What it is
A city of several million at about 1,800m, cool enough that you want a jacket after dark, with Nairobi National Park fenced on three sides and open to the plains on the fourth.
Why go
Almost every trip starts and ends here. With one day: rhino in the national park with tower blocks on the skyline, the elephant orphanage, the giraffe centre, the Karen Blixen house, the Nairobi National Museum. The restaurants are good.
When to go
Any time of year. Budget for traffic: crossing the city at rush hour can take over an hour and the airport road is the worst of it. One night on arrival makes sense if you land late. Do not plan two unless the city itself interests you.
Most people stay 1-2 nights.
