The 15 Best Markets & Shopping in Nairobi

1.Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 129 reviews · from $50Our pick

Meet Nimoh near Westlands Square, shop for fresh ingredients at a Nairobi farmers market, ride a local matatu, then cook and eat a traditional Kenyan meal in her home. The 3 to 3.5-hour experience costs $50, includes groceries, and can accommodate vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free diets with advance notice.

“Nimoh was a great host! She guided us through the market and explained the different foods/spices as well as tips for picking the right produce. The matatu was an adventure for sure! It being our first day in Nairobi, we truly got to experience the local life and culture. The fRead more”

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2.Nairobi souvenir Shopping and Historical Half day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · from $70

This 4 to 6-hour private Nairobi tour combines souvenir shopping with a short city history walk. Your driver-guide, including guides such as Tim, Obed, or Mwose, handles transport, translation, bargaining advice, and carrying purchases. Stops may include Kazuri Beads, Utamaduni, Golden Eagle Art Gallery, the Maasai Market, and Nairobi viewpoints.

“The Store was super clean. I got everything what I was looking for. My Driver was awesome and spoke English very well.”

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3.Memorable Daily KIBERA Slums/Toi Market Tour with Locals (2 hours)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $25

Walk through Kibera with a local guide such as Bramwel or Frederick, learning about homes, work, schools, and community projects. The tour lasts about two hours, ends at Olympic Primary School, and includes round-trip transfers from the school. Wear shoes that can handle mud and keep your camera discreet.

“Our Guide was truly a blessing..He knew everyone in the village. We met a wonderful man who invited us into his home and told stories of how difficult life was for his family. Everyone had smiles on their faces and I wish we could have helped all of them!”

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4.Nairobi Cultural Shopping Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · from $25

Spend four to five hours shopping for Kenyan crafts at Utamaduni Craft Centre, Kazuri Beads Factory, and Galleria Mall. Your private driver-guide handles transport and can help with translation. Expect handmade beads, pottery, fabric, carvings, and Maasai market goods, with guides such as Jan, Celestine, Selestine, or Jane on some departures.

“Jan and Celestine were AMAZING. They took us to great cultural places and shared great stories. I would highly recommend this trip”

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5.Mombasa City Tour,Fortjesus,Oldtown,Tusks and Spice Market.

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $45

Start at Fort Jesus with guide Silvance Okoth Adoyo, then walk through Mombasa Old Town, the spice market, and the famous elephant tusks. You’ll hear about Portuguese, Arab, British, and local influences, with water and Mombasa pickup included. The tour is offered in English or Italian for private groups.

“Silvance is an excellent guide and a lovely, thoughtful and interesting person. His historical knowledge is impressive, and he really brought the story of Mombasa alive for us - past and present. We explored Fort Jesus and the Old Town including the fish market and some interesting shops, and the spice market, an amazing Hindu Temple and Uhuru Park before finishing at the Mombasa Tusks. A fascinating and enjoyable morning. Thank you!!”

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6.Half-Day Nairobi National Park and Maasai Market with Pick up

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $180

Spend about five hours exploring Nairobi National Park in an open-roof Land Cruiser with guide Legendre or Robert, then visit a Maasai Market for locally made crafts. Early pickup, bottled water, transport, and drop-off are included, but the $43 nonresident adult park fee is extra.

“Since this trip would be my first introduction to Nairobi/Kenya/Africa, I was looking for a safari trip with a personal touch (and not one of these expensive group tours whereby you are just one out of tens of participants). Eventually I choose thiRead more”

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7.Authentic Kenyan Cooking Class & Market Tour in Nairobi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Meet Tabitha, also called Tabby, at K-MALL Komarocks and head to a local market to choose fresh ingredients. Then cook Kenyan dishes such as ugali, pilau, chapati, sukuma wiki, and kuku kienyeji in her home near Nairobi. The four-hour visit includes transport to the market, lunch, drinks, and guidance in English or Swahili.

“Tabby was fantastic. I wanted an experience away from the city noise and tourism experience. A simple experience of how Kenyans live the daily life. It's exactly what I was hoping for.”

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8.Nairobi cultural souvenir shopping tour with a local

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $60

Spend about six hours with a private driver-guide such as Kelvin, visiting Kobe Tough Beads, Utamaduni Crafts Centre, Golden Eagle Art Gallery, Aqeeq Galleria, and Matbronze Wildlife Art. You’ll shop with help on prices, translation, packing, and gemstone choices, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.

