Leave early. Getting out of Nairobi is the slow part, and a 6am start can halve the drive. Journey times below are rough and assume moderate traffic.

Ngong Hills

A ridge of seven peaks south-west of the city, about an hour away, with views over the Rift Valley on one side and Nairobi on the other. The ridge walk takes most of a morning. Go in a group or with a guide, start early before it gets hot, and pay the entry fee at the Kenya Forest Service gate.

Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate

About two hours north-west, down the Rift Valley escarpment. The viewpoints on the way down are worth a stop.

  • Hell’s Gate National Park - one of the few parks where you can walk or cycle among zebra, giraffe and buffalo, with a gorge walk at the end. Hire a bike at the gate.
  • Lake Naivasha - boat rides among hippos and birds, and walking safaris on Crescent Island.

It is a long day, and many people stay overnight.

Mount Longonot

A dormant volcano near Naivasha, about 90 minutes from Nairobi. The climb to the crater rim is steep and dusty. Walking all the way round the rim makes it a full day, so take plenty of water and a hat.

Lake Magadi and Olorgesailie

South of Nairobi through the Kajiado plains, about two hours away. Lake Magadi is a hot, strange soda lake with flamingos and hot springs. Olorgesailie on the way is a prehistoric site with hand axes left where early humans made them. It is very hot, so bring water.

Limuru tea country

About an hour north-west, the tea estates around Limuru are green, cool and peaceful, and several farms offer tea tours and lunch. Book ahead.

Thika and Fourteen Falls

Up the Thika Superhighway, about an hour away. Fourteen Falls on the Athi River is at its best after the rains.

Better done overnight

For getting further afield, see Travelling around Kenya.

  • Amboseli National Park - elephants beneath Kilimanjaro, four to five hours away.
  • The Maasai Mara - about five to six hours by road, or a short flight from Wilson Airport.
  • Ol Pejeta Conservancy near Nanyuki - rhinos, including the last two northern white rhinos.
  • Mombasa and the coast - by the SGR. See Getting around Nairobi.

Before you go

  • Parks run by the Kenya Wildlife Service take payment online and by card or M-Pesa, not cash.
  • Malaria risk is higher at lower altitudes than in Nairobi; see Healthcare in Nairobi.
  • Check the road and the weather in the rainy seasons, when murram roads can become impassable.