5 best things to do in Nairobi, Kenya (before or after you go on safari)

The Giraffe Centre promises another up-close wildlife encounter. And, like the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, it combines serious conservation with an intimate introduction to a species you could meet when you head out on safari. Home to endangered Rothschild giraffes since the 1970s, the centre brings you face-to-face with these graceful creatures from a raised wooden platform. The centre has released dozens of members of the species into national parks across the country.

There are many points of interest in downtown Nairobi, but easily the most fascinating is the National Museum. You could spend an entire morning or afternoon here, contemplating Kenya’s extraordinarily rich human and natural history. Start with some of the earliest human fossils and end with exhibits dedicated to the country’s diverse human cultures. Detour to mammal and bird displays along the way. There’s also a snake park.

Many Kenyans love their nyama choma (barbecued meat). They dream about it when they can’t have it. And they argue endlessly over which place does it best. A legend for safari visitors to Nairobi for decades, Carnivore does all-you-can-eat barbecues of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, crocodile and ostrich. You’ll never be able to look an animal in the eye again.

Climbing to the summit of one of the city’s tallest buildings has to be high – literally! – on any list of things to do in Nairobi. The view from the 27th floor, high above the chaotic city streets, is fantastic and just as a marabout stork sees it – if you’re lucky, these iconic birds might be circling nearby.

Visiting the former home of Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen) is high on the list for many travellers when considering what to do in Nairobi. A gorgeous colonial home in the leafy outer Nairobi suburb of Karen, this place is filled with Out of Africa nostalgia: the movie’s real-life heroine lived here from 1914 to 1931. This is the real thing – the movie was filmed elsewhere.