The Best Places to Visit in Nairobi, Kenya

 

Nairobi, Kenya is a modern city in East Africa. It is a city I have been to and would love to return to. According to the CIA World Fact Book over 3 million people live in Nairobi. The city is multicultural embracing various tribes, Europeans, Asians, and Muslims. Sitting at around 5500 feet in altitude, Nairobi has a mild climate year round. www.nairobi.com When visiting Nairobi, one will want to see wildlife, enjoy nightlife, dine well, explore the area’s culture and history, and do a little shopping. Another thing a visitor may want to see in Nairobi is the human condition. When I traveled to Nairobi I was able to do all of these things. I was fortunate to stay at the home of a Kenyan. He showed me many aspects of his city. A visitor to Nairobi does not need to stay with a local to enjoy the city. Many tours and hotels will help someone explore and delight in Nairobi.

Wildlife – Most large cities have a zoo. Nairobi has a national park full of wild animals. Although most visitors to Kenya will go to the country’s many other wonderful national parks, Nairobi National Park is worth a visit. The Wild Animal Orphanage is part of the park. The animal orphanage cares for injured or abandoned wild animals. I got to pet a baby cheetah and see many of Kenya’s wild animals up close there. A visitor to Nairobi would not want to miss the chance to see African wildlife so close to the city.

Another place in Nairobi to see wildlife up close is the Giraffe Center in Langata, a suburb of Nairobi. The Giraffe Center protects rare Rothschild giraffes. www.giraffecenter.org One can feed the giraffes there. Just be sure to not turn your back on the giraffes like I did because the giraffes will hit you with their heads and knock you off your feet. Such diverse wildlife so close to the city is a great opportunity for any visitor to Nairobi to enjoy.

Nightlife – Nairobi has a diverse and exciting nightlife. If a visitor wants to dance, gamble, or just share a beer, Nairobi has a place to go to. If losing money while having fun is for you; then the Casino Paradise at the Safari Park Hotel has what you want. Kengeles is a comfortable restaurant and bar. The nightlife there is more low-key. I enjoyed a Tusker there. Tusker is a very good Kenyan beer. Most places that serve beer will ask a patron whether they would like their beer served warm or cold. Another option to enjoy a beer is at the outdoor street bars. At these businesses one buys a beer at a storefront and then drinks it at one of the tables in the center of the street. These bars are a great place to meet the locals in a laid-back atmosphere. I had a local take me to these bars, but I am sure an adventurous traveler could find these outdoor bars.

Dance clubs are popular with Nairobians. Pavement is located at the Westview Center. The K2 Klub is in a several story building. Modern and classic dance music keeps patrons dancing. I also enjoyed the sports bar feel to one part of the club. African and traditional dance music is the lure of Zanze Bar. Zanze Bar is more popular with locals of African descent, but visitors are welcome. I danced with several patrons of Zanze Bar. One thing to keep in mind at any of the dance clubs is if you arrived alone, you will leave alone. HIV/AIDS in Kenya is taken very seriously by young people. Kenyans will dance and have fun at the clubs, but hooking up is not part of their evening plans.

Food – When in Nairobi please avoid American fast food when you go out to eat. A traveler can get plenty of American food in the United States; be adventurous. My favorite restaurant in Nairobi is Carnivore. www.tamarind.co.ke/carnivore At Carnivore I ate all kinds of farm-raised game meats. The ostrich and eland were my favorites and I enjoyed the zebra. The crocodile was a bit salty. Hosts come to your table with the meat skewered on a Masaii spear and they cut off parts of the meat on to your plate. As the name suggests there are plenty of meats, but Carnivore has a vegetarian option. At night, there is also a show and dancing at Carnivore. At Nairobi National Park is Ranger’s. www.rangersnairobi.com While dining at Ranger’s a patron can eat and enjoy the magnificent wildlife. It is Kenyan manners to thank someone such as a waiter after you have finished eating or drinking what has been served to you.

Culture – Early man walked Kenya’s Rift Valley millions of years ago according to www.pbase.com , a scientific website. Since then Kenya became populated by many tribes, and later, Arab traders and Europeans. The National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi chronicles this history of Kenya. This museum also has an art gallery and a botanic garden. The National Natural History Museum displays artifacts from dinosaurs to early man. Nairobi developed as a city on the British rail line built from Mombasa on the coast to the interior of East Africa. www.nairobi.com The Nairobi Railway Museum is a great place for any traveler who enjoys trains, engineering, or is a kid at heart. www.krc.co.ke Bomas of Kenya in Langata celebrates the tribal diversity of Kenya. www.bomasofkenya.co.ke There is a replica village on the grounds. Inside one can see dancers performing various tribal dances from the different tribes. The Masaii dancers were quite impressive. Denver is a sister city to Nairobi. Be sure to visit Denver Garden while in Nairobi. I helped plant a schefflera tree in the Denver Garden on my visit to Nairobi.

History – Besides museums, a visitor to Nairobi can explore several other historical sites. One can visit Parliament House and watch the Kenyan government at work. Sites that are significant to Kenya’s independence include Uhuru (Freedom) Park and Central Park. Uhuru Park is where the Kenyan flag was first raised over an independent Kenya. The memorial to Kenya’s first president and independence leader, Jomo Kenyatta, is in Central Park. www.nairobikenya.com The subject of the film “Out of Africa” was Karen Blixen. www.karenblixen.com Blixen wrote under the name Isak Dinesen. Her home near the Ngong hills is now the Karen Blixen Museum. One can tour her home and the grounds surrounding it. A modern and sad place is the Nairobi Bomb Blast Memorial Park. This memorial is on the grounds of the former United States Embassy downtown. On August 9, 1998 terrorists attacked the embassy with a truck bomb. The city guide at www.nairobicity.go.ke states that two hundred twelve people, mostly Kenyans were killed and five thousand people were wounded. It is a solemn place.

Shopping – Like any large city, Nairobi has several malls. Besides the malls I visited, Nairobi.com lists malls at Westgate, the Sarit Center in Parklands, Prestige in Woodly Estate, and the Village Market. All of these malls are safe and excellent places to shop. For handmade crafts, beads, and cloth, there is the Utamaduni Craft Center in Langata. One can get bargains at the smaller shops around the city. You can usually barter at these small shops, but not at the malls.

Humanitarian – Nairobi, like many large cities around the world, has a large slum area. A traveler should certainly never go to the Kibera slum alone. I saw this sad area of heartbreaking poverty with a large group and several Nairobians. Most travelers would not want to see such areas, but for those who do, it will break your heart and remind you of how lucky some of us are. If possible, one should try to visit a school such as the Nile Road Secondary School. If you do find a tour that will take you to a school, bring a gift of school supplies. The children are always smiling and want so badly to be educated and learn. The school I visited had no electricity and the children raised, slaughtered, and sold chickens to raise money for basic school supplies.

Nairobi is a modern large city with many interesting, fun, and educational things to do. Although the U.S. State Department has a travel warning about crime in Kenya, one should take the same precautions one would take in any large city such as London, Tokyo, or New York City. The State Department warning is mostly for the areas of Kenya near the Somali border. www.travel.state.gov It is still best to be vigilant. I never felt unsafe in Nairobi. Keep aware of your surroundings and avoid areas your hotel tells you to avoid. The shop owners know crime against shoppers hurts business, so they often take care of criminals themselves. I enjoyed my visit to Nairobi and I hope to return someday. I hope your trip to Nairobi is as memorable.

Reference:

• www.nairobi.com
• www.travel.state.gov
• www.nairobikenya.com