Best Outdoor Activities For Couples In Nairobi

This is a list of the Best Outdoor Activities for Couples in Nairobi. Nairobi’s proximity to some of East Africa’s largest nature parks has made it synonymous with safaris and wild animals. However, the capital of Kenya is also a large, bustling city with a wide variety of things to see and do as well as interesting places to visit.

Here’s our list of favourite things for couples to do in Nairobi.

Best Places To Visit In Nairobi For Couples

1. Feeding Giraffes at the Giraffe Centre

The Giraffe Centre is located on Nyumbi Road, off Duma Road in Nairobi’s Lang’ata suburb approximately 15 kilometres from Nairobi city centre. It is a very popular tourist attraction in Nairobi. Like most other trusts and sanctuaries in the region, the Giraffe Centre was established for the conservation of the Rothschild species of the Giraffe, which is typically found only in the grasslands of East Africa. With just a little over 300 left in Kenya, the Rothschild Giraffe is one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies.

Couples can partake in the main attraction of the centre and feed the giraffes from a raised observation platform and if you are lucky, even kiss one. After spending some time with the giraffes, you can go for a stroll through the 1.5km nature trail. The nature trail is available to guests at no extra cost. You might see warthogs, antelopes, and a variety of bird species on the trail. Visit a gift shop called Daisy Zoovenir Shop if you want to pick up some souvenirs. You can also sit down, relax and enjoy some tea at the tea house

Details of entrance fees here

2. Spend time with Baby Elephants at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is an amazing place to tour for couples. It is a place that will most likely touch your Heart. It is an elephant Nursery bordering Nairobi National Park offering a haven to orphaned baby elephants that are rescued from parks and reserves in Kenya. The Nursery provides the first stage in the hand-rearing and development of milk-dependent baby elephants. Once they graduate from the Nursery, aged 2-3 years, the elephants move to one of the DSWT’s Reintegration Centres in Tsavo East National Park, from where they will ultimately return to the wild.

The Trust is open to the public for one hour from 11 am to 12 pm every day. During this time the orphans arrive for their midday mud bath and feeding. The Entry Fee is Kshs 1500 per person 12 years and above, and Kshs 500 for those under 12 years of age. This is collected upon entry, in Cash, or via M-PESA, on the day of your visit

3. Trail Biking and Nature walks at Karura Forest

The Karura Forest is an urban upland forest on the outskirts of Nairobi. Karura Forest offers clean, quiet, and well-maintained cycling trails. You pay an entrance fee of Kshs 100 for adults and Kshs 40 for children to gain access to the forest. Once inside it will cost you Kshs 500 to hire a sturdy multi-speed trail bike to use on the designated forest trails for 2 hours or you can come with your bike to enjoy miles and miles of well-signposted routes for cyclists of all abilities.

In case you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city you can spice up your cycling experience by checking out the Mau Mau Caves, where Kenyan freedom fighters hid from colonialists before independence, or explore the waterfall and reconnect with nature.

4. Go hiking at Ngong Hills

Ngong Hills are a series of 7 hills. The hills start in Kona Baridi and end in Ngong Town and you can easily be done with your hiking in 4 to 5 hours. You may be lucky enough to see buffalos along the route. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th hills are the hardest hills to climb, some areas are quite steep that may require you to use your hands to steady yourself but after that, it’s pretty easy. The views are magnificent and there are lots of people on the hills every weekend so you feel quite safe. It can get very windy and cold at the top of the hills so bring a jacket of some sort.

The Kenya Forest Service always advises hiring an armed guard because the buffalos may get fierce while mostly on the 4th hill. The guard charges are between Kshs 1500 to Kshs 3000. However, the guard is not mandatory especially if you’re a group.

5. Discover Kenya’s railroad history at the Railway Museum

The museum focuses on the history of the country’s rail system. As previously stated, Nairobi began as a train terminal. The Nairobi Railway Museum, situated in the old East African Railway headquarters, houses an amazing collection of relics, railway engine models, and a range of displays showcasing railway construction

Within the museum yard, you will also be able to see several steam and early diesel locomotives that were once part of the Kenya-Uganda Railway.

