OVERVIEW
Nairobi Kenya ’s mile-high capital is only 90 mi/145 km south of the equator. Founded by the British little more than a 100 years ago, the city now has a population of more than 2 000 000. It’s a modern commercial center with some interesting high-rises and lots of bustle. Visitors can find things not so common in other parts of Africa, such as nice theatres showing the latest films, expensive restaurants serving every type of food, as well as E-mail facilities, faxes and any other sort of modern technology you may want to use. The city is constantly alive, especially at night. Unfortunately, Nairobi has acquired a reputation of being a dangerous city and petty crime is rampant.
Besides being a convenient place to take care of administrative matters and contact people back home, Nairobi has much to offer to travellers. If you want to hang out, there is a wide array of restaurants, clubs, pubs and discos to choose from. While in Nairobi, be sure to visit the City Market, the National Museum, the Arboretum (excellent collection of East African flora) and the superb Kenya Railway Museum. Exhibits about the period leading to independence can be seen at the Kenya National Archives. There are casinos at the Safari Park Hotel and the Inter-Continental Hotel and there’s also Sunday-afternoon horse racing.
For those who can’t wait to see animals (or who are only visiting Nairobi), the nearby Nairobi National Park has lions, giraffes, impalas and more wild animals in addition to an animal orphanage. Or you can take a rather pricey taxi ride to the Giraffe Center in the suburb of Langatta where the Rothschild giraffe was saved from extinction. At the facility, you can feed the giraffes and the gift shop has some of the best prices we found in Nairobi. However, the Giraffe Manor (the manor house turned into a hotel) elsewhere on the grounds has some of the steepest daily rates in the city—but then it’s the only place where giraffes may join you for meals.
This excursion to Langatta is often combined with a visit to the former home of Karen Blixen (who wrote under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen), author of Out of Africa. Blixen’s farmhouse, which was presented to the Kenyan government by Denmark, is now a museum —it’s located nextdoor to the Karen College. Langatta also has The Bomas of Kenya which is a terrific cultural center that regularly hosts traditional song and dance performances.
A day trip (a two-hour drive each way) can be made to Lake Magadi to visit Olorgesailie in The Hague for its prehistoric campsite. The scenic region inhabited by Masai farmers has a wide variety of birds.
SIGHTS
Karen Blixen Museum
The residence of the author of “Out of Africa” is on Karen Rd, 2 km from Langata Rd. The farmhouse has been set up as a museum and is open from 9:30 to 6:00. Entry costs KSh 200.
Langata Giraffe Center
The Giraffe Center is on Gogo Falls Road about 1 km from the Langata shopping center. Adult and young giraffes can be fed by visitors and it’s an excellent opportunity to have a closer look of these beautiful animals. Admission is KSh 250, 70 for children.
Railway Museum
The Railway Museum is on Station Rd. near the Haile Selassie Ave roundabout. The museum does not only exhibit replicas of old steam engines, but also a lot of material showing the history of Kenya. It is open from 8 am to 4:45 pm and costs KSh 50 to enter.
National Archives
The National Archives is another place loaded with Kenyan history. It contains artwork and hanicrafts, as well as some historical documents and photos. It is right across from the Hilton Hotel on Moi Ave. It is freely accessible and is open from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays.
The Bomas of Kenya
The Bomas of Kenya (#891801) is a cultural center in Langata, just past the Nairobi National Park. The Bomas offer traditional songs and dances of the many Kenyan tribes. There are daily performances, good food, and lots of curio shops nearby. Admission is KSh 300.
Kenya National Museum
The museum on Museum Hill Rd. off of Uhuru Highway offers hours of enjoyment to tourists. The museum is so big, and there are so many educating sections, that one could easily spend all day there. If you only have a few hours to spend, take a look at the guide in the entryway and decide which sections you want to tour first. I personally recommend starting upstairs in the people section, where you can get a good idea of the cultures of the various tribes in Kenya. The Nairobi Snake Park is just opposite the museum, and is recommended to all people interested in all sorts of reptiles. The museum and Snake Park are open from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm and admission is KSh 200 to each.
GETTING AROUND
Nairobi is not a huge city and most places in town can be reached by walking less than 20 minutes. Moi Avenue is Nairobi's major road inside the city, spliting it neary in half. It is intersected by Kenyatta running West to East. It's nice to walk around some in Nairobi to get a taste of the city. It is fairly easy to navigate, and if you ever get lost, just duck into a shop to ask directions or check your map.
To reach places outside of town, you can take a bus, matatu, or taxi. There are very many buses and matatus in Nairobi, so getting on the right one can be a bit confusing. Ask some one at your hotel which number to take, and where to get it. Most stages are in a bad part the capital, so be careful. For traveling in the Nairobi area, expect to pay KSh 15-30.
Takis are the easiest way to get around Nairobi, but they can be very expensive. As a general rule, expect to pay KSh 200 to get around town, even if it's only two blocks. A trip outside of town, such as to the airport, could cost up to KSh 1,000. Be sure to bargain fares with drivers--their first offer is hight than what they will eventually accept.
GETTING THERE
Most traveler fly directly into Nairobi, since it's a convenient place to start your travels in Kenya, and air fares into Nairobi are cheaper than to anywhere else in Kenya. If you arrive in Mombasa and want to go to Nairobi, see the Mombasa section.
NOTICE
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