The Top 50 Places to Visit & Things to Do in Nairobi, Kenya 2019
“Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times”
It’s a New Year. The world is calling us to go out and explore places, to go on an adventure, to travel, to wander and to experience.
Part of my New Year’s commitment is to travel across Kenya as much as possible and experience the side of the country I never had a chance to.
Whatever your travel goals are, it is time to get started with planning. Whether it is domestic travel or backpacking around the World, you can achieve it if you start now.
As the saying goes, “sometimes you don’t have to travel too far away from home to find the most adorable places you’ve ever seen”.
Nairobi is one of the unique destinations in the world. There is a lot to see and experience but not many of us would consider the city as worth exploring. Many people have traveled from far to come and experience the beauty of the city and its remarkable history.
If you are keen on wandering in Nairobi, here is a list of things to do and places to visit within or on the outskirts of the city.
Times Tower In Nairobi
Top Things to do and places to visit in Nairobi on a Budget 2019 – Nairobi City Center
#1 August 7th Memorial Park
About: The Park stands at the site of the former USA Embassy in Kenya. It serves as a memorial Park to remember people who lost their lives on August 7, 1998, through a terrorist bomb attack.
Location: Junction of Haile Selassie Avenue and Moi Avenue
Entrance Fees: Kshs 30
#2 Cameo Cinema
About: This is an old building constructed in 1912 as the Theatre Royal. It now hosts Subway Kenya, Cameo Casino, and Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company
Location: Along Kenyatta Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#3 City Market
About: This is one of the oldest fish, beef, flower, grocery, and jewelry and handicrafts formal market in Kenya.
Location: At the end of Kigali Rd along Muindi Mbingu Street.
Entrance Fees: Free
#4 Dedan Kimathi Statue
About: This Statue was erected to honor Field Marshall Dedan Kimathi who was the most influential leader of the Mau Mau Rebellion. Kimathi was caught and executed by the colonial rulers in 1957
Location: Junction of Mama Ngina and Kimathi Street
Fees: Free
#5 Tom Mboya Statue
About: This is the statue of Tom Mboya who was an independence activist and one of the founding fathers of Kenya.
Location: Along Moi Avenue close to the National Archives
Fees: Free
#6 Bull Café
About: The Café was used to house Indian railway laborers during the colonial era in a kind of dorm room. It is on the first floor of Deekee Holdings Building along River road.
Location: Junction of Ngariama road and River Road Nairobi
Entrance Fees: Free
#7 Bohra Mosque
About: This is one of the oldest Mosques in Kenya built by and for the Nairobi’s Bohra Community. The community composed of the most notable business people and investors in Nairobi including Jeevanjee who started the city of Nairobi.
Location: Along Lagos Road
Entrance Fees: Free
#8 Jeevanjee gardens
About: The gardens were named after and donated by AM Jeevanjee who started the city of Nairobi and one of the first Bohras to settle in Nairobi.
Location: Along Moi Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#9 Kenyatta International Convention Center
Location: Between City Hall Way and Harambee Avenue. The main gate is located opposite the City Hall.
Entrance Fees: Kshs 250 for Locals and Kshs 1000 for Non-residents
#10 Kenya Railway Museum
Location: Off workshop road next to Technical University of Kenya
Entrance Fees: Kshs 250 for Locals and Kshs 1000 for Non-residents
#11 Khoja Mosque
About: Also known as JamatKhana Building, Khoja Mosque is located at the junction of Nairobi’s Moi Avenue and the beginning of River Road. It was completed in 1922 for the Shah Ismailia Community (Agha Khan).
Location: Junction of Moi Avenue and River Road
Entrance Fees: Free
#12 Biashara Street
Location: Stretches from Cooperative Bank Moi Avenue to Muindi Mbingu Street
Entrance Fees: Free
#13 Kipande House
About: Kipande is a Swahili word for Identity cards. This building was used as the registration center for Africans who used to work in Nairobi during the colonial period. Kipande house is now used as the Kenyatta Avenue Branch of KCB bank.
