{"id":2746,"date":"2024-02-26T19:07:59","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T19:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afomastravels.com\/?p=2746"},"modified":"2024-03-18T05:29:29","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T05:29:29","slug":"what-to-do-in-kenya-besides-safari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afomastravels.com\/what-to-do-in-kenya-besides-safari\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do in Kenya Besides Safari"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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<\/a>. However, safaris are not cheap and not a relaxing experience either, so if you\u2019d like to sit it out on this visit and are wondering what to do in Kenya besides safari, this is the post for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 Enjoyable Things to Do in Kenya (Besides Safari)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are 10 things I recommend doing in Kenya:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore Nairobi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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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\u2019re 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<\/a>), or hang out at over a dozen malls, there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit the National Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s also a snake park, which we did not get to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can choose to see the museum with a guide (we did this, and it enriched our experience), but you\u2019ll need to tip them after the tour. There\u2019s a lot to see, and if you use a guide, it can take up to three hours to see the whole thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Go to the Maasai Market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is one I\u2019m recommending because I know a ton of people who went and enjoyed it. Personally, I felt I\u2019d 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udf0d Tip: The Maasai market changes its venue every day, but I remember the Sunday venue is the Yaya Center if you\u2019d 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Dhow Sailing in Lamu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We enjoyed our time in Lamu, and you can see my full Lamu guide here<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Escape to Diani<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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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<\/a> about what to do and see while you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Till You Drop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have I mentioned that I love Kenya\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit the Giraffe Center<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re going on safari or not, no visit to Kenya is complete without a visit to the Giraffe Center. I think it\u2019s so cool that visitors can feed wild giraffes, and I loved seeing so many kids feeding the giraffes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This place is pretty efficiently run and does not accept cash payments, so bring your credit card or pay with Mpesa (if you don\u2019t know what Mpesa is, you need to read my Kenya Travel Guide). There\u2019s not much to do besides feeding the giraffes, so you shouldn\u2019t spend more than 30 minutes here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tour a Local Tea Farm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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We loved taking a day trip to Kiambethu Tea Farm in Limuru. I recommend getting a driver (John is excellent \u2013 254 739 090 309\u202c) to take you since it\u2019ll be impossible to find an Uber there after your tour. And don\u2019t worry, they\u2019ll give your driver lunch too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

@afomastravels<\/a>

\ud83d\ude95 You\u2019ll need to hire a driver for this trip because it\u2019s almost impossible to get an Uber back to Nairobi from Limuru where the tea farm is located. \ud83d\udcc6 Booking in advance is ESSENTIAL. You can do so on the Kiambethu Farm website \ud83d\udcb4 It costs 4200 KSH per person, roughly $30. \ud83e\udd58 The fee includes your lunch and plenty of tea! Seconds of everything are encouraged. \ud83d\ude0a They also feed your driver lunch, which is so sweet! \ud83e\udd79 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?<\/p> \u266c Vlog Video work Fashionable BGM(847726) – Tsuyoshi_san<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>