Nairobi has a reputation for thievery. Beware of snatch and grab, con artists, or groups of people following you. The best advice for a tourist is to stay in city centre, know where you are at all times, and pretend you know where you're going (even if you don't). Don't carry large quantities of money or passports on the street, and the general rule is that anyone trying to talk to you (there will be many) is up to no good. Scams abound. In recent years, crime has significantly reduced, though one should still be wary.
Apart from the inner city centre, Nairobi dies out at night. Streets are mostly empty. Do not walk alone after nightfall. Always use taxi.The areas north and east of River Road should be avoided, especially if you're not a local!
If you are in a matatu and moving slowly through traffic, particularly after dark, you should keep your window closed to prevent snatching of valuables such as phones, etc from the outside. Mobile phones and wallets should be securely kept and not displayed prominently during calls or cash transactions in the River Road area, particularly after dark.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Nairobi
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Nairobi - updated Apr 2024
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Nairobi Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
