Reviews of trips to Nairobi
521 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Nairobi.
"Nov 18 Safari"
Special thanks to Richard for answering my myriad of questions with patience, and putting together such a fabulous holiday. Everything ran to schedule, there were no issues whatsoever, and it was all planned in meticulous detail by Richard. I contacted a few firms when booking the trip, and was very impressed with Richard, and intended to book with Expert Africa even if they didn't give the cheapest quote - but in fact they did, the price was really excellent considering it included so many flights and transfers and excursions.
We really enjoyed the different experiences in Samburu and the Mara, and can highly recommend this combination. To sum up, Saruni was the best experience in terms of lodge and stay, but the wildlife was much much more prolific at Ol Seki, and so it was great to combine the two.
All in all it was amazing, and now we cannot wait to return." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 6 on a Kenya safari
"My Nov 2018 trip"
Kenya is magical, suffice to say " I Will be back "
As I stated earlier, I came home a tired but extremely happy lady who is yet to wipe the grin off her face" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
"A once in a lifetime trip"
More wildlife than we were expecting in Samburu, wonderful location, fabulous food and great accommodation.
We left part of our hearts there!" Read full review: 5 nights in Africa; 4 on a Kenya safari
"My Oct 2018 trip"
I had some difficulty to find an operator that was willing to cover Northern Kenya, but Expert Africa had the knowledge to create a suitable itinerary for us and find a company experienced in touring the region." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
"A good trip with a few adventures"
Rwanda was a nice surprise. Kenya was wonderful.
Saw little of Uganda but we liked what we saw.
Made new friends and enjoyed the contacts with the local people. Most of them were welcoming, happy and very friendly. Then again we found this in most African countries we visited." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"One of the best ever"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service: None - you guys are superstars" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari
"October Kenya safari & Lamu dream holiday"
The four legs of the trip - Borana in the Highlands, a not for profit conservancy which is helping re-establish the black rhino to the first Maasai-owned Camp in the Mara, to six days on Lamu island, a centre of Swahili culture, provided wonderful contrasts and very different experiences.
We could not have wished for a more perfect trip which exceeded all expectations. Now we would love to explore more of Kenya and see more of sub-Saharan Africa. Problem is, we also loved where we went and would like to return to these places and people too! Not the worst problem to have...asante sana, Expert Africa!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Expert Africa could offer a bit more information about activities in addition to quality of camps and lodges -- including interrogating the interests of a family group in order to get them to plan more of what they can get out of a trip. We didn't realise until the end of our first day at Borana, for example, that horse riding really offered the chance of a safari on horseback - and this then made Borana very special.
On the other hand, the flexibility of the Expert Africa team in allowing us to stay at a friend's private accommodation on Lamu was greatly appreciated. The process of building up the itinerary was a very positive experience and I trusted Richard Trillo's advice and in depth knowledge.
On the quote: It would have been nice to have had more of a breakdown of costs and options as I didn't feel able to weigh up alternatives fully. On the other hand, the itinerary was fairly fixed when it came to where we wanted to go on safari.
Finding ways of helping providers be as green as possible would be beneficial - not just conserving species (and we did donate to the Rhino International fund) but also ways of eliminating plastic in camps is important as these are visible ways of leaving less impact. After all, the Kenyan government has banned all plastic bags, so camps and airlines including safarilink should be encouraged to have refillable water canteens, etc. And camps can easily switch.
On Lamu - I would certainly explore the growing private villa/house rental options as these a fun, private and often of historic interest. Otherwise, airbnb and tripadvisor will take a share of your future business....(Our situation was coincidental and through a friend who owns a place with bandas at the end of the island...)
In summary, I rate Expert Africa highly and would recommend you to others! Many thanks." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"Our trip to Zimbabwe October 2018"
We are big fans of Zambia because of the excellent walking but we liked the combination of walk and drives we experienced in Zimbabwe.
