Share your breakfast with the giraffe popping their heads through the window.

A traditional afternoon tea at the manor is a delightful occasion not to be missed. Relax in the tranquil gardens with a giraffe or two in view, as you enjoy a tasty assortment of cookies, cakes, sandwiches, scones and fruit platters. There will be plenty of opportunities to feed and interact with the giraffes during this experience and the team are adept at helping everyone snap the perfect photo memory.

Included in your stay at the Manor is access to the AFEW Giraffe Centre, which is a gentle stroll across the front lawn of the house. The centre has some interesting back ground information on the rare Rothschild Giraffes and also a small nature trail that can be good for stretching your legs.

Glide through our 21 metre infinity pool which looks out over the giraffe sanctuary. Our lovable herd of Rothschild’s giraffes are able to wander up to the end of the pool, so you might have a long-legged spectator or two! The poolside deck with sun loungers is a lovely space for relaxation and listening to the birdsong floating down from the surrounding trees.

Unwind after a long journey or at the end of an exciting safari adventure in our soothing spa area complete with a traditional sauna, steam room and bubbling hot tub for you to enjoy. You can also utilise the fully equipped gym that looks out onto the garden and has everything you need for a full-body workout.

The Retreat’s spa offers a range of massage and beauty treatments designed to restore your body’s natural balance and soothe away your stress. We use products by Healing Earth, a premium organic brand inspired by ancient African healing traditions.

For the creative lot, head to the orchid house and make use of our easel, canvas and paints.

Visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi where you can adopt a baby elephant and see them feed from a bottle. You can adopt an elephant for US$ 50 (for two people) and visit them at 5 pm where you’ll see your baby put to bed. Or you can go at 11 am when the orphanage is open to the general public and pay a US$ 7 donation. Both experiences are very special. Transfers from Giraffe Manor are included at no extra cost.

Snuggle up inside next to the fire in the evening and sip on a zingy dawa whilst settling down for a game of chess.

Boules and croquet are on hand at Giraffe Manor and kids can dodge the resident warthogs while challenging each other to a few rounds of these classic garden games.

Daisy’s Café is located at The Retreat, our wellness centre right next door to Giraffe Manor. Here you’ll find a vibrant menu of freshly prepared snacks and meals as well as a fully stocked bar. Our expert chef loves to use nutritious, locally sourced ingredients (many of which are grown in the veggie garden) to create nourishing farm to fork style dishes. Dine al fresco in the leafy surroundings of our garden terrace, or under the vaulted ceilings of the café. All food and drinks consumed at Daisy’s are charged as extras to Giraffe Manor guests and are payable direct or can be added to your room bill.

Step back in time at the Karen Blixen Museum. Once the farmhouse of Baroness Karen Blixen, the museum provides guided tours of the beautifully serene grounds and gives you a sense of the style of Karen Blixen’s home with a number of original pieces of furniture still in place. Entrance into the museum is KES 800 or US$ 12. Open 9am to 6pm. Transfers from Giraffe Manor are included at no extra cost. & Visit the Nairobi National Museum for an education in Kenya’s wonderfully rich heritage. After which you can enjoy the Museums botanical gardens and something to eat or drink from the restaurant/food hall. This activity takes up half a day. Transfers can be included in a half day hire of a vehicle and driver. Five hours costs US$ 180 – for anything less than five hours please ask for a quote as we can be flexible. An entry fee of KES 1200 or US$ 14 is payable directly to the museum. Open 8.30am to 7.30pm.

MATBRONZE ART GALLERY & FOUNDRY

Matbronze Art Gallery & Foundry features a display of over 600 hand cast bronze sculptures by wildlife artist Denis Mathews. From tiny lion cub paw prints to life sized crocodiles, the sculptures are impressive and fascinating to look at in their accurate representation of a diverse range of Kenya’s wildlife. There is also an art gallery exhibiting a selection of local artists and a delightful garden café serving delicious homemade snacks and meals.

