Kenya is fast becoming a well-known African travel destination, but most visitors only know the country for its safari potential. Having done a Kenyan safari, we wholeheartedly recommend going on safari in Kenya. However, safaris are not cheap and not a relaxing experience either, so if you’d like to sit it out on this visit and are wondering what to do in Kenya besides safari, this is the post for you.
10 Enjoyable Things to Do in Kenya (Besides Safari)
Here are 10 things I recommend doing in Kenya:
Explore Nairobi
Nairobi is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love the varied landscapes, the city vibe, the cultural melting pot, and some of the food scene, too. Whether you’re looking to relax at cute city hotels, go on wildlife tours within the city, try out a dozen or more restaurants (my top Nairobi restaurants here), or hang out at over a dozen malls, there’s plenty to do in the city. Not sure how to get around the city? Check out my Kenya Travel Guide for all the deets worth knowing before you travel.
Visit the National Museum
I had low expectations for the museum, but it turned out to be a fascinating expedition. It costs $20 per person to enter and offers an interesting mix of wildlife information, Kenyan history, and a huge collection of taxidermy birds (which I loved). There’s also a snake park, which we did not get to see.
You can choose to see the museum with a guide (we did this, and it enriched our experience), but you’ll need to tip them after the tour. There’s a lot to see, and if you use a guide, it can take up to three hours to see the whole thing.
Go to the Maasai Market
This is one I’m recommending because I know a ton of people who went and enjoyed it. Personally, I felt I’d seen plenty of jewelry and Maasai art throughout our time in Kenya, and I also hate bargaining and chaotic market environments, so I skipped this one. But if you find markets and bargaining to be energizing, do not miss it.
🌍 Tip: The Maasai market changes its venue every day, but I remember the Sunday venue is the Yaya Center if you’d like to take a look. Most Kenyan locals can tell you where the market will be on any given day, although weekends are definitely more packed.
Go Dhow Sailing in Lamu
This was one of our favorite experiences in Kenya. One of my favorite things about Kenya is the juxtaposition of the city and the coast. I love the idea that I could be stuck in Nairobi traffic one minute or dining in the chilly Westlands and the next second be on a beach in Lamu. The diversity makes me so happy.
We enjoyed our time in Lamu, and you can see my full Lamu guide here, but dhow sailing was our top experience, and I recommend it for peak relaxation, discovering the island, and just spending some time hearing about Swahili culture from your captain.
Escape to Diani
Diani is one of the more tourist-suited islands, and it has some of the most stunning white sand beaches on the African continent. I have a full Diani guide about what to do and see while you’re there and the gorgeous hotel we stayed at during our visit. If you like snorkeling and water sports, this is the Kenyan coastal island for you.
Shop Till You Drop
Have I mentioned that I love Kenya’s shopping scene? Forget the international brands (many of which are here), but Kenya truly shines in its homegrown and Afro-centric brands. One of my favorite places to shop in Nairobi is the Langata Links Shops. They stock unique, giftable items ranging from totes to dresses and cute gift cards and wrapping paper.
There are also countless malls in Nairobi, and we visited many. My favorites are Sarit, The Village Mall, Two Rivers (this is actually overwhelming), and Westgate Mall (NOT Westfield). These malls are great to hang out, eat at some cute places, and just people-watch.
Visit the Giraffe Center
Whether you’re going on safari or not, no visit to Kenya is complete without a visit to the Giraffe Center. I think it’s so cool that visitors can feed wild giraffes, and I loved seeing so many kids feeding the giraffes.
This place is pretty efficiently run and does not accept cash payments, so bring your credit card or pay with Mpesa (if you don’t know what Mpesa is, you need to read my Kenya Travel Guide). There’s not much to do besides feeding the giraffes, so you shouldn’t spend more than 30 minutes here.
Tour a Local Tea Farm
We loved taking a day trip to Kiambethu Tea Farm in Limuru. I recommend getting a driver (John is excellent – 254 739 090 309) to take you since it’ll be impossible to find an Uber there after your tour. And don’t worry, they’ll give your driver lunch too!
@afomastravels 🚕 You’ll need to hire a driver for this trip because it’s almost impossible to get an Uber back to Nairobi from Limuru where the tea farm is located. 📆 Booking in advance is ESSENTIAL. You can do so on the Kiambethu Farm website 💴 It costs 4200 KSH per person, roughly $30. 🥘 The fee includes your lunch and plenty of tea! Seconds of everything are encouraged. 😊 They also feed your driver lunch, which is so sweet! 🥹 The staff is so warm and the air is refreshing clean at that altitude. Would you like to visit a tea farm? Have you ever visited one?
♬ Vlog Video work Fashionable BGM(847726) – Tsuyoshi_san
We enjoyed learning about the tea growing and production process and tasting a variety of teas. Your fee (it costs 4,500Ksh per person) also covers a buffet lunch in the most stunning outdoor location. Be sure to book early – slots fill up quickly!
Workout at Dojo Wellness Club
If you’re like me and you love finding community whenever you visit a new city, you will love working out at Dojo Wellness Club. This gym had classes from 6 am to 9 pm, and I loved the shower areas and outdoor workout space. The staff was so friendly and accommodating. Honestly, I was most sad to leave it behind when we left Kenya.
Go Book Shopping
There weren’t a lot of fantastic bookstores in Kenya, but I did find many great books at the Half Price Books in The Village Mall and have heard only great things about Soma Nami at Greenhouse Mall.
A Fun 7-Day Kenya Travel Itinerary
If you’re planning a visit to Kenya, I recommend staying at least 7 days to squeeze the most you can out of the trip. I recommend staying in the Westlands and the Karen area to avoid insane traffic (see our favorite hotels and Airbnbs in Kenya). At least, try to do activities in one part of town at a time if you can. Feel free to use this itinerary as a starting point:
- Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya and relax. If you’re in the Westlands area, grab dinner at About Thyme.
- Day 2: Head to the National Museum. Have lunch at Lucca in the Villa Rosa Kempinski hotel.
- Day 3: Karen area. Start at the Giraffe Center, then have lunch at Tin Roof Cafe and shop at Langata Link Shops. You can eat dinner at Talisman.
- Day 4: Head to the coast. I loved Lamu and Diani. You can spend 2-3 days on either island.
- Day 7: Pack your bags and get ready to leave Kenya.
No matter what your interests are, there’s plenty to do in Kenya that doesn’t involve going on safari. Remember that to make the best of every trip, the key thing is to do what you like. Don’t feel pressured to do anything on this list if it doesn’t match your interests. Have a great trip!
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