Nairobi is the most populated city in the country. Because of the great population, it is considered a centre of hustling and bustling. With tall buildings and busy highways, one may even think there are no places to explore and get in touch with the beautiful side of nature.

As the short holiday Easter holiday approaches, this articles seeks to issue guidance on some nature places in Nairobi that are worth visiting, to get away from all the noise and activities.

1.Karura Forest

This is the best place for those who love trees and the freshness of nature. It is located in the Northern part of Nairobi and is managed by the Kenya Forest Service and  Friends of Karura Community Forest Association. The forest has 5 entrances for the public. The main one is along Limuru Road. A second entrance is along Kiambu Road.

The forest is open to the public all days from between 6 am-6pm. By 7pm all visitors are however supposed to have exited the forest leaving nothing behind but only foot prints.

Some of the activities you can do while at the forest include jogging, walking and cycling. You can also watch birds, there are also picnic sites and you can even play tennis. Additionally, you can watch the waterfall, do horse riding, visit the Mau Mau caves and many more activities.

To access the forest, an adult would pay Sh100 and a child Sh50. For non residents, it will cost Sh600 and Sh300 respectively.

 2.Giraffe Centre

For those who love to watch and even feed giraffes this can be the best destination for them. The place is located about 15km from Nairobi’s CBD, in Lang’ata’ s suburbs. It was established to take care of vulnerable giraffes.

The entrance fee for locals is Sh400 for an adult and Sh200 for a child. For non residents, it will cost Sh1,500 for an adult and Sh750 for a child.

The centre is open from 9am to 5pm all days of the week(that includes weekends and public holidays).

3.Nairobi National Park

The park is located 7km to the South of Nairobi City. It is one of the fun and worth places to visit, because it is easily accessible as it is closer to the city.

Although it’s one of the smallest national parks in the country, with an area of 117.2, it has a wide variety of and species. Some of the wildlife species found in the park include lions, leopards, buffalo rhinos and many more.

Charges for accessing the park are sh430 for an adult and sh215 for a child. For a security/guided tour it will cost Sh1720 for fours and Sh3,015 for over four hours.

4.Oloolua Nature Trail

The sanctuary is located in the Karen suburbs, about 20km from the city of Nairobi.

This is another amazing spot for nature lovers. Here you can jog, enjoy nature walks and even perform other exercises. Additionally, it is a good spot bike riders. The traditional sanctuary also offers a serene environment for yoga and meditation. While there, you can watch animals such as antelopes and get to know more about tree species.

To access the forest, an Kenyan adult would pay Sh200 while a child would pay Sh100. For non residents, an adult will pay Sh600 and a child Sh300.

5.Ngong Hills Forest Reserve

Located 25km from Nairobi’s CBD and to the western side of the  city, Ngong Hills is one of the top hiking spots. The gates of the facility are open from 8 am-5pm.

Aside from hiking, other activities you can engage in include; picnic, zip lining, bike riding, archery filming, quad biking and many others

The entrance charges for citizens are Sh232 for adults and Sh58 for children, For East African residents it will cost Sh464 for an adult and Sh174 for a child while for non-residents the costs willbe Sh696 and Sh174 for an adult and child respectively.

Other nature places that one can explore in Nairobi include;

• Nairobi Arboretum, Kilimani
• The AFEW Nature Sanctuary that is opposite Giraffe Centre
• David Sheldrick wildlife trust