The Most Unique Things To Do In Nairobi

Nairobi offers eclectic choices of things to do for the adventurous soul. One minute you could be dining in a fine restaurant and the next you are dancing to the rhythm of traditional drums at a cultural night. Read on to see the most wonderfully unique things you can do in the capital city of Kenya.

Attend a cultural night

The various tribes in Kenya take turns hosting a cultural night where they showcase their culture and traditions. Traditional food is served and the audience is treated to an entire night of music exclusively from the tribe. If you are looking to enjoy culture and have a taste of indigenous Kenyan cuisine, go for a cultural night. These cultural nights also celebrate cultures from neighboring countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi.

Take a matatu ride

Eat ugali and nyama choma

Nyama choma is a delicacy that can be compare to the Brazilian churrascaria or the South African braai. The meat is roasted on an open coal fire and is served with ugali (the local cornmeal staple) and a finely chopped mixture of tomatoes, red onions, pepper and coriander, locally known as kachumbari. This meal is usually followed by a cold Tusker, the infamous Kenyan beer.

Explore the local slums

A visit to the largest slum dwelling in sub-Saharan Africa will open your heart to the challenges faced in informal settlements, and is a great experience for anyone looking to support initiatives in these slum areas. The tours are conducted by young guides who have lived in the slums and have been vetted by the Kibera Slum Tours organization.

Go thrift shopping

Thrift markets are wonderful places to interact with locals and see how vendors market their goods. Look out for singing vendors, often a male and female duet that moves through the crowds describing their goods and wares to passersby.

Stargaze from the KICC

The KICC (Kenyatta International Conference Center) is the tallest building in Nairobi, and its rooftop offers panoramic views of the city. It is the best seat in the house when it comes to watching the African sunset, while the stars at night offer a most romantic backdrop.

Visit the Unites Nations Headquarters in Africa

A tour of the United Nations HQ in Africa, which is located at Gigiri in Nairobi allows you to see the United Nations hub at work, and maybe even an African dignitary or two. It is one of the four possible tours one can take of UN headquarters in the world, the others being in New York, Geneva and Vienna.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.