15 Best day trips from Nairobi

Take one of these day trips from Nairobi and you can find yourself on top of a volcano, at the bottom of the longest rift on earth, on a Big 5 safari or sailing across a lake full of hippos. Nairobi is a cool city but what makes it magical is its proximity to nature.  

For day trips from Nairobi you can head north-west to the Great Rift Valley, that 7000 kilometres long jagged scar, that can be seen from space. The Rift is filled with dormant volcanoes, soda and freshwater lakes and an abundance of wildlife. To the east is Athi and the wildlife corridors that allow all of safaris best to pass between Nairobi National Park and Amboseli. Head south towards Tanzania, as the altitude falls from 2000 metres to below sea level, the temperatures rise and you hit the arid lands and soda lakes of Magadi. 

The best day trips from Nairobi will take you no longer than a couple of hours will guarantee that you will feel a million miles away from the bright city lights of Nairobi.

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The 15 best day trips from Nairobi

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Lake Naivasha

Naivasha is a 90 minute journey down the picturesque Great Rift Valley and one of the easiest day trips from Nairobi. Naivasha sits on the huge freshwater Lake Naivasha, and whilst the town itself is nothing to write home about the lake and its surrounds are magical. Lake Naivasha is famed for its hundreds of hippos that honk along the shoreline and glare balefully at you from the water. It has a great many birds including Cormorants, Pink Backed Pelicans, Herons, Kingfishers, Fish Eagles.  Goliath Heron, Jacana, Great White Egret, White Fronted Bee-eater and the Saddle- billed Stork. All along the shore of Lake Naivasha are conservancies where giraffe, zebra, buffalo, hyena, impala, gazelle, waterbuck, honey badger, jackals and many more are freely allowed to roam. Take a boat trip on the lake to get close up to the hippos or visit Crescent Island, or Sanctuary Farm, for on land animal encounters. Hit up Crater Lake, to view the emerald green lake in the centre of an extinct volcano. Or visit Hell’s Gate National Park with its canyons, hot springs and the ever-present Mount Longonot in its centre.  

Where to stay in Lake Naivasha

If you fancy camping then Camp Carnellys and Sanctuary Farm are highly recommended. They are both excellent starting points for novice campers in Kenya. 

For hotels I recommend Lake Naivasha Country Club which looks out over the Naivasha Yacht Club, has a pool, a lovely colonial feel and good food – Check latest prices here.

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Hell’s Gate National Park

The impossibly scenic Hell’s Gate National Park sits at the base of the Longonot volcano and adjacent to Lake Naivasha. Filled with plains animals and the odd errant leopard it is most famous for Hell’s Gate Gorge a narrow sandstone gorge that have been sculpted into eerie passageways by millennia of water. It is utterly beautiful but dangerous especially in wet weather where there have been fatal flash floods. Don’t let this put you off, stay safe by paying the local Maasai 500 bob for a guide. 

Other attractions within Hells Gate National park are Fischer’s Tower and Central Tower both popular rock climbing destinations, and the Hell’s Gate hot springs. 

Where to stay in Hell’s Gate National Park

The only accommodation within Hell’s Gate are KWS campsites and Bandas, for hotels and lodges you need to return to Naivasha or some of the many camps and houses along Moi South Road. My favourites are the lovely Kongoni Lodge – Check prices on TripAdvisor here or the Enashipai Resort – Check prices here

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Kiambethu Tea Farm 

Kiambethu Tea Farm a one-hour day trip from Nairobi is a tranquil haven of bright green tea and genteel walks. Kiambethu is run by Fiona whose family has been cultivating tea since the early 1900s. Take a walk through the farm and monkey filled forest and learn about the tradition and skills behind one of Kenya’s largest exports. Then make like royalty and sip tea followed by ice cream in the bird-filled garden. A three-course lunch is available but booking is essential. It’s a dreamy Nairobi day trip.

