6 Amazing Kenya experiences (that don’t involve a safari)

Written by: Felix Abel, Local Expert

Large herds on the Serengeti plains; the lone acacia tree at sunset. As you sip sundowners from the veranda of your private tented camp after your afternoon game drive, you think you’ve seen everything Kenya has to offer.

Think again.

While going on safari may be the most remarkable experience you’ll have in Kenya, the country offers an eclectic range of other activities, too. Here are just a few.

1. Breakfast with giraffes

Breakfast with the Giraffes at Giraffe Manor Nairobi-Magical Kenya Signature experience by Natural World Kenya Safaris

Built in 1932, the ivy-covered Giraffe Manor provides sanctuary along with its neighboring Giraffe Centre for 10 Rothschild giraffe on 140 acres of protected land at the edge of Nairobi National Park. The Giraffe Centre began as a breeding program in response to Kenya’s declining Rothschild giraffe population – there are now over 300 throughout the country. An overnight stay at the manor, now a boutique hotel, includes breakfast which may be graced by a visit from one of the giraffe, who occasionally poke their necks into the tall windows in hope of a treat.

2. Run a Marathon

It’s no mystery that Kenya has produced some of the world’s greatest long- distance runners and it’s easy to see why. The open spaces, wide beaches and hilly outcrops of the Kenyan landscape are ripe breeding grounds for marathon training, which is why the country offers opportunities for visiting runners, too. Marathon enthusiasts have a handful of races from which to choose. From the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon to the Lewa Safari Marathon to the Amazing Maasai Marathon, some of which support excellent causes such as wildlife preservation and girls education.

3. Visit an Elephant Orphanage

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is the fi­rst organization in the world to successfully hand-raise orphaned, milk-dependent elephants and reintegrate them back into the wild. You can visit the Elephant Nursery in Nairobi National Park, learn about the threats facing this magnificent species, and interact with the gentle baby elephants or even adopt one! DSWT’s active Orphan’s Project tracks the progress of every orphan and connects donors with their impact through unparalleled powerful storytelling.

4. View Contemporary Art

Nairobi’s flourishing art scene delivers several opportunities to see emerging and established Kenyan and international artists in its galleries. As in any city there’s turnover but currently, a handful of established contemporary spaces create a fruitful day of gallery hopping from the One Off Contemporary Art Gallery to the GoDown Arts Centre to Artz Gallery. Notably, the acclaimed Nairobi Gallery in the heart of the capitol is the official home of Murumbi African Heritage Collection – an exquisite private collection accumulated by Kenya’s late vice-president, Joseph Murumbi.

5. Take a Cheese Tour

No, you are not in Switzerland. While Kenya certainly is not known for its cheese, Brown’s Cheese farm has been making award-winning cheese just half an hour west of Nairobi in lush Tigoni for over 30 years. Visit the farm for a tour to see how the cheese is made, sample myriad varieties at a cheese-tasting, and enjoy a 3-course lunch sourced entirely from the farm’s organic garden. Brown’s also offers cheese-making classes for serious cheese enthusiasts.

6. Dine in a Cave

Diani Beach is better known for its sandy shores than its underground caverns, but in fact you can enjoy dinner 33 feet underground here. You enter Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant (a play on the famous folk tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”) through a very plain façade then descend into an ancient coral cave with a mouth overhead, affording stunning views of the night sky. Thought to be between 120,000 and 180,000 years old, the cave in its current state is populated with linen-covered tables lit by soft candles. The restaurant offers an international menu with specials such as grilled barracuda and garlic prawns.