Details of entrance fees here

6. Enjoy 360-degree views of Nairobi city centre from the KICC Rooftop

This 28-story building is located along Harambee Avenue in the city centre of Nairobi. The KICC rooftop is one of the coolest tourist spots to visit, along with the famous Giraffe Centre. The KICC rooftop which also doubles as a helipad provides a 360-degree picturesque panoramic view of the city centre and its horizons. Take the elevator to the KICC rooftop, unless you feel up for the challenge of climbing stairs. You will ascend the elevator to the 26th floor before using the stairs to reach the 28th floor. This is the top floor. The helipad is at the very top, where you will then ascend a short flight of stairs.

7. Go Boat Riding and Picnicking at Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is located in Kiambu Town. It’s just 20 minutes from Nairobi city centre. Paradise Lost Resort is a magnificent tourist attraction in Kenya, an oasis in the middle of a coffee farm. At Paradise Lost you can also enjoy; Exploring the stone age caves, a stunning waterfall, picnics, zip lining, fishing, boat riding, a visit to a coffee farm, horse riding, picnic camel riding, nature trails and bird watching.

Details of entrance fees here

8. Watching Horses race at the Ngong Racecourse

Located along Ngong Road near the Lenana School and next to The Nairobi Business Park, beside Ngong forest. Ngong Racecourse (horse racing) is known as one of the most beautiful race courses in the world, and a very tough course. The racecourse is managed by the Jockey Club of Kenya. All the race meetings are well prepared and managed with stewards, qualified handicaps, bookmaking and tote facilities as well. This makes it a fantastic place to go for horseback riding and watch horse races.

9. GP Karting at Langata

It’s located along Langata Road, near the famous Carnivore Restaurant. GP-Karting Langata is the oldest and the most affordable place to go. Their charges are fair. Each of the prices below is for 10 minutes which you can do continuously or break into two races, each lasting 5 minutes. They charge Kshs 1300 per session which lasts about 10 minutes. The ten minutes are about 10 laps for an average racer.

10. Bowling at Village Market

Village Bowl is tucked at Village Market, along Limuru Road in the 2nd-floor new wing. It is a modern, 11-lane Brunswick bowling facility great for leisure, sport, parties, and entertainment. Village Bowl features a family-friendly atmosphere with special effects lighting, artistic themes, and live music. It is very spacious and you can play other games like pool table, air hockey & Foosball as well. The best part is you can’t go hungry as different restaurants are offering various cuisines in the Village Market.

Bowling cost ranges between Kshs 350 to Kshs 500 per person per game and you can bowl alone or join a team and competed

11. Game Drive at Nairobi National Park

This one-of-a-kind national park, located just 7 kilometres from Nairobi, is one of the few in the world where wild animals coexist with tall buildings and urban landscapes. The park itself is 117 square kilometres in size, but it is open to the Kitengela plains, allowing animals to move back and forth for extra space.

Nairobi National Park is home to the majority of Africa’s large animals, including lions and leopards, rhinos, hippos, African buffalo, giraffes, spotted hyenas, and the Nile crocodile. Wildebeests use the park as part of their migration route, and a variety of birds have made it their home. Aside from the animals, the park has many other attractions worth seeing. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphanage for poached baby elephants, is one of the most well-known. The orphanage cares for emotionally scarred baby elephants, teaching them how to survive so they can eventually return to the wild. Visitors can stop by to watch the babies play in the mud and to get a milk bottle.

The Nairobi Animal Orphanage, also within the park, serves a similar purpose but for different animals – everything from cute tiny cheetahs and baboons to jackals, hyenas, and baby buffalo that end up here if they’re found abandoned or injured.

Details of entrance fees here

12. Splash around at the Two Rivers Theme Park

The Funscapes theme park, located at the Two Rivers Mall, is a great place to spend a couple of hours outside with the kids. Laugh, scream, and cool off as you explore a variety of rides for all ages. On a hot afternoon, try the 7-meter-high flume ride before jumping into the water. Get your adrenaline pumping with extreme rides that launch you into the sky or drop you 17 metres down to the ground. The tallest Ferris wheel in Africa (60 metres) is located here, and children can also enjoy a water play area. There are restaurants, a sports bar, and several shops nearby if you need to go inside to escape the heat.

13. Escape the city to the Kiambethu Tea Farm

Kiambethu Farm at Limuru provides a tranquil insight into life on a settler farm. They offer tours from Thursday to Sunday each week starting at 11 am. Come and enjoy a lunchtime tour of the farm with Fiona. Arrive at 11 am and over a cup of tea or coffee, the history of the farm and process of making tea is informally explained, followed by an opportunity to see tea in the field.

