Nairobi Cultural Shopping Experience

Best experience ever! The cultural shopping trip was very exciting! We went to local market and to the Kazuri bead factory! We had bracelets made and key chains. The driver was very knowledgeable of the area! It’s a must see!

We were picked up on time from our hotel by the lovely David. As we hadn’t had time to get cash before our visit, he went out of his way to take us to an ATM before the tour. He was courteous and very professional yet super friendly at the same time. He answered the many and varied questions we had. As well as giving us lots of interesting information, not only about the places we visited but about life currently in Kenia. He waited patiently whilst we shopped, helped us with our bags and even recommended a restaurant serving local food for lunch. If we could give him 10 stars we would!

We had a wonderful time. Jane was knowledgeable. Patient and kind. I would definitely recommend her to others Thank you

My tour with David was great. It made souvenir shopping a breeze. The shops were nice and had a variety of items. I was able to buy things for my whole family. Highly recommend.

Jane is an amazing guide. We have to reschedule the our tour and she had to wait for us for quite some time. She did it with no complaint. She brought us to three shopping. Golden Hill, Utamadani shop and Galleria Mall. You can try haggling at Golden Hill but there’s a range they are willing to give you. Utamadani has pretty collection but overpriced imo. Our favourite is the Galleria Mall. There’s a lot of little shops there and the sellers will try their best to make you come to their shop. If you go on a slow day like us, you’ll be able to get a good price compared to the other two places

I would highly recommend this as a first day event, especially if you have the opportunity to book with Jane Kale. She not only gave us an incredible experience, but was the perfect person to have on a first day in Kenya as she gave us tons of information on both the area and the things we could do.

We received a great introduction to the city of Nairobi, Kenya and enjoyed a wonderful shopping experience. Jane Kale, our driver and guide, took us to the Galleria shopping center, then to the Golden Eagle for traditional Kenyan crafts, and finally the Kobe Beads Center, where we saw the talented bead makers create unique and beautiful designs. Jane provided an introduction to Kenya, gave us shopping tips, translated when needed, and kept us perfectly on schedule. It was a lovely way to meet the people of Nairobi and find some beautiful gifts. Our driver Jane made it the perfect shopping day!

My Sister and I decided we wantedbto venture out our own. We had Jaffar and Boogu from as our guides for this cultural shopping adventure we went to to bead factories, Kobe and Kazuri. They suggested they the Bomas and we decided ok and are we ever so glad we went..amazing show. These 2 young men made the whole experience brighter Thank you!

Jaffar and Harrison were amazing tour guides. They were so patient, so fun and went out of their way to make sure we saw everything we wanted to. We had an amazing tour!

We really enjoyed the Culture Shopping Experience with Patrick and Celestine. We were pleased from our booking and communication with Mercy to our final drop off three days later. We booked the Shopping Experience via Viator and met Mercy by asking a question about the tour. Mercy ended up arranging tours and transportation for the entire duration of our three day trip to Nairobi. Mercy responded immediately to any questions we had and was able to advise us on other tours we might be interested in. On day one Patrick provided round trip transportation for the Safari Cat Hotel dinner and show. Patrick showed up on time and was eager to share his culture with us and to explain the various places that we passed in route. On Day 2, Celestine joined us and was a great addition. Both she and Patrick were courteous and happy to answer our questions. We were looking for ceramic beads and Ankara fabrics and we were very pleased with the shops that we visited. Celestine especially took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for. We visited some really good places for other souvenirs such as wood carvings but since we have been to various countries in Africa, we were not interested in buying more of those. After shopping, Patrick and Celestine took us to a lunch spot that served local foods. I had suggested that we just grab a hamburger but Celestine encouraged us to try the Kenyan food and we are really happy that we did. Next they took us on a nature walk to see the Bombas Homestead of the various Kenyan Tribes. We had time to view around eight of the homesteads and Patrick and Celestine provided thorough explanations and answered our questions. From there we watched the dance performance. On Day 3, Patrick provided round trip transportation to the African Heritage House where we took a tour and enjoyed an amazing lunch. It was really nice to have a friendly personal driver for the duration of our trip. Also, I felt that the pricing was more than fair. I highly recommend Mercy, Patrick and Celestine for a seamless and great vacation in Nairobi.

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

This tour was more than I expected. There is something for everyone—the discerning traveler looking for unique, original, or handcrafted memories from Kenya and travelers looking for a combination of unique and expected gifts. Some of the artists are onsite. I truly loved the Utamaduni Craft Centre with all it’s nooks and individual rooms and spaces inviting you to discover items on your own without any pressure to buy. We would have never had this experience without our wonderful, friendly, and very patient driver Isaac! He adjusts to your pace and willing to answer, with a joyful smile and spirit, questions about Kenya and its culture. I must also note the flexibility of Mercy, who confirmed our booking. We had a late, unplanned schedule change and she was very accommodating beyond what would be expected. Avoid trying to navigate Nairobi traffic when you can have a punctual guide pick you up at your hotel. Don’t hesitate—book this tour!

