10 Best Day Road Trips From Nairobi, Kenya - Travel4Purpose

Welcome to Kenya, the land of diverse landscapes, vibrant cultures, and awe-inspiring wildlife. At Travel4Purpose, we’re thrilled to present you with an exclusive guide to the best road trips from Nairobi that allow you to explore, impact, and experience the beauty of Kenya in a unique and meaningful way. Buckle up as we take you on a journey through some of the most stunning routes this East African gem has to offer.

1. Nairobi to Maasai Mara: The Safari Drive

  • Route: Nairobi – Great Rift Valley Viewpoint – Narok – Maasai Mara
  • Distance: Approximately 180 miles (290 kilometers)
  • Duration: Around 5-6 hours
  • Places of Interest: Marvel at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint, experience Maasai culture in Narok, and embark on a captivating safari adventure in Maasai Mara National Reserve.

2. Nairobi to Amboseli: Where Kilimanjaro Meets the Wilderness

  • Route: Nairobi – Namanga – Amboseli
  • Distance: About 140 miles (225 kilometers)
  • Duration: Approximately 4-5 hours
  • Places of Interest: Immerse yourself in the stunning backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, explore Namanga town, and encounter diverse wildlife in Amboseli National Park.

3. Nairobi to Tsavo West: A Journey Through the Wild

  • Route: Nairobi – Emali – Tsavo West
  • Distance: Around 230 miles (370 kilometers)
  • Duration: About 6-7 hours
  • Places of Interest: Pause in Emali, discover Tsavo West National Park’s diverse landscapes, and witness the vibrant wildlife that calls this region home.

4. Nairobi to Naivasha: Lakeside Retreat

  • Route: Nairobi – Naivasha
  • Distance: Approximately 55 miles (90 kilometers)
  • Duration: Around 1.5-2 hours
  • Places of Interest: Enjoy a serene boat ride on Lake Naivasha, explore the geothermal wonders of Hells Gate National Park, connect with wildlife on Crescent Island, and take part in a pottery class.

5. Nairobi to Nakuru: Flamingo Haven

  • Route: Nairobi – Nakuru
  • Distance: About 100 miles (160 kilometers)
  • Duration: Approximately 2-3 hours
  • Places of Interest: Witness the spectacular pink display of flamingos at Lake Nakuru, encounter rhinos and other wildlife, and explore Nakuru town. The last 2 female white rhinos are here!

6. Nairobi to Meru: Into the Wilderness

  • Route: Nairobi – Meru
  • Distance: Around 220 miles (355 kilometers)
  • Duration: About 5-6 hours
  • Places of Interest: Immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of Meru National Park, known for its lush landscapes and unique wildlife.

7. Nairobi to Samburu: A Journey to the North

  • Route: Nairobi – Samburu
  • Distance: Approximately 215 miles (345 kilometers)
  • Duration: Around 5-6 hours
  • Places of Interest: Experience the diverse ecosystem of Samburu National Reserve and encounter rare species like Grevy’s zebras and reticulated giraffes.

8. Nairobi to Diani: Beach Bliss

  • Route: Nairobi – Mombasa – Diani
  • Distance: About 310 miles (500 kilometers)
  • Duration: Approximately 7-8 hours
  • Places of Interest: Enjoy the coastal paradise of Diani Beach, relax on pristine shores, and indulge in water sports and beach activities. Check out our T4P activities such as the sunset canoe ride in the Kongo River! 

9. Nairobi to Kisumu: Along the Shores of Lake Victoria

  • Route: Nairobi – Kisumu
  • Distance: Around 215 miles (345 kilometers)
  • Duration: About 6-7 hours
  • Places of Interest: Explore the bustling city of Kisumu, stroll along the shores of Lake Victoria, and engage with the vibrant Luo culture.

10. Nairobi to Nanyuki: Gateway to Mount Kenya

  • Route: Nairobi – Nanyuki
  • Distance: Approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers)
  • Duration: Around 3-4 hours
  • Places of Interest: Discover the charm of Nanyuki town, visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and marvel at the grandeur of Mount Kenya.

As you journey through these remarkable best road trips from Nairobi – Kenya, consider the impact your travel can have on the local communities and environments.

If you’d simply like to stay in Nairobi but still get adventurous, check out our day trips within Nairobi.