Where to stay at Kiambethu Tea Farm?

Why not try Thayu Farm Hotel? It keeps the farm feel and you get to stay in lovely leafy Limuru – check prices here

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The Forest Ziplining in Nairobi

The Forest is the premier place for ziplining in Kenya. Located in lush Kereita Forest just a one hour drive from Nairobi, ziplines whizz over trees and through a forest where you can ride horses, paintball, ride bikes or take a walk. Billed as a centre of activity it is the Flying Fox zip line that attracts people, with over 2km of frankly terrifying ziplines which take on average two hours. Calm your shaking nerves with lunch at the onsite restaurant.

Where to stay at The Forest?

The Forest has a campsite which is a good option for staying over. If you are looking for a hotel or house then head to Naivasha (look at options suggested for Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park)

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Swara Plains Conservancy 

Swara Plains Conservancy is located just on the outskirts of Nairobi, near the Lukenya Hills and Athi. Depending on the traffic the day trip to Athi takes just 40 minutes from Karen. Athi Plains is part of the wildlife corridor that runs from Nairobi National Park through to Amboseli and Tsavo National Park. It is a great choice for a Kenya safari day trip but the best thing about Swara Plains Nairobi is that you can go there to cycle. The flat and manageable roads offer over 100 kilometres of cycle track that even your kids can manage. If you are uncomfortable with the thought of riding past buffalo and lion then you can hire a ranger to cycle with you. Where else can you bike ride past giraffe and zebra with views of the Ngong Hills and (on a good day) Kilimanjaro?  

Where to stay at Swara Plains Conservancy?

Stay in Swara Plains Conservancy at the wonderful Swara Acacia Lodge (read my blog here). Affordable, great for kids and situated right in the conservancy.. The lodge has a pool, kids playground and a restaurant and bar. Swara Acacia Lodge the perfect family day trip from Nairobi. Check prices and reviews on TripAdvisor.

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Nairobi National Park 

Okay, so it’s not technically out of the city, but a visit to Nairobi National Park makes you feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi city. 112 sq km of savannah, woodland, rivers and valleys populated by lion, leopard, rhino, cheetah, buffalo, hyena, antelope and many more. Nairobi National Park the best, closest Nairobi day trip of them all. Animals aside, the parks sprawling vistas, wheat coloured savannah, sparkling dams, and tree-filled valleys are a glimpse of a bygone time and a breath of fresh country air.  

Where to stay near Nairobi National Park?

Karen borders Nairobi National Park and has four excellent choices that I highly recommend.  

5 star grandeur at Hemingways hotel – check prices here

Luxury bed at breakfast at Karen Gables – check prices here

Brand new hotel The Hermosa – check prices here

Towards the airport you can stay at the Emara Ole Sereni which has views over the park – check prices here

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Lake Magadi

It can be freezing in Nairobi but it’s always hot in Magadi. This is one of my favourite places to adventure, not only because it sometimes feels like stepping from winter to summer but also because the journey to Magadi is as pleasant as the destination. The day trip from Nairobi to Magadi takes under two hours and the journey is an incredible exploration through Maasai country. Spot remote villages, mud huts, Maasai people bedecked in jewels. I love this insight into a way of life that is so different from my own, and yet is the way many Kenyan people live. 

Magadi is famed for its soda lake, pinkly coloured with algae and flamingoes. In hot times the lake dries up and a layer of salt crusts the earth, its blinding brilliance is a photographers dream. Springs, too hot to bath in, feed the lake but you can try dipping you toes in the water which heats to 86 degrees. Despite its volcanic source the hot water is home to a particularly enduring species of fish that can live in extremely high temperatures. The land surrounding the lake is desert like and populated with hyena, zebra, giraffe. Further away from the lake the River Ewaso Ngiro supplies water to the Maasai and their cattle and the huge trees provides shade for leopard.