Then continue with a walk to a nearby indigenous forest with the resident Kenyan guide who will be pointing out the plants and explaining how they are used traditionally. Colobus monkeys live in this place and they wander in the gardens, so you might have a chance to see them. Take a stroll back to the house and enjoy a pre-lunch drink on the veranda with a wide view across the tea fields to the Ngong Hills. Three-course lunch menu prepared from produce coming from the garden.

Booking is essential, the cost is KES 4000 per person all-inclusive, and children under 12 are half-price.

14. Get lost in nature on the Oloolua Nature Trail

The 5km Oloolua Nature Trail can be found in the upmarket suburb of Karen, where 250 hectares of the indigenous tropical dry Oloolua forest stands. The trail ambles through thick forest vines and undergrowth below giant indigenous trees and bushes. In some places, it follows the course of the Mbagathi River that cuts through the forest.

Oloolua Nature Trail provides stunning scenery of indigenous trees and chattering birds, as well as a wonderful cave and a spectacular waterfall. It’s a serene place to unwind and take a long lazy walk. It is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.

Details of entrance fees here

15. Check out natural history exhibits at the Nairobi National Museum

The Nairobi National Museum is the best place to go if you are looking to dive into Kenyan Heritage. This is the flagship museum for the National Museums of Kenya, housing celebrated collections of Kenya’s History, Nature, Culture, and Contemporary Art present for both educational and leisure purposes.

Perhaps what’s even more impressive here is the early man section, where actual fossils, discovered in the country, are displayed. This includes the fossil of a proconsul that dates back 18 million years, which encouraged archaeologists to consider Kenya as the birthplace of humankind.

The facility is open Monday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm all year round including public holidays and weekends. The entry fee is Kshs 150 per child and Kshs 300 per adult.

16. Zip lining at Ngong Hills

The Ngong Hills, which overlook the Great Rift Valley, are green, lush hills ideal for hiking – and even better for ziplining. Combine both experiences with a guided tour that takes you on a hike through the hills for a perfect full day of fun. Hikes are tailored to the needs and abilities of the group, so don’t be concerned if you’re a beginner or not up for a long hike. The undulating hills are easy to hike and provide great open views of the surroundings. Return to the starting point for the second part of your adventure: an adrenaline-pumping flight through the treetops. The zipline course will provide you with an excellent bird’s-eye view of the surrounding hills.

17. Learn the past at the Kenya National Archives

The Kenya National Archives, which was founded nearly 60 years ago, now houses over 4,000 volumes of records dating back to colonial times, as well as ancient art collections and correspondence. Although the archives can be accessed through special arrangements for research and references, the ground floor of the building is the main attraction here.

The ground floor of the archive has been converted into the Murumbi gallery, which displays a collection of Pan-African art, tribal masks and weapons, stunning jewellery, and colourful textiles (much of which belonged to former Vice President Joseph Murumbi and his wife). Tour guides at the gallery will help you understand the collections and the important work Murumbi did for the people of Kenya.

18. Catch the views from the best rooftop bars in Nairobi

As you sip a drink, head up towers and buildings for the best views of the city skyline. Try the Sky Lounge at the Hotel Emara, which overlooks Nairobi National Park and serves delicious cocktails. If you want good wine, great food, and city views, head to the Sarabi Rooftop Bar. The Curve’s rooftop bar (Fifteen Rooftop) offers views of both the Ngong Hills and the city, as well as a selection of crafted cocktails and high-end cigars. There’s also the Sky Bar Westlands, which has great screens for watching sports, the best sunsets in town, and an extensive drink menu.

19. Visit Maasai Market

Explore the vibrant and colourful Maasai Market, where you can find traditional African crafts, jewellery, clothing, and artwork. It’s a great place to shop for unique souvenirs and support local artisans. Bargaining is a common practice, so don’t be afraid to negotiate prices.

20. Take a Hot Air Balloon Safari

For a truly unforgettable experience, consider taking a hot air balloon safari over the Nairobi National Park or the Great Rift Valley. Enjoy breathtaking views of the landscapes and wildlife from above as you float peacefully in the sky