I wasn’t sure where we would start to shop for souvenirs and am so grateful for this guided tour. Loved the Kazuri Bead and Pottery factory - it was such a blessing to meet those making these beautiful items. Also loved where we stopped for lunch, ate outside and enjoyed our last day in Nairobi. I started feeling ill and the guides were very accommodating. So grateful for this tour!

Selestine & Jane we’re amazing, super friendly and nothing was a bother. They took us around to a variety of different shops and told us about the background of each place. It was an interesting tour and would highly recommend it to anyone 😊

Disappointed! We booked this tour based on previous reviews and the importance of having a guide to navigate the “shopping and bartering” experience at the markets. We would have been better going alone. George picked us up at the hotel, however we had trouble finding him as we had no idea what vehicle he was driving , or that he was in fact sitting in the parking lot while we were waiting in the lobby. The drive was pretty quiet…no info on Nairobi at all, except when I asked a question or two. The most disappointing part was he just dropped us off in the parking lot at the first market and said see you in 45 min. No direction at all. When we entered and started to gather things in the basket, the prices seemed very high. My husband went out to find George to ask if we bartered or if they were set prices. He said no bartering, you pay set price! We were not onboard so bartered and ended up paying half. Leads me to think he was looking after himself and getting a cut from what we paid. Very disappointing!

First, I would like to say that this was a perfect ending to the perfect trip. We had Celestine and Jane as our host for the day. These ladies were the most gracious and inviting host that you could ask for. they were truly a memorable part of our trip. The tour took us to several different shopping destinations, which were all extremely nice, and did not have any pressure tactics. I feel that I brought some wonderful items back from Africa to the United States. For me, the bead factory was the highlight, and the women who worked there, the warm smiles, the genuine kindness, I was so happy to purchase items from there, knowing that I was supporting these ladies. Please do not miss this tour and hopefully you’ll be as lucky as I was to get Celestine and Jane as your host for the day.. thank you from John, Shawn, Erick

First off, if you were lucky enough to get Selestine and Jane as your guides for the day you will have hit the jackpot. Such a warm and gracious host made us feel very special. everything about the tour was fantastic. Bead factory was a highlight. The women working there were amazing. Every shop we went to was very nice and we were not pressured to buy things. It was all at our own discretion. It was a wonderful way to end our trip in Africa. Thank you John, Erick and Shawn from Chicago

Attending where the women and orphans make beads. The performance, dancing and singing by the women and orphans who make the beaded jewelry.

Drivers willingness to work with us. He us Patient and professional. He enlightens about any information required

Everyone should do this tour. Our guide Chris was the best, he gave us so much information about Nairobi and the history of the city and the different tribes of Kenya. The shopping experience was great. We went to the Kazuri bead factory and learned about how ceramic beads are made and the history behind how single mothers are being empowered by the art they are producing there. We also went to the Maasai workshop and market and learned about the beautiful carvings they produce and of course got to test our bargaining skills in the market. Our final stop was another shop that felt more like an art gallery it was so beautiful before stopping and having lunch in the beautiful gardens. 10/10 experience and some great gifts bought to take back home.

We had an excellent day with Stephen, visiting the various shops around Nairobi. Stephen was ready and raring to go at 9am, so we didn’t have to waste any time waiting around. First stop was the Kazuri bead factory which had the best quality bracelets and necklaces we saw in Kenya. As an added bonus, the money goes to supporting the women making the jewellery. Next we went to several more traditional souvenir shops, selling everything from wood carvings to textiles. The prices in these stores were ‘negotiable’, setting the starting prices ludicrously high so be prepared to haggle and walk (drive) away. Stephen was more than happy to help play the game and let us go back to one after we’d visited other stores, helping to secure an excellent price for a wooden giraffe. We went to Utamaduni next and this was a nicer environment to browse, with fixed prices and slightly better quality items. Finally, we went to Spinners Web, which was probably the nicest of the lot and had a huge selection of items at reasonable prices (fixed). They have a nice cafe here too so we stopped here for lunch as well. Stephen was fantastic all day, providing funny stories and tid bits of information throughout. Excellent value for money!

Had a hassle free day, the tour was amazing and interesting. George was an amazing guide, very informative, patient and very helpful. Was taken to where jewelleries made and shown how wooden sculptures were carved. Also went to a few souvenir shops where George helped with bargaining. I'm not very good that. Bought some lovely things I'm glad I booked the tour, I felt safe and was taken to safe places. Would definitely recommend it

I went on this shopping tour and I’d have to say it was way better than I expected. I was able to see women make Kazuhiro beads and then I actually had the chance to make pottery on a pottery wheel. It was something I’ve always wanted to do. I was on a solo trip so I didn’t know if I’d be an easy target for people to scam me, but I felt extremely safe with my tour guide. This company has so many tours and the best rates. I’d definitely recommend!!