Where to stay in Lake Magadi 

There is little in the way of places to stay in Magadi. This is truly remote

The Magadi Tented Camp is your best bet in the immediate area. You can drive further to Shompole, nearly on the border of Tanzania and stay in the divine Shompole Wilderness luxury tented camp which overlooks the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro. 

Alternatively, do as we did and camp at Magadi. You can camp right on the lake shores or get a guide to take you to the river and camp in the shade of the trees. Both are an authentic wild camping experience. There are no facilities, you pitch your tent where ever you fancy and there are definitely wild animals around. Read my blog on wild camping at Magadi here.

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Champagne Ridge

Champagne Ridge is a spur of land that overlooks the Great Rift Valley and which has the most incredible views. Inhabited by local farmers and the odd luxury house, Champagne Ridge is mostly made up of undeveloped land, allowing giraffe, zebra, hyena, antelope, gazelle and even the leopard free rein. The views across the rift encompass two volcanoes and a smorgasbord of patchy fields, silvery lakes and in the far far distance Tanzania. Take a picnic, find an empty spot and spend the day admiring the views or book a house on ‘the ridge’ and make a weekend of it. 

Where to stay in Champagne Ridge?

I recommend Enkaji Osiwo a very affordable little house that sleeps four and has mindblowing views across the rift. Book Enkaji here 

Or the super swanky Iopoisen – check Booking.com prices here

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Kitengela Hot Glass 

Kitengela Hot Glass and Nani’s Kitengela are a 40-minute day trip from Nairobi. Kitengela crafts glass that is in demand all over the world. You can buy Kitengela glass online, or in one of their shops in Nairobi, but nothing beats a trip out to Kitengela itself. Kitengela is a psychedelic bombardment of the senses that starts when you see a car ploughed into the earth and apparently ripped in two by lightning. A series of artworks and frankly bizarre instalments that are dropped seemingly at random in a countryside filled with camels, cows and pigs. Kitengela glass looks over Nairobi National Park and it is entirely possible to game view from there but the fun is in witnessing the glass blowing and marvelling at the art and architecture. There is an onsite shop and a place where you can buy slightly imperfect glass for a fraction of the price. Kids will love hunting for glass offcuts and beads around the site and can stop for cake and hot chocolate when you are done exploring. 

Where to stay at Kitengela Glass?

Kitengela Glass is very close to Nairobi but if you want to make a week of it then why not try the sublime Ololo Safari Lodge. You can combine a game drive in Nairobi National Park with your overnight stay and you’ll be put up in total luxury. Check Ololo Safari Lodge prices here. 

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Lake Elementaita

The Nairobi day trip to Lake Elementaita takes approximately 2 and a half hours so you may prefer to travel here for the weekend.  

Lake Elementaita is a soda lake sitting between the Mau Escarpment and the Aberdares. At certain times of the year, the waters are home to 28% of the worlds flamingo population. The vast flocks and the powder pink of the algae that the flamingos eat, give the lake a picturesque blush that is rivalled only by Magadi. Unlike Magadi, Elementaita is in the highlands and the weather is temperate year-round. The shores of Elementaita are filled with game. Arguably the best place to view animals and get down to the lake is in Soysambu Conservancy. The conservancy has lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, zebra, giraffe impala, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle, reedbuck, steenbok, and klipspringer and baboon. Stop at Sunbird Lodge along the lakeshore for the best view of Elementaita’s sleeping warrior mountain. Food is mediocre but the booze and views are worth it. 

Where to stay in Lake Elementaita?

Stay in the super swanky Serena camp for world class accommodation ffrom a trusted brand – Check prices for Lake Elementaita Serena Camp here

For camping pitch a tent at Simons Camp in Soysambu for the best views across the lake and decent camping facilities. 

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Rafting on the Sagana River

Choose from two options for rafting on the Sagana River. You can head to Savage Wilderness which is slightly better equipped in terms of facilities or Rapids Sagana which beats Savage in its location as it’s right next to an immense waterfall. Both places are next door to each other and both guarantee endless fun. 

