Nairobi Historical and Modernity Tour: 3 Hours of Immersive Kenyan Culture and Cuisine Experience

Immerse yourself in Kenyan culture and cuisine on this customizable 3-hour tour of Nairobi. Discover the city’s historical and modern highlights, learn Nairobi slang and basic Swahili, and indulge in delicious Nyama Choma.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Jeevanjee Gardens - Visitors discover the garden’s history and explore current activities and events held there. They also learn about the colonial names of the surrounding streets.
  • City Market - Visitors explore the market’s four divisions while learning about its history. They can also purchase souvenirs at the curio shops.
  • Jamia Mosque - Visitors observe the mosque and its activities.
  • McMillan Memorial Library - Visitors appreciate the library’s unique historical architecture, learn about its history, and its inclusion in the constitution.
  • Kenyatta Avenue - This street serves as one of the main entrances to the city. Visitors see the Askari monument and the African war veterans memorial obelisk. They also encounter various banks, Forex bureaus, and restaurants along the street.
  • Sarova Stanley Nairobi - 5 Star Hotel - As the oldest hotel in the city, visitors learn about its history and explore the stores along Kimathi Street.
  • Dedan Kimathi Statue - Dedan Kimathi is an iconic figure in Kenya’s fight for independence. Visitors learn about his role in the Mau Mau movement and also see the Hilton Hotel Nairobi.
  • Moi Avenue - Visitors experience the ‘Matatu’ culture and the vibrant life of Nairobi.
  • Kenyatta International Convention Centre - Visitors take photos at the Jomo Kenyatta statue, go up to the helipad for an aerial view of the city, which includes attractions like the historical ‘British’ railway, Parliament buildings, Uhuru Park grounds, Holy Family Basilica Catholic Church, and more.
  • The Galton-Fenzi Memorial - Here, visitors learn the directions and distances to major cities around the world and conclude the tour by walking towards Jeevanjee Gardens.
What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Comfort with in-vehicle air conditioning
  • Guided by a professional, interactive guide
What's Not Included
  • KICC Helipad Entrance - $5 payble by ONLY card or MPesa
  • Snacks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

We do not go downtown where is crowded and uncomfortable for foreigners.

Ideal for people on a layover.

This tour is customizable to your schedule. You can book for any 3 hours within the day but normal starting times are 9 a.m and 3 p.m.

While you can stroll around Nairobi by yourself, you cant compare this to the wealth of information you would get from our guide. The sense of security and ease of getting around wouldn’t also compare.

While historical information might be boring to listen for 2 hours, our guide tells you the modern, exciting and relevant facts about Nairobi as they show all the spots like popular restaurants and hang-out joints. We also teach you some everyday cool Nairobi slang and basic Swahili words and sentences. We basically teach you how to blend into the culturally diverse city.

You might get to taste Nyama Choma - grilled Beef or goat, fruit salad and also cook chapati.

Location
Jeevanjee Gardens
Monrovia Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(26 Ratings)
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Lawsonmatthew
Aug 10, 2024
Great way to Find Your Feet on day 1 - Great tour. We were (3) adults all solo travelers so it was a nice small group and a good way to meet other travelers. Dennis was very knowledgeable about the Kenyan history, and I appreciated his perspectives on the "real-time" issues affecting Kenya. Believe this is a must do tour and I'd also do a tour of downtown to enable a traveler to experience the contrast between the different areas of the city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scenic59558513033
Jul 6, 2024
Dennis is great host - Wonderful way to see inner Nairobi. Dennis is a knowledgeable local man who is entertaining whilst being informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sharidan_c
Apr 19, 2024
you won’t regret this tour!! - a MUST do if you’re visiting nairobi!! dennis is a phenomenal guide and was extremely knowledgeable (and excited) to share the city’s rich history. the entire tour was awesome and ended with a spectacular rooftop experience. i would certainly book him again!! just be prepared to turn down several beggars and local people trying to overcharge you for small items. the constant pressure and solicitation from others was a bit distracting but dennis did an awesome job at deterring them and keeping things calm and enjoyable.
Review provided by Viator
Melanie_m
Apr 11, 2024
Make this your first tour, you will thank me for it later!! - Our your guide, Dennis was very knowledgeable on history, culture, and current events. We wished he would have been our first tour because he pointed out a lot of tourist trappings that allowed us to thoroughly enjoy the rest of our trip.
Review provided by Viator
Ernesta525
Jan 3, 2024
Best tour in my East African trip. - Very good tour. More than the money's worth. Very knowledgeable and funny guide. Went over and beyond to ensure we learned about the city with a comic twist.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ernesta525
Dec 27, 2023
A tour worth more than $100 - Very professional and funny tour guide. We got to see and experience more than what was paid for. Best tour we have experienced in our Eastern Africa country tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bernal_s
Nov 14, 2023
Great experience - I was very curious about visiting the central area of Nairobi. Prof. Dennis is an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. We explained very well the history of the city and ensured we felt safe. The views of the city are amazing.
Review provided by Viator
Monica_d
Oct 7, 2023
Great Nairobi city tour with Simon Njuguna - My sister and I had a flight transfer late in the evening so in the meantime we decided to do a Nairobi city tour. Simon was in touch with us via WhatsApp and was there to pick us up at the airport (and drop us at the end of the tour just at the entrance of the airport). During our car ride he explained some stuff to us about our surroundings and we got to know each other a bit. We had a nice lunch with him in Nairobi then we started our tour with some indications on how to act in the city. He was an amazing guide and person. Passionate, knows his stuff, always quick to answer our questions with a smile. He even kindly offered us a drink, sugar cane with lemon, so good! We got to see and learn a lot, incredible view from the helipad at the rooftop of the KICC, after sunset pretty view of the buildings with the lights on… Simon made everything interesting and fun at the same time!
Review provided by Viator
Tour21436050786
Sep 20, 2023
Good and interesting tour around Nairobi - Im very grateful for this city tour to see how Nairobi is and it was worth every penny. And it was a wonderful view on KICC by the end of the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dmitriy_b
Jun 29, 2024
Unpleasant experience - The guide Dennis was sharing some history of Nairobi and showing us sights as advertised in the description. However, the during the walk we were subject to endless soliciting by beggars of all ages. The worst part of the tour was a visit to local market where we faced with not negotiations but open extortion. 5 people literally blocked our way out until we bought some staff from them overpaying at least 3 times. Bad experience!
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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