7 day-trips from Nairobi worth booking a driver for

Nairobi sits at the centre of some of the most varied landscapes on earth. Within four hours, you can be watching flamingos, hiking through cloud forest, or having lunch beside a crater lake. Here are seven trips that earn the journey.

1. Naivasha (1.5 hrs)

Boat rides, hippo spotting at Crescent Island, and the flower farms. Go on a weekday to avoid traffic on the Mai Mahiu road.

2. Hell's Gate (1.75 hrs)

Cycle through towering gorges — no vehicle needed inside the park, but you need to get there.

3. Ol Pejeta (3.5 hrs)

The last two northern white rhinos on earth live here. The drive is long enough that you'll be glad you didn't drive yourself.

4. Mount Longonot (2 hrs)

The hike to the crater rim takes 2–3 hours. Leave Nairobi by 6:30 AM and you're back by 4 PM.

5. Aberdare National Park (2.5 hrs)

Elephant, leopard, and the rare bongo antelope in cool highland forest.

6. Lake Magadi (2 hrs)

A soda lake that turns pink at dawn. The road is rough — 4x4 territory.

7. Fourteen Falls (2 hrs)

A hidden waterfall east of Nairobi, past Thika town. Ideal for families.

All seven are easier with a driver who knows the route. Book a day trip →