The big attraction in Sagana the white water rafting. For 7000 bob per person you can make a day of it and raft 6km of rapids filled river. If the thought of a few hours spent soaking wet and possibly terrified for your life doesn’t appeal then there are plenty of more gentle activities. Check out the kayaks, geckos (small dinghies suitable for children), zipline, swim in the river or just relax in the onsite restaurant. 

Where to stay in Sagana?

Both Savage Wilderness and Rapids Sagana offer rustic bandas and very good camping options. Check prices here. 

For a more upmarket stay try Sagana Getaway Resort – check prices here. 

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Ngong Hills

The Ngong Hills are ever present in both Nairobi literature and their distant presence. Drive into Nairobi from the East and the Ngong Hills herald home, take a wrong turn in Nairobi National Park and the Ngong Hills will call you back. Google Nairobi and Karen Blixen’s famous quote will no doubt surface before too long. The Ngong Hills are a sinuous line of hills shaped liked knuckles that form a permanent skyline and a barrier between Nairobi and the hinterlands of the south. The hills are one of the best day trips from Nairobi, just half an hour from Karen, an hour from central Nairobi and you will find yourself in a green world of bracken, ferns and mossy trees filled birds. The ideal Ngong Hills day trip is to arrive at one end of the hills and walk all the way to the other side before catching a lift home. It should take between 6 and 8 hours, but read my blog here for full details on hiking the Ngong Hills. Alternatively, fill a basket with goodies and visit the hills for picnics or unbeatable sundowners.

Where to stay at the Ngong Hills?

The Ngong Hills are located near Ngong town which doesn’t have a great number of rated or recommended hotels. I would suggest you look for accommodation in Karen (see the options for Nairobi National Park) or head to Champagne Ridge.

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Mount Longonot 

We head back down Naivasha way.. I wasn’t kidding when I said lots was going on in the Rift. Mount Longonot is a dormant volcano in the Rift Valley with views that stretch down to Tanzania. The hike up the volcano is short, just 8km but very steep and so it takes approximately 5 hours to reach the top. You will be rewarded with the discovery of a forest within the crater where buffaloes, elands, lion, leopard, bushbucks, zebra, giraffe and gazelles live. The views are quite literally unparalleled. Mount Longonot is close enough to Nairobi to do in a day trip but you can opt to stay in one of the Naivasha hotels previously mentioned if you want to make a weekend of it.

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Day Tours Nairobi 

I’ve defined day tours Nairobi as being places in the city that are worth making a trip out for but are still within the city bounds. 

Giraffe Centre and Sanctuary 

The Giraffe Centre is always worth a visit. The sanctuary sits next to my house and I see our tall necked friends every day but that still doesn’t stop me from going in for the odd kiss. Yep kiss. A visit to the Giraffe Centre means you get to meet the giraffe in person and feed them pellets. The giraffe love these tasty treats and make a trip from the forest and savannah in the sanctuary to the raised platform of the giraffe centre just to eat them. Hold a pellet between your teeth and you too could get a kiss from a giraffe.  

Humour aside the work done by the giraffe centre is remarkable; they have brought the nearly extinct Rothschild giraffe back from the brink. Learn about the plight of the giraffe, take a walk in the sanctuary and stop off by Bush gardens for lunch while you’re there. 

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David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage 

Visit teeny baby elephants at Nairobi’s elephant orphanage. Visit at 11 for for a tour around the orphanage and to meet some of the residents or adopt an elephant and come at 5pm where you can feed them, meet the keepers and have a hands on experience. Learn all about the good work that the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is doing via my blog here.

For more ideas on day trips in Nairobi read my blog here – 29 things to do in Nairobi 

Looking for places to stay in Nairobi – read the best hotels in Nairobi here or the best 5 star hotels in Nairobi here

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