Nairobi Arboretum
The Arboretum is a calm, green pocket of central Nairobi planted with hundreds of indigenous and exotic tree species, criss-crossed by gentle paths. Families come for picnics on the lawns, easy nature walks and the resident Sykes' and vervet monkeys in the canopy. It's free or low-cost and a favourite for relaxed weekend mornings.
Good to know: Don't feed the monkeys and keep snacks zipped away — they're quick.
How a family visit works
- 1Enter from State House Road, pay at the small desk, and claim a lawn near the paths — not a blanket deep under the trees where you cannot see a toddler.
- 2Walk the easy loops first so they burn energy. Picnic second. Reverse that order and the monkeys eat lunch before you do.
- 3Keep snacks in a zipped bag on your lap, not open on the cloth. Sykes' and vervet monkeys here are quick and practised.
- 4Do not feed them. They already know how to unzip a school bag. Pack up before you are tired, while you still have the upper hand.
What kids actually do here
- Picnic on shady lawns in central Nairobi without a long drive
- Spot Sykes' and vervet monkeys in the canopy — watch, do not host them
- Walk gentle paths among indigenous and exotic trees with a stroller or a scooter
- Let under-fives run; this is a pocket of green, not a playground with queues
- Do a slow nature loop if the older one needs a 'we came to see trees' story for school
Before you go
Let your child save up for Nairobi Arboretum
Entry here is under KES 500 a child (our estimate). In Tija, kids earn coins for chores you set and put them toward a goal they pick, like this outing, then watch it fill up as the chores get done.
Free to download on Android. On a computer, Google Play can send it straight to your phone.
What to pack
- A picnic and zip bags or a cool box the monkeys cannot open
- A ball or a frisbee for the lawns
- A dummy or snack strategy that does not involve peeling a banana in the open
- A light sheet; the ground is dusty
Parent questions
- Are the monkeys dangerous?
- They will snatch food, not children, if you keep bags closed and do not tease them. Feeding is how the problem gets worse. If a troop is sitting on your chosen lawn, move.
- Do we pay to get in?
- It is low-cost rather than a mall outing — listed under KES 500. Confirm the day's fee at the State House Road gate. Open daily; it is a morning place, not a late-afternoon one with small kids.
Hours, tickets and activity rules change. Confirm the current details on the official site or at the gate before you travel.
Next outing, let them chip in
Set a few chores in Tija, your kids earn coins, and the coins go into a savings goal for the next day out. Built for Kenyan families, priced in shillings.
More for families: Holiday outing planner · Savings Challenge · Parent guides · Tija for Schools