CIRCLE ART GALLERY

African art is hitting the global art scene in a big way. The Circle Art Agency is Nairobi’s premier modern art gallery and offers a fantastic outing for collectors and enthusiasts alike. We recommend pre-booking your visit. Avid art enthusiasts can also book a private appointment to visit the gallery if the opening times are unsuitable, although this must be booked in advance and is subject to availability.

GoDOWN ARTS CENTRE

A fun art studio to visit exhibiting a range of artwork in different media from local artists, including fine arts, block print, etching and palette knife painting. There are currently five artists in residence who you can meet, each of whom create, exhibit and sell their work from here. If there is a particular artist you would like to meet, then we recommend you call ahead of time to ensure they’re available during your visit.

SHOPPING IN NAIROBI

Indulge in a little retail therapy and discover some of our talented local artisans. Shopping in Nairobi is fun and we know exactly where to find all manner of locally crafted goodies right on our doorstep. From beaded leather belts and sandals to beautifully carved wooden bowls, jewellery, traditional masks, woven baskets, Maasai blankets and more. Here’s our pick of the best local shops for finding unique gifts and goodies to take home:

KOBE TOUGH

Formerly known as Kazuri Beads, Kobe Tough is just a stone’s through away from the manor and offers great free factory tours to see exactly how their ceramic beads are produced. There’s a shop selling their handmade jewellery and beaded leather goods, all of which supports single mothers, widows and orphans in Kenya.

LANGATA LINK SHOPS

Just five minutes from the manor, here you’ll find a collection of shops all under one roof selling a range of jewellery, homeware, clothing and more, including the bright designs and extremely popular Kenya Kanga products! It’s become a local hangout with a great café and small children’s play area.

UTAMADUNI

This collection of Kenyan curios (souvenirs) has everything you could want all under one roof, from fridge magnets to magnificent beaded masks. Just ten minutes away from the manor for a quick trip, although easy to get lost in for hours.

OCEAN SOLE

This is a brilliant social enterprise that upcycles old flip-flops found on beaches and waterways in Kenya by making them into unique and functional art pieces. It aims to raise awareness of the state of our oceans and visits to the shop enable a glimpse behind the scenes at how their brightly coloured flip flop art is crafted.

HOUSE OF TREASURES EMPORIUM

Slightly further than those listed above, but still within half an hour’s drive from the manor, this is another collection of local shops with two eateries frequented by Nairobi residents. Here you’ll find a range of home décor and household accessories, as well as a small bronze sculpture gallery.

GIRAFFE MANOR SHOP

If you prefer to maximise your time at the manor, we have our own Giraffe Manor Shop on site with a range of carefully selected, unique items all handmade by talented local artisans. There are also several nearby shopping malls with large supermarkets, pharmacies and other shops for those that need.

This iconic park is the only national park within the limits of a capital city. It is home to a diverse array of wildlife including lions, leopards, buffalos, zebra, antelopes, giraffe and over 400 species of birds. Once inside the park, it really does feel like you have left the city behind. Sunset over the Ngong Hills and vast vistas stretching down over acacia-dotted plains are evocative of the spirit of Africa. Although fenced on three sides, the 117 square kilometre park is open to the south and teeming with wildlife.

Giraffe Manor has one open sided 4 x 4 vehicle for game viewing in Nairobi National Park. This is bookable on an exclusive basis only for single groups of up to six guests checked-in at Giraffe Manor or The Retreat. We recommend pre-booking to ensure availability, as the vehicle cannot be shared with other guests.

Please note that game drives cannot be combined with arrival or departure transfers. If you would like to visit the park outside of check-in times, we are very happy to help you arrange a private vehicle and guide for your Nairobi National Park experience.

Malo stables offer fantastic forest rides with views of the Ngong Hills. The horses are highly trained and the hosts extremely professional. There are a variety of riding options available that could include an alfresco lunch after a lovely ride through the forest at an extra cost. We recommend you book in advance and note that a 50% deposit is required to secure the booking.