Travel4Purpose is committed to providing sustainable accommodations that empower local economies, respect cultures, and minimize environmental footprints. Our road trips are not just about the destinations, but also the positive change you leave behind.

About T4P

The core of T4P is to create a positive impact while travelling. This blog is all about sharing valuable, fun gems on impact travel, living with purpose and insights into Kenya, our home!

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Shamija J
Shamija J
2024-02-04
Cultural, Relevant, Impactful Experiences Sham of Travel4Purpose is thee absolute best. From the first contact up to the day we landed in Nairobi, she makes sure everything is organized well, so that we could enjoy each day to the fullest. And when she wasn’t available, she had someone there checking on us. From our drivers, to the tours, to the experiences even help with lodging everything was amazing. We wanted this trip to be a cultural, fun learning experience and we got that plus more with help from Sham. We just had to show up and all the rest was taken care of. Can’t wait to do it all again!
Shamija J
Shamija J
2024-02-04
Amazing Tour and Animals Shams is absolutely amazing. Our itinerary for this trip was carefully arranged down to the simplest details. The tour was amazing and we got to see so much up close and personal.
Thill D
Thill D
2024-02-04
A must for Naturelovers We had a very nice morning, saw a lot of plants, insects and animals. Our guide Omar was very helpful and patient. He explained very well and answered all our questions. All in all it was a very satisfying experience. Dany
postikortti
postikortti
2024-01-28
Interesting Mombasa City and Food Tour We requested a private city tour of Mombasa combined with the food tour. Travel4Purpose were very quick with the inquiry and were very flexible with arranging the pickup and return to our hotel. So if you don't see exactly what you want on their website, don't be afraid to reach out and inquire about the changes. We were picked up from our hotel in a car and then had an enjoyable day exploring the old town of Mombasa in a tuk-tuk, visiting the markets and some shops. We especially enjoyed visiting Imani Collective, where local women make different items (soft toys, bags, home accessories, etc.). You can be very specific with the places you want to visit and they are happy to accommodate your requests. We also enjoyed different snacks and drinks bought from the local vendors. At the end of the day we were returned back to our hotel in a car. Do take some cash with you if you want to buy something and also for tips to the local guides.
Hannah B
Hannah B
2023-12-22
Great day organised by Travel4Purpose Sham of Travel4Purpose is the best. From the first contact upto the day after she makes sure everything is organised well, so that we could enjoy the day to the fullest. We started with a Nature Walk with the Giraffes. It was hot, but very impressive. Not only giraffes, but there were also other animals. To have a break before our next activity, we took lunch at Yuls. A very enjoyable place and good food. Then we went ahead for the Dhow tour. It was a great way to end the day: seeing the sunset from the boat and sipping coconot water from a coconut. We had a great time. The driver, the guide at Nguuni Sanctuary and the 3 sailmen were incredibly friendly. Thank you for a wonderful day.
Phathu
Phathu
2023-12-10
Responsible, fun and impactful tourism! If, like me, you value a personal touch to travel and are conscious about impact, environmentally and to the local community then Travel4Purpose is your plug! Sham was conscientious throughout and took great care to ensure I experienced something meaningful of Mombasa. Furthermore, within a short space of time got to know her and her team as family. Tyson: Thamps up 👍🏽, triple thamps up 👍🏽👍🏽 (the third one is invisible!). Please support Travel4Purpose so that your hard earned funds are making a difference in Kenya. I am immensely proud to endorse Travel4Purpose because of my own experience and will share the same widely with friends, and family.
Mytte
Mytte
2023-11-07
Get in touch with them - definitely worth it!! We did the food tour from Chaqula. Since Qamili wasn’t able to do the foodtour herself, she organised a substitute. Tyson was ‘big thumbs up’. We started the tour with some Arabic coffee and tea, together with such a tranquil view over the bay. Afterwards we walked through the old town of Mombasa and tried several bites and drinks. We closed after more than 2,5 hours with some Mombasa sweets. Since Tyson is a driver as well we were dropped off home too, so so sweet! Qamili was the best contactperson in Mombasa regarding food recommendations. She gave us so many tips where to eat! We really enjoyed all of them. So get in touch with Qamili, book a tour and get the best local tips! Thanks!!
heba A
heba A
2023-10-06
THANK YOU FOR MAKING KENYA THE BEST DESTINATION ♥️♥️ They are the best in everything , communication , follow up , places , recommendation literally everything ! I highly recommend them they make Kenya the best place to visit ! Thank you so much ! You are the best !
Jayniek23
Jayniek23
2023-09-01
Mombasa food tour. Great food tour! Relaxed experience with great views, and a delightful and knowledgeable guide. A great way to get familiar with the local food.
Roxana G
Roxana G
2023-08-21
Sunset boat river tour with Omari is the best! The sunset boat river with Omari was really nice! He knows a lot of things about Kongo river and you can see the river is his life! He also planted mangroves by himself to help the environment and lives in a village next to the river. The trip is very relaxing and best place to see the sunset!

