The evening at a glance
- What it is
- A nightly show by the Safari Cats — dancers, drummers and acrobats — staged inside the Safari Park Hotel's open-air Nyama Choma Ranch, built around a grilled-meat buffet.
- Where
- Safari Park Hotel & Casino, Kasarani, on Thika Road, opposite the Moi International Sports Centre, about 12km from central Nairobi.
- How long
- Nyama Choma Ranch opens at 7pm for dinner; the Safari Cats take the floor at 9pm for a one-hour set, with the Ranch closing around 11pm.
- Getting there
- The booking covers show entry, the buffet and a round-trip hotel transfer, with pickup at around 6:30pm.
How the evening is built
The Safari Cats' own signature move is the acrobatic lift and tower their troupe builds mid-show — we've borrowed that shape to lay out the whole night, tier by tier, grill at the base.
- 1
The grill
Nyama Choma Ranch opens at 7pm and the buffet of grilled steak, chicken and mutton is the base everything else is built on.
- 2
Drums and dance
A live band and a set of African dance numbers carry the room through dinner and into the main event.
- 3
The acrobatics
The Safari Cats' acrobats close the one-hour set that starts at 9pm with the troupe's own lifts and balances — the top of the tier, and the reason most people booked.
The booking includes a round-trip transfer: pickup from your Nairobi hotel at around 6:30pm and a drive back after the show. Staying on for the casino means an extra waiting charge for the vehicle.
The evening, in order
How a night at Nyama Choma Ranch actually runs, from the gate to last orders.
- 7:00pm
The gate opens
Nyama Choma Ranch opens its grill and its tables for the night.
- Through the evening
Dinner from the grill
Guests eat as the room fills, with a live band playing local, African and Swahili music through the meal.
- 9:00pm
The Safari Cats take the floor
A one-hour set of dance, drumming and acrobatics fills the middle of the room.
- 11:00pm
Last orders
The Ranch closes for the night once the show and the meal are done.
The grill and the buffet
Nyama choma — meat grilled over charcoal and carved to order — is the backbone of the menu; the rest of the table fills in around it.
On the grill
Kenyan steak, chicken and roasted mutton are grilled to order, alongside jacket potatoes, crisp salads and dips.
Vegetarian options
A vegetarian selection sits on the same buffet. Guests with stricter dietary needs should flag it with GetYourGuide's support before the night rather than at the door.
Drinks
A fully stocked bar is on site, but drinks aren't included in the ticket price — budget separately for anything beyond the buffet.
The room
Tables sit around an open floor built for exactly this: dinner with the show wrapped around it, warmed by the grill rather than a stage seen from a distance.
Why book the Safari Cats
Before you go
With children
The mix of drumming, dance and acrobatics tends to hold children's attention better than a plated dinner would, and the buffet format lets younger guests choose their own plate rather than sit through a set menu.
What to wear
Safari Park Hotel's own dress code for Nyama Choma Ranch is smart casual. Nairobi sits at altitude and evenings cool down quickly after dark, so a light layer is worth having even after a warm afternoon.
Getting home safely
Kasarani is a drive from most central Nairobi hotels. The booking includes hotel pickup at around 6:30pm and the drive back after the show, so there's no hunting for a taxi on the hotel forecourt late at night.
Safari Cats and two other African dinner shows
| Evening | The performance | The signature moment |
|---|---|---|
| Safari Cats, Nairobi | Acrobatics, African dance and drumming with a nyama choma buffet | The troupe's own acrobatic lifts and balances closing the set |
| GOLD Restaurant, Cape Town | A multi-course African tasting menu with a drumming lesson and puppet shows | Guests dusted with gold at the close of the meal |
| The Boma, Victoria Falls | A buffet of local game dishes with face painting and a guest drum circle | The whole room drumming together at the end |
Check dates and prices
The Safari Cats calendar runs live on GetYourGuide below — pick a night, and the from-price lands in whatever currency your card uses.
Getting to Kasarani and timing
Where it is
Safari Park Hotel & Casino sits on Thika Road in Kasarani, opposite the Moi International Sports Centre, about 12km from central Nairobi.
Transfers
The booking includes a round-trip transfer: pickup from your Nairobi hotel at around 6:30pm and a drive back after the show. Staying on for the casino means an extra waiting charge for the vehicle.
What time to arrive
Nyama Choma Ranch opens at 7pm and the Safari Cats take the floor at 9pm — arriving with dinner rather than right before the show gets you a table before the room fills.
How long to set aside
Between the hotel pickup at around 6:30pm, dinner, the one-hour show and the drive back into Nairobi, plan on the evening running to around 11pm.
Questions before you book
What is the Safari Cats show, exactly?
A resident troupe of dancers, drummers and acrobats performing a one-hour set nightly at Nyama Choma Ranch, the open-air restaurant at Safari Park Hotel & Casino in Kasarani, Nairobi.
What time does the show start?
Nyama Choma Ranch opens at 7pm for dinner; the Safari Cats take the floor at 9pm for a one-hour set, with the Ranch closing around 11pm.
Is dinner a buffet or a set menu?
A nyama choma buffet — grilled steak, chicken and mutton carved to order, with jacket potatoes, salads and dips. A vegetarian selection sits on the same buffet.
Are drinks included?
No. The buffet and the show are covered by the ticket price, but the bar is a separate tab.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. Pickup from your Nairobi hotel at around 6:30pm and the drive back after the show are both included. If you want to stay on at the casino, the vehicle can wait for you for an extra charge.
Where is Safari Park Hotel?
On Thika Road in Kasarani, opposite the Moi International Sports Centre, about 12km from central Nairobi.
What should I wear?
Smart casual, per the venue's own dress code. Nairobi evenings cool down after dark, so a light layer is worth having even after a warm day.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes — the mix of dance, drumming and acrobatics around a buffet dinner tends to hold children's attention well, and the buffet format lets them choose their own plate rather than sit through a set menu.
Guides to the Safari Cats
The Safari Cats, step by step
What actually happens between the gate opening at 7pm and the Ranch closing for the night.
Read the guide → The troupeThe Safari Cats: acrobatics, dance and drums explained
What the resident troupe actually performs, and what to watch for during the one-hour set.
Read the guide → DinnerNyama choma and the buffet, explained
What nyama choma actually is, what's on the buffet, and what to know if you eat differently.
Read the guide → Getting thereGetting to Thika Road, pickup and timing
Where Safari Park Hotel actually is, how transfers work, and what to plan around.
Read the guide → PracticalitiesThe show with kids, what to wear, and safety at night
What ages it suits, the dress code, and getting home safely from Kasarani.
Read the guide → Beyond the showNairobi evenings beyond the Safari Cats
Where to go if a dinner show isn't the only night out on your Nairobi trip.
Read the guide →More Nairobi evenings worth booking
Other ways to spend a night out in Nairobi, booked the same way.
See all Nairobi experiences ↗