learn and understand the cultural heritage of Kenya. You will enjoy traditional dance performances, songs and folklore during your visit here. A jaw-dropping acrobatic show is a much loved attraction at Bomas of Kenya

Inclusions: Visit to Bomas of Kenya, Professional English speaking guides, Pickup from your hotel in Nairobi and drop-off to your hotel

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase), Food and drinks, Gratuities, Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Reviewed By IuliaAlexandra1

Gracepat was an amazing safari experience on a decent budget that I recommend to all my friends and travel groups. What made it even more special was Kelvin, our guide. He is a professional, very knowledgeable, poly, people caring and always striving to make us happy and exceed our expectation. He loves and respects the nature and he knows everithing about wildlife. He knows all the animals, birds and all about the african culture. There was no question we asked that he did not know the answer. He is also an expert driver in all types of terrain, starting from the wet and muddy conditions to the dry ones. Incredible Safary Experience :) !

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