Mana Pools was busier than Hwange, which was very quiet. In Mana Pools, it is strange to see people walking in the park without guides. In Hwange it was wonderful to be away from tsetses and mosquitos." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 15 on a Zimbabwe safari
"50th Wedding Anniversay trip"
The logistics worked out exactly right, and thank you Claire for the little extras that appeared at several of the stops to recognise our anniversary." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 5 on a Zanzibar holiday
"My Sep 2018 trip"
My reservations about Tanzanian safari are the volume of vehicles around the sighting of a leopard and the crossing; it resembles a traffic jam and the authorities need to place restrictions on the lodges/parks as it did affect the experience.
I would have second thoughts about returning to Tanzania having seen this congestion which I haven't encountered before." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 6 on a Zanzibar holiday
Where to stay in Nairobi
Our suggestions for places to stay in Nairobi
Four Points Nairobi Airport
The Four Points by Sheraton, set within the perimeter of Nairobi International Airport, is ideally located for a first or last night in Kenya.
The Emakoko
The Emakoko is a luxurious, owner-managed safari lodge in a beautiful gorge on the edge of Nairobi National Park.
Eka Hotel
The Eka is an affordably priced business-class hotel in a relatively convenient location between Nairobi International Airport and Wilson Airport.
Crowne Plaza Nbi Apt
The Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport (formerly known as the Lazizi Premiere and now part of the InterContinental Hotels Group) is the oldest hotel at Nairobi International Airport.
Ole-Sereni
The Ole-Sereni is a modern, stylish hotel neighbouring Nairobi National Park and located 6km from Wilson domestic airport.
Macushla House
Macushla House is a very pleasant, small, owner-managed bed and breakfast hotel in a leafy part of southwest Nairobi, very convenient for visiting the Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage.
Giraffe Manor
Giraffe Manor is a unique, perennially popular lodge on the outskirts of Nairobi, offering up-close-and-personal encounters with the rare Rothschild giraffes that roam its extensive grounds.
Aero Club of East Africa
The Aero Club of East Africa is a private members' club in the grounds of Wilson Airport, Nairobi, offering offering comfortable rooms and a good restaurant, bar and swimming pool to non-members.
Tamarind Tree Hotel
The Tamarind Tree is a stylish international hotel in a great location next to Wilson Airport.
Karen Gables
Karen Gables is a small, high quality hotel in Nairobi with expansive gardens and only seven rooms.
Hemingways Nairobi
Hemingways Nairobi is a luxury country-house style hotel, with a spa and gym, in the wealthy suburb of Karen.
The Norfolk Hotel
The Norfolk Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Nairobi and has a reputation for its colourful history dating back to 1904.
Nairobi Tented Camp
Nairobi Tented Camp is the only tented camp located inside Nairobi National Park, making it a great option for a true safari stay close to the city and airports.
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden and Cottages
Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens and Cottages is small luxury boutique hotel located in the peaceful suburb of Karen.
Sankara
Sankara is a strikingly built hotel in the bustling central Nairobi suburb of Westlands, primarily used as a business stay, with very good dining and leisure facilities.
Eden Nairobi
One Forty Eight is a very stylish boutique hotel in one of the leafiest corners of the southwest Nairobi suburb of Karen-Langata. The Giraffe Centre at Giraffe Manor is just a 10-minute walk away.
Ololo Safari Lodge
Ololo Safari Lodge and Farm is a luxury property on the southern edge of Nairobi National Park.
The Stanley
The Stanley is a large, traditional hotel – the oldest in Nairobi – offering a range of facilities.
Tribe
Design-led, contemporary hotel in the Village Market area of Gigiri, a largely diplomatic and luxury residential suburb 10km north of Nairobi’s central business district.
Acacia Camp
Acacia Camp is a rustic and affordable safari camp in a wildlife sanctuary a 30-minute drive towards Mombasa from Nairobi’s international airport.
