Welcome to Nairobi — the Green City in the Sun.

A city where skyscrapers rise above a landscape of trees.Where a busy modern capital sits beside one of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife sanctuaries.
Where the stories of Kenya’s struggle for independence are written into monuments, streets and historic buildings.Where museums preserve millions of years of human history.And where, just beyond the city’s concrete landscape, forests, waterfalls, hills and open countryside await.

This is Nairobi. Many visitors arrive here simply because it is the gateway to their Kenyan safari. But Nairobi deserves more than a stopover. Give the city a little time and you will discover a destination with its own character, its own stories and its own extraordinary experiences.

At African Affarble Expedition, we invite you to discover Nairobi through the eyes of people who know and love the city.

Nairobi — A City Built on History

Nairobi’s story began in the late nineteenth century with the arrival of the Uganda Railway.What started as a railway settlement grew rapidly into a commercial and administrative centre and eventually became the capital of Kenya.

But the story of Nairobi is much bigger than the railway.It is a story of different communities coming together; of traders, workers, settlers, politicians, freedom fighters, artists and entrepreneurs. It is a story of colonialism and resistance, independence and nation-building, and the transformation of a small railway town into one of Africa’s major cities.

Today, traces of all those chapters remain.They can be found in the old buildings of the city centre, in historic mosques and libraries, in railway heritage, in national monuments, in museums and galleries, and in the statues of people who helped shape Kenya.

To walk through Nairobi is, in many ways, to walk through Kenya’s history.

Nairobi Today

Modern Nairobi is the capital and largest urban centre of Kenya. Nairobi City County covers approximately 681 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 5.2 million people, based on the 2023 estimate cited by Nairobi City County. During the day, the city’s population rises to around 7 million as workers, students, traders and visitors converge on the capital.

Its influence extends well beyond Kenya.Nairobi is a major commercial and diplomatic centre for East and Central Africa and hosts more than 100 foreign missions, consulates and embassies. It is also home to the global headquarters of UN-Habitat.

Yet perhaps the most fascinating thing about Nairobi is the contrast.You can be surrounded by modern city life in the morning and watching wild animals on open savannah before the day is over.

Kenya Tourism Board promotes Nairobi precisely for this remarkable combination of urban experiences and wildlife.