Nairobi, Kenya is much more than just a stop-off on your way to or from Wildlife Safaris, it is a modern, bustling African city with plenty to offer the traveler.
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, situated at an elevation of about 5450 ft in the highlands of the southern part of the country, with a population of around 2 million.
Nairobi, Kenya - a Modern City
Nairobi's name comes from the Maasai Enkarenairobi, meaning "cool waters. The city was founded in the late 1890s as a British railroad camp on the Mombasa-to-Uganda railroad. Modern Nairobi looks very much like any modern western city with skyscrapers and busy streets. And like in most developingcountries remember the mantra for all tourists: Keep your wits about you, dress conservatively; take a taxi after dark and don’t wear flashy jewelery.
Nairobi Has Great Shops, Markets and Accommodation
Most people don’t go to Nairobi; they pass though - maybe stay overnight on their way to the Game Parks or Wildlife Safaris. Those who take the time to spend a few days in the city, will find there are plenty of interesting things to do and see, both in the city (good shops and markets, museums, especially the Railway Museum) and in the close surroundings (Karen Blixen House, Giraffe Center, Nairobi Arboretum, Nairobi Mosques) and even the Nairobi National Park, just in case tourists haven’t had enough of animals.
Vibrant Nightlife and Luxury Accommodation
Nairobi has a vibrant nightlife (Annie Oakley’s Bar & Restaurant in Milimani Road - next to Backpackers Hostel is recommend for pool ). There are bars and clubs from sleazy to stylish; a red-hot music scene and restaurants for all tastes including the American fast food ones.
As for accommodation, Nairobi, Kenya's modern capital offers travelers first class all the way – luxury boutique hotels, chain hotels, lodges, guest houses, and resorts with Casinos and of course, at the other end of the spectrum, good backpacker hostels and budget hotels.
Internet and Mobile Phones in Nairobi
There is a good internet café in the Nairobi International Youth Hostel and another in Mundi Mbingu Street called Centrum Internet Café. Kenya also has wireless, so ask when you book.
As for mobile phones - don’t use your own roaming facility, it will cost you plenty. Buy a pre-paid Sim card for your mobile phone at the airport or at any shop in town and top it up as you go.The GSM phone that you are taking with you on your visit to Kenya, should be SIM unlocked otherwise nothing will work besides the SIM card which is meant for the phone.
Renting a phone is another option or you just buy a new pay-as-you-go phone in Kenya for about £15 ($30) and give it away to someone as a tip when you leave and still save a fortune.
Nairobi Attractions
Karen Blixen’s Museum in Karen Road – the Danish author who wrote under the name Isak Dinesen, famous for writing Out of Africa.
Bomas of Kenya is a cultural park where you can experience each of Kenya’s major ethnic groups, represented with their own traditional boma (homestead) where they display their crafts, living style, music and dancing.
At the Elephant Orphanage you will watch the baby elephants with their keepers at feeding time.
What To do in Nairobi
Visitors will probably want to buy some wood carvings or a colorful kikoi or two – there are plenty of markets and vendors in Nairobi. A good recommendation is to shop at the' Blue Market in Muindi Mbingu Street.
But the best thing to do in this city, is to just “hang” with the people for a few days. Eat at the local restaurants and eating houses, walk in the parks, window shop, talk to people you meet along the way and enjoy the experience of modern African city life.
The copyright of the article Nairobi, Kenya's Modern Capital in Kenya Travel is owned by Karen Lotter. Permission to republish Nairobi, Kenya's Modern Capital in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
As you were not in a position
to organize a tour to Kenya, I went there on my own and I am sending this
information with the belief that it would benefit you and others who wish
to travel to Kenya, by adding Kenya to your list of tours. I think many of
your regular clients would be happy to go there.
I found
hundreds of tour operators in Kenya and finally selected Africa Home
Adventure whose e-mail address is info@africahomeadventure.com. I am glad I
chose them for several reasons: They are not a private business. They
are a project of the International Youth Hostels. You can be sure that they
are always aboveboard in organizing their tours. They are more or less an
NGO. Mr. Albert Ouko is their Tour Adviser whom I found to be very honest,
knowledgeable, courteous and helpful. In fact, he came personally to meet
me at the Airport. You can rely on him confidently. Africa Home
Adventure is a small company with about 5 vehicles and a team of devoted
workers. Another advantage of traveling with them is that their Hostel
can put up travelers on arrival and before departure at a cost of about $12
a night. Staying in a hotel would cost more than half the budget of the
tour. I took a camping safari for a week to 3 game reserves in the
South, West and North of the country and my airfare and safari cost me
around $1300. Of course, camping is tough but I went through it without
problems at the age of 75. If you want to stay in hotels, the tour could
cost anything above $2000. Costs will depend on various factors like time
of travel, the number traveling and the comforts desired. These details you
can discuss with Mr. Ouko. I should think you would be able to organize a
tour to Kenya at the same rate you charged us for China. I think our
operators make the mistake of trying to take a large number in a tour to
minimize costs. That does not work. One tour I tried to join wanted to take
over 15 on a luxury tour for just $1350 but they could not collect the
crowd. In any case, they normally do not take people in buses into the
reserves. The usual vehicle is the open top van which can take up to about
10 but with baggage, 5 to 7 would be an ideal optimum. If you have more
they will use more vans. I found the tour to Samburu was very arduous
in travel and comfort, not commensurate to the cost and travail. Masai Mara
and Nakuru is enough to give a traveler a good experience of the Kenyan
Jungle.
Apr 23, 2009 8:35 PM
Guest :
Happened upon this website and I think you are missing so many of the best
parts of Kenya. Hire a driver a car, and make your day trips to Naivasha
to see the flamingos, Mt. Kenya, the Ark, Thirteen Falls, take the train to
Mombasa and back if you have the time and while in Mombasa be sure to visit
Ft. Jesus and go to the island coast at sunset for music and casava crisps
with chili and lime, fresh out of the oil; while you are in Mombasa, hire a
car to take you to MALINDI because it is the most beautiful place on earth,
and certainly the reason all Europeans flocked to Africa, as this is where
they say Africa was discovered, with the statue to prove it. You can find
a cheap hotel on the coast , and you may never leave Malindi. When you
return to base in Nairobi, venture back north through Sopa or Sarova hotels
and you can't go wrong... hit the hot spots with the Masai Mara, Aberdeens,
Great Rift Valley, and so many other amazing places to see you will never
get it all done. When you want to relax, visit my favorite hang-out, the
Giraffe Manor, where I would spend my weekends having tea and just visiting
my friends, the giraffes, whom I miss. There is an ostrich farm, an
elephant orphanage, a bead/pottery place that abused women make ceramic
jewelry and pottery as a trade, and some other really low-key things to do
around town. I hope you fall in love with Kenya!
Feb 27, 2007