Damini Lad
Damini Lad
2024-02-02
An amazing business - Shammi was so helpful with organising our first trip to Kenya! She was easy to reach, offered lots of options at different price points, checked in on us before, during and after our trip, and was just all round brilliant. I would recommend T4P to anyone interested in visiting Kenya!
maureen njeri
maureen njeri
2024-01-31
Food tour with Qamili aka chaqula was a great experience .The food was amaizing and I liked that we actually walked around town gives you an idea of how the locals stay .she was kind enough to bring us some eco friendly straws for the madafu💙.10/10 recomend. Best was shawarma and the food at lighthouse ,such a nice chill spot
Olga Koiverianine
Olga Koiverianine
2024-01-28
We requested a private city tour of Mombasa combined with the food tour. Travel4Purpose were very quick with the inquiry and were very flexible with arranging the pickup and return to our hotel. We had an enjoyable day exploring the old town of Mombasa in a tuk-tuk, visiting the markets and some shops. We especially enjoyed visiting Imani Collective, where local women make different items (soft toys, bags, home accessories, etc.). You can be very specific with the places you want to visit and they are happy to accommodate your requests. We also enjoyed different snacks and drinks bought from the local vendors. Do take some cash with you if you want to buy something and also for tips to the local guides.
Ifrah Osman
Ifrah Osman
2024-01-28
We loved the flexibility of the arrangement. That we could take it in our speed. I arrived in a tuk tuk around 2:45pm and wanted to rest a bit before starting with the tour. The guide was very very kind and allowed us to take it in our speed. It was me and my 6 years old daughter. I recommend you bring plenty of drinks and food.
Rizwan Narma
Rizwan Narma
2023-12-31
Taison was a real gent and took us to places that we would usually not see, really nice to experience the Old Town of Mombasa, liaise with the locals and try out traditional Swahili snacks.
Vaidotas Grigas
Vaidotas Grigas
2023-12-22
We were lucky enough to go on a couple of tours with Travel4Purpose in Mumbasa and Diani. A superb experience, no questions! Everyone from the T4P whom we interacted with we found extra nice, knowledgable and passionate about what they do, and simply awesome people to spend time with. With T4P we discovered and learned about places we would't have discovered on our own, tasted foods we wouldn't have tasted otherwise. And while also being concious of the environment and the community. And for reasonable prices to boot. Can recommend 100%!
Eimi Sugahara
Eimi Sugahara
2023-12-20
Had a fantastic food tour in Mombasa. Went to local spots and immersed myself into the heart of Mombasa. 10/10 experience! Would recommend for tourists and even locals such as myself!
J Singh
J Singh
2023-12-19
Where to start? Shammi was a really helpful contact and aide to have right from the planning stages of my trip to being my go-to person on the ground. Shammi made it so easy to narrow down the plethora of options out there for accom/ safari/ transport into one simple and tailored package. Saved a lot of time and stress from the offset. Thanks! Then on the ground when dealing with things like missing my train - shammi was on the phone in seconds to help me iron out a solution. Ezikeh - my safari guide - organised through Shammi at Travel4Purpose was also a legend so big shout out to you my friend! Thanks again to Shammi @ Travel4Purpose. I’ll be back soon and bring the family this time 👊🏼
Paul Collins
Paul Collins
2023-12-16
Brilliant! Brilliant Brilliant. That's all I can say. We had the best time.
Maren Böffel
Maren Böffel
2023-12-13
Our Watamu dhow tour with Travel4Purpose was an amazing experience, and I can only recommend it! The trip started in the morning, and we saw many dolphins - from there we went snorkeling, and finished with an amazing Swahili lunch. We had the dhow to ourselves. Everything was perfectly organized from the first moment, and you can feel the commitment of the whole team to create a unique experience! A must do when in Watamu 😊 thanks to everyone!