My two visits to Nairobi have both centered on education and connection. I first came last October for the Global Schools Forum, where I met inspiring school leaders from around the world. My most recent trip brought me back to kick off a partnership with Metis, a leadership development organization supporting educators across Kenya. Each visit has shown me more of Nairobi’s energy, warmth, and hospitality. With excellent dining, meaningful cultural and historic sites, and Nairobi National Park just minutes from downtown, the city is an ideal place to extend a work trip and experience Kenya beyond the meeting room.

Where to eat

The most exciting place to eat and tour is the Cultiva Kenya- a farm (and farm to table restaurant) with exquisite food, much of which is fresh from the adjacent grounds - you can take a self-guided tour to see for yourself how the food you ate was grown.

Recommended by friends who live in Nairobi and also topping the “50 World’s Best” list for Kenya, beit é selam has elegant dining with fusion food and a widely varied menu - something to offer for everyone from lamb burger to fresh fish, plus fresh appetizers like those pictured below.

Peppertree is a lovely spot to have a meal, above the Beer District bar, with a light, airy, plant-filled decor and a great variety of tasty dishes.

Chips and guacamole, salsa, and cauliflower “ceviche” at Peppertree

The Sarabi Rooftop in the Sankara offers great gin drinks, tacos, and more on the rooftop beside the pool, with expansive views of the Westlands neighborhood.

Chicken tinga tacos and passionfruit juice

Specialty gin and tonic at Sarabi Rooftop

The Utamaduni shops, a stop on our safari tour, had a bonus of a shop for souvenirs after a refreshing lunch in a lovely outdoor patio setting of the Courtyard Kitchen restaurant.

Thai Chi, recommended by a Nairobi local, has great Thai food and a tranquil outdoor setting, with heaters to warm the chill if you are having an evening meal.

For a quick meal right after visiting the National Museum of Kenya, stop at the Museum Heritage Restaurant, with outdoor seating just outside the museum.

Another local rec, Java House, a chain with various locations throughout Nairobi and Kenya, was a delicious and affordable way to get comfort food in the city.

Welcoming diner-style seating at Java House

Places to stay

The Sankara Autograph Collection is a wonderful place to stay in Nairobi, with exceptional service, great amenities, and a location close to stellar restaurants (walking distance to beit e selam and Peppertree.)

Suite at the Sankara (available as a complimentary platinum elite upgrade)

The Global Schools Forum conference hotels were the Ole Sereni and its somewhat fancier sister hotel the Emara Ole Sereni, both right across from Nairobi National Park, with sweeping park views and magnificent sunsets to view from either hotels’ rooftop pool.

The Emara Ole Sereni, the nicer sister property to the Ole Sereni, has a bit more luxury and larger more polished spaces.

Things to do

Start off with the NAI NAMI: Nairobi Storytelling Tour to get your bearings and see Nairobi city. During this tour you’ll learn from former street children who transformed their lives with the Nai Nami project. The tour includes a visit to the Kenyatta International Conference Center with views of the city from the top of the tower.

Visit the Nairobi Museum of Kenya, rich with the history of Kenya, its culture, and the animals that inhabit the country.

Tour the Kobe Tough bead making center, learn about how women have been empowered with the skill of bead making, and purchase incredible products in the attached shop.

With only a couple of days you may not have time to go to the well known and highly rated Masai Mara safari area (about a four hour drive away), but you can still get out to the park through the Nairobi National Park Tour that includes not only the park, but several other unique stops.

This safari package includes a visit to the Elephant Orphanage, part of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

The Giraffe Center is another stop on the full day safari tour - an educational experience where you are able to feed giraffes and learn about the important conservation work of the center.

Before leaving, get your souvenirs from the Spinners Web, a center with arts and crafts, furniture, fabrics, and a cafe in a plant-filled central area.

Souvenirs at Spinners Web shopping center

Next time…

The Maasai Mara tops our list for the next visit to Kenya. While Nairobi National Park offered a surprisingly rich glimpse of wildlife, complete with giraffes, lions, and rhinos just minutes from the city, I’m eager to experience a more immersive, remote safari next time. Kenya’s landscapes are vast and full of contrast, and the Mara promises a deeper connection to the country’s wild beauty that I can’t wait to explore.

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