“Kelvin took us to places we needed to see and buy our souvenirs. Also, some of the places were full of art works to admire the beautiful art created my Kenyans.”

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9.Nairobi Guided Cultural Shopping Experience Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 12 reviews · from $90

Spend about eight hours shopping Nairobi’s African crafts with hotel pickup, a guide, and a group capped at seven. Visit African Heritage House, Utamaduni Craft Centre, Kazuri Beads Factory, City Market, and the Maasai Market if it is open. Guide Stephen is praised for patient service, useful shopping help, and choosing a good lunch stop.

“I canceled this trip because I was in Zanzibar about a week ago then confirmed a couple of days ago because I was not in Kenya. I don’t have an opinion just don’t want to get changed for it. Thanks! Deborah Bryon”

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10.Nairobi: Hop on Hop off and Maasai market Collections Visit

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10 reviews · 5 hours · from $98

Start at 9am at the Nairobi National Museum, then visit KICC, the Bomb Blast Memorial Park, Nairobi Railway Museum, Kibera, and the Maasai Market in Karen. You travel by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, mineral water, hotel drop-off, and entrance fees listed as included. Guides may include Ruben or Francis.

“We have one day to see Nairobi. Ruben was our guide. He was on time, very friendly. Took us around Nairobi. First stop National Museum of Nairobi. The place is necessary to see. we spend thee over an hour, but we could stay longer, ad least half day. The museum is very interesting. Then Tower building were on the 29 + floor we could see city of Nairobi. Next stop Memorial Garden, Beats factory , it was extra, plus Masai market. fantastic day , excellent guide. I commended that tour.”

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11.Explore local Market matatu ride & Make Kenyan Cuisines with a home cook

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $60

Meet Josephine Rukaria in Nairobi, ride a matatu from Westlands to a local market, shop for fresh produce with her, then return to her home for a hands-on five-course Kenyan and Indian cooking lesson. You will eat the meal you prepare, with ingredients, equipment, water, tea, and coffee included.

“That tour was phenomenal! Josephine is a patient, smart, funny and nice professor that will give a lot of insights about Kenyan culture! :) first she brings you into a Matatu to go to the market to buy stuff for the meal, and then you follow her at her home by a Matatu party buRead more”

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12.Market and Street Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · 1h 30m · from $30

Meet your English-speaking guide at Tsunami Garden Cafe for a small-group walk through Diani’s Ibiza Market. You’ll learn about local trade, visit a tailoring shop, sample a Swahili dress called a dera, eat chapati, coconut beans, ugali, and viazi karai, then taste palm wine at a local bar. Tina has guided recent tours.

“We really enjoyed the tour with Tina. She is great at explaining and we had the opportunity to see the beautiful market and taste some of the tipical dishes and beverage. it was really a great time spent together! :) We do recommend the visit!”

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13.Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 6 reviews · 4 hours · from $55

Meet at K Mall Komarock parking lot, shop for fresh ingredients with your English- or Swahili-speaking host, then prepare a Kenyan and Indian-influenced meal at home. You will help with ugali, chapati, pilau, or curry while the host handles most cooking in a small kitchen. Food, fruit, soda, water, and market transport are included.

“Eve is a very pleasant lady and she taught me lots about Kenyan culture”

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14.The Nairobi Skyline & Maasai Market!

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 6 reviews · from $76

Spend about five hours exploring central Nairobi with a small group of up to 15. You’ll see the city from KICC, walk past civic landmarks, enjoy Uhuru Park by paddle boat or with ice cream, eat an East African lunch, then shop for crafts and clothing at Maasai Market with a Swahili-speaking local.

“No one should book a tour with this operator! They are con artists, I arrived to my tour pickup location and the guide was a complete no show! This company needs to be removed from Viator!”

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15.Nairobi: Explore Maasai Market for Unique Souvenirs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours · from $10Best value

Meet a local English-speaking guide at Hilton Arcade on Mama Ngina Street for a two-hour shopping walk through Nairobi’s craft shops and Maasai Market. Erick or Eric can help you compare quality, translate, bargain politely, and meet artisans selling jewelry, textiles, carvings, paintings, and beadwork.

“Het komen op plekken die je zelf niet gaat vinden. De markt verplaatst iedere dag behalve in het weekend. Één en al gezellige verkopers. Wel aanklampen maar met een lach en beleefd. Tourguide geeft feedback m.b.t. prijsstelling. Heel veel keuze en goed georganiseerd. Ook in een 'wholesale" winkel geweest. Echt spotgoedkoop!Kleine lokale winkeliers kopen daar ook hun spullen.”

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