Location: Kenyatta Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#14 McMillan Library
About: This is Kenya’s biggest public library run by the city council of Nairobi since 1932. It was built during the colonial era and still retains its beautiful architectural design.
Location: Along Banda Street close to Jamia Mosque
Entrance Fees: Free
#15 Kenyatta Mausoleum
About: This is the resting place for the first President of Kenya (Mzee Jomo Kenyatta)
Location: Parliament road
Entrance Fees: Free (Watch it from the road)
#16 Parliament Building
Location: Parliament road
Entrance Fees: Free
#17 Phoenix Theatre
Location: Along Parliament road between Red cross Lane and St. John’s gate
Entrance Fees: Free (Closed but you can still view the building)
#18 Prembro House
Location: Biashara Street, Nairobi
Entrance Fees: Free
#19 Standard Chartered Building
About: Formally used to be known as Torr’s hotel in the colonial times. This was one of the major hotels in Nairobi then. The building now serves as Kenyatta Avenue branch of Standard Chartered Bank.
Location: Along Kenyatta Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#20 War Memorial Pillar
About: This pillar commemorates the Carrier corps who were the African soldiers during the colonial rule.
Location: Along Kenyatta Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#21 The Galton Fenzi Memorial Stone
About: The stone stands at the point which is considered as the center of Nairobi.
Location: Along Kenyatta Avenue
Entrance Fees: Free
#22 Old Mutual Building
About: This is the original headquarters of the Old Mutual in Nairobi. The building is one of the oldest in Nairobi and best-known landmarks. It was erected in the 1930’s and expanded in the ’50s. Old Mutual Building has since been declared as one of the protected buildings by the National Museums of Kenya.
Location: Along Kimathi Street
Entrance Fees: Free
#23 National Archives
About: The Building has a British architectural design and used to serve as the Bank of India. It was built in 1906 and now serves as the custodian of Government archives and records. National archives have a collection of stamps, tribal weaponry, drums, masks, artifacts, instruments, clothes, and other ancient items.
Location: Along Moi Avenue opposite Nairobi’s Hilton hotel
Entrance Fees: Kshs 50
#24 Maasai Market
Location; The Maasai markets are held in different locations throughout the week as follows;
- Saturday: High Court Car Park (Nairobi City Center)
- Sunday: High Court Car Park (Nairobi City Center)
- Tuesday: Prestige Plaza (Ngong Road)
- Wednesday: Capital Center Mall (Mombasa Road)
- Thursday: The junction Shopping Mall (Ngong Road)
- Friday: Village Market & Lavington Mall
Entrance Fees: Free
#25 Rahimtulla Trust Library
About: It was built by Rahimtulla and serves as a public library in Nairobi.
Location: Mfangano Street
Entrance Fees: Free (Last I checked it was closed down)
Zebras at the Nairobi National Park
List of 25 Things to do and places to visit in Nairobi, Kenya on a budget 2019 – Nairobi Outskirts
#1 Nairobi National Park
#2 Uhuru Gardens Memorial Park
#3 Nairobi Safari Walk
#4 Nairobi Orphanage
#5 Daphne Sheldrick elephant orphanage
#6 Giraffe Center
#7 Karen Blixen Museum
#8 Kazuri Bead Factory
#9 Bomas of Kenya
#10 Nairobi Arboretum
#11 Gikomba Market
#12 Uhuru and Central Park
#13 Central Park Monument
#14 Nairobi National Museum
#15 Siri Gurdwara Ramgharia
#16 National Theatre
#17 Nairobi Club
#18 Paradise Lost
#19 Karura Forest
#20 Ngong Hills
#21 Shaffi Mosque
#22 RaMoMa (Rahimtulla Museum of modern art)
#23 City Park
#24 Makhan Singh House
#25 Mamba Village
#26 Stedmark gardens
Maasai Market
Conclusion
With all the places listed above, you have a choice of many places to visit within Nairobi City. Leave a comment with some of the other places worth visiting in the City and its Environs.
