Ask a Local: Where to Go in Nairobi According to Runner Emily Chepkor

From scenic running routes to vintage shopping in flea markets, the founder of We Run Nairobi shows you how to fall for the city on foot."Nairobi is a city best understood in motion," says Emily Chepkor, founder of We Run Nairobi, the city's biggest and most popular run club. She's from a small town in Kenya, Kapsabet, that has produced more world-class runners per square mile than anywhere else on earth. While the country is known worldwide for its running heritage, Nairobi hadn't quite caught up to the hype until Chepkor came along.She runs as a hobby, and is a 12-time marathoner (and two-time Boston qualifier) who felt that, though Kenya's running reputation was unmatched internationally, the runner lifestyle itself wasn't accessible to everyday Kenyans—elite athletes only. She set out to change that and bring running closer to all Nairobians, starting with a weekly run club that began with just her and three friends. It slowly grew through word of mouth and especially TikTok, into something bigger, built on a simple idea: no registration, no fees, you just show up and run alongside Emily.That run has become a defining weekly ritual for Nairobians, drawing over 1,200 people every Saturday morning. It's now etched into the city's identity. The same way New York is known for its bagels, Nairobi is known for the We Run Nairobi neighborhood runs, a cultural landmark for locals and tourists alike.Below, Emily tells us about some of her favorite things to do in the city she calls home.Karura Forest is “without a doubt” the best place to run in Nairobi, if you ask Emily. GettyRunning in the forest"Karura Forest, without a doubt, is the most scenic route in the city”, she says. “I run the Sigiria side, through Gate F; it's quieter, more canopied. My dog Biscuit and I do the 10-kilometer loop most Sundays, crossing little rivers every kilometer. If you want something gentler, the 5-kilometer route is just as lovely." Her Saturday club runs the same way: "We're completely pace-agnostic. First-timers run next to marathoners".Karura is the second largest urban forest in the world after the Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and provides the perfect place for an outdoor run.Watch Game Day, Nairobi style“Kengele's is always a safe bet whatever's on, whether it's World Cup, rugby, athletics, you'll find a good crowd," says Chepkor. "What I love is how the embassies get involved: around big sporting events, they'll partner with venues across the city to host public watch parties. I'll never forget the British High Commission's watch party in Karura Forest, the day Sebastian Sawe broke the two-hour marathon barrier. The whole country was locked in, and experiencing that moment surrounded by hundreds of people felt incredibly special.”The McMillan Memorial Library is one of her favorite places for some peace and quiet, and some history. GettyA slice of history“The McMillan Memorial Library is a perfect little time capsule of Nairobi, architecturally and literally—it's currently being renovated by Book Bunk, founded by two Kenyan women committed to restoring our public libraries," she says. "I also love the Nairobi Gallery, home to Point Zero, the spot from which all distances in Kenya are measured.”Escape to the countryside“Tigoni is a small town only 30 to 40 minutes from Nairobi, but it feels much farther away. The city gives way to rolling tea plantations and narrow country roads. I start at Brackenhurst with coffee from Muna Tree Cafe on the terrace, then rent a bicycle and ride through the plantations, stopping wherever the view is too good to pass.” Back at Brackenhurst, she'll spread a blanket on the lawn to read, maybe doze off, then finish with tennis or a walk through the Indigenous forest. "It's the itinerary I'm proudest to take an out-of-towner on," Chepkor says.Coffee time"Sigiria Coffee House is my default—small, intimate, and full of dogs on Sunday mornings. On tennis mornings it's Waitabit, same easy vibe." For souvenirs, she sends visitors to two spots near each other: "Spinners Web has beautiful rugs, a café, and a used-books library. Just up the road, Tribal Gallery has grander pieces—restored Swahili doors, oversized mirrors—alongside smaller suitcase-friendly finds like ceramics and jewelry."Lunch, three ways"Fig & Olive in Tigoni is part bodega, part restaurant, with a lawn where no one blinks if you swap your chair for the grass. In the city, it's the Tin Roof Café in Karen—moving from table to grass and back, especially post-run, and the salad bar is iconic. For something dressier that still softens outdoors, Matteo's: white tablecloths, al fresco seating, and little intimate corners I'm still discovering."The Talisman Restaurant is a Nairobi stalwart. Sasithon Pooviriyakul / TalismanScoring a place by the fireplace is a coup. Sasithon Pooviriyakul / TalismanDinner, then a nightcap"The Talisman Restaurant is a Nairobi stalwart. Scoring a corner table by the fireplace on a chilly evening is a date-night dream. For something more stylish, Inti has skyline views in every direction—some Friday nights it turns into an intimate DJ set." For the rest of the evening, she splits the city in two: “If you're after energy, Geco, alive with Nairobi's music scene, especially on Wednesdays. For actual conversation, Cave-à-Manger has an expansive wine list and keeps the music in the background.”A treasure hunt for vintage"Toi Market, with one caveat: Nairobi isn't really a vintage city in the curated, boutique sense— we're much more of an open-air, flea market vibe, with thousands of stalls. Toi is sprawling, busy, and a little chaotic. You'll need patience and a willingness to dig, but if you put in the time, you'll almost always come away with something great for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere."Arts, on foot“Nai Nami is properly off the beaten track; it's a walking tour of Nairobi's CBD led by former street children. You see downtown Nairobi through the eyes of people who know it intimately, and leave with a completely different understanding of the city. The Alliance Française is an unexpected answer, but it's one of Nairobi's great cultural hubs—plays, concerts, exhibitions, most of which are free, and the original stomping ground of Sauti Sol, our biggest boy band.”A view of the city from Nairobi National Park GettyA wildlife day"Nairobi is the only city in the world with a national park so if you’ve only got one day, make it a wildlife day. I’d go for a game drive through Nairobi National Park at sunrise, then the elephant feeding at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and the Giraffe Centre to finish. Afterwards, a slow lunch nearby at either Cultiva, Talisman, or Matteo's. "Meet the locals on their turf"I'd highly recommend coming to a We Run Nairobi Saturday. One of my favorite traditions is that we 'brand' every first-timer with a little sticker, so everyone knows it's your first Saturday. I'll encourage people to say hello, ask where you're visiting from, and recommend a coffee spot. You're moving together with actual Nairobians, in neighborhoods where we actually live. You're not being shown the city, you get to experience it alongside the people who call it home.”Sharon Machira is a Kenyan multimedia journalist, Content Creator and PR strategist with a decade of experience telling stories from Africa. She was formerly a senior producer at BBC Africa and the PR Lead for Google in East Africa. She now contributes to titles including Condé Nast Traveler & The ... Read MoreRecommended In the leafy suburb of Karen, this boutique beauty proves that Nairobi is much more than a layover en route to an East African safari.Read full reviewView All Africa