Nairobi and the Giraffe Manor

Serving as the capital of Kenya, Nairobi is a pulsing metropolis that’s many visitors' first introduction to the country. But aside from just being a stop en route to Kenya’s wildlife reserves, it’s a destination in its own right, with some fine museums, excellent restaurants and a vibrant nightlife scene. It’s home to the Karen Blixen Museum and an elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, as well as plenty of curio shops where you can pick up souvenirs. You don’t even have to leave the city’s bounds to go on safari, with the Nairobi National Park home to endangered black rhinos, giraffes and lions.