Kenya Travel – Nairobi Attractions
“Cool waters” is the meaning for the Maasai word Nairobi, a city so invigorating to all who visit it. Not only is Nairobi the only city in the world with a National park, it also serves as the main economic hub in East and central Africa.
Before transforming into the cosmopolitan and multicultural city it is today, Nairobi was initially a swamp area with nothing much to talk about. During the early years when the British began their reign in Kenya they established a camp for the construction of the Uganda Railway in 1899 and this marked the beginning of the now infamous Nairobi city which proceeded to become Kenya’s capital of the world and consequently the safari capital of the world.
Bustling with activities you are never lacking when it comes to things to see and do giving you an unforgettable fun filled stay which remains etched in your mind for a long time leaving you with an undying love for this precious city. The range to pick from is incredible and includes: a safari in the only city National park of the world;
Entertainment in exotic clubs and movie theatres; delightful cuisines in stunning restaurants; educational visits to historical and cultural centers; indulging sporting activities such as horse back riding, biking, swimming, rugby, golf, polo, football, cricket and athletics; thrilling shopping centers and malls with a wide variety of goods and services. A highlight of places to visit while here include:
A city tour of Nairobi normally takes an estimated 3 hours, covering the modern city center, the colorful City Market, Parliament buildings, the Railway Station and the renowned National Museum and the adjacent Snake Park.
RAILWAY MUSEUM
The Railway museum adjacent to the Nairobi Railway station was established in 1971 and contains exhibits of the relics and records of the then East African Railways. The collection includes steam locomotives and rolling stock and a large display of smaller exhibits and models. The museum is connected to the main line by rail, allowing steam excursions on restored locomotives.
The national museum of Kenya is superbly situated at the museum hill a 10minute drive from Nairobi city center, housing some of the most fêted collections of history, culture and art from Kenya and East Africa. The museum aims to interpret heritage of Kenya to arouse appreciation and learning.
NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
Unique to Nairobi is the NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK due to the fact that no other city in the world has a park within such close proximity. To cover the entire park and have an eyeful of the wildlife, four hours in this park is the recommended duration. The park is home to quite a few species of animal and bird including four of the “Big five” i.e. Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhino.
Other animals include Cheetah, hyena, jackal, serval, very rare sokoke cats, warthog, ostrich, various monkeys, baboon, buffalo etc; Birds include: Parrot, guinea fowl and crown crane. The tour to this park also includes a visit to the animal orphanage at the park gate establish in 1964 as a refuge and rehabilitation center for wild animals found injured or abandoned.
BOMAS OF KENYA
BOMAS OF KENYA, established in 1971 by the Kenya tourist development cooperation with the aim of preserving, maintaining and promoting the rich diverse cultural values of various ethnic groups in Kenya, is located a few Kilometers from the city center and features numerous homesteads reflecting Kenya’s cocktail of cultures which has been faithfully recreated for visitors to see traditional village life.
The greatest excitement in the afternoon is a visit to the display of traditional dances, music and folklore song in splendid arena.
CARNIVORE RESTAURANT
Nairobi has a variety of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines with CARNIVORE RESTAURANT being at the top of the list for serving succulent stew and barbecue dishes of game meat. Lunch is usually served at 12.30p.m with dinner being served at 7.00p.m daily. Carnivore experience is an excellent compliment to a holiday in Kenya.
KAREN BLIXEN MUSEUM
KAREN BLIXEN MUSEUM is located in the out skirts of Nairobi. A former home to the Author, Karen Blixen of “Out of Africa” fame, which won an Oscar under the category of best pictures doubling the inflow of tourists to the now preserved museum, it provides an opportunity to step back in time and gain an insight into this remarkable woman’s life.
Views of the Ngong Hills can be admired from the beautifully landscaped gardens of the museum. The Karen Blixen museum is one of a number of very interesting regional museums and archeological and prehistoric sites of the National museums of Kenya, and it continues to be an immensely popular tourist attraction with the same words ‘ I dreamt of Africa’.
DAPHNE & DAVID SHELDRICK ANIMAL ORPHANAGE
A visit to DAPHNE and DAVID SHELDRICK ANIMAL ORPHANAGE is a rewarding experience to animal lovers established in 1977 soon after the death of David Sheldrick a famous Naturalist and founder Warden of Kenya’s giant Tsavo East National Park in which he served from 1948 until 1976.
Their main objective is to save the lives of orphaned Elephants and Rhinos who are eventually released back into the wild through the help of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which also runs seven full time Desnaring teams, two mobile Veterinary Units, and is active in a Community Outreach Program along with working with the communities in an educational capacity locally, and through articles for the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, the Press and Radio Programs.
The Trust has also provided advanced training in wildlife management for promising students. They charge a small entrance fees instead you can buy a souvenir or donate for the conservation.
GIRAFFE CENTER
GIRAFFE CENTER, a non profit organization also known as The African fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya, was founded by the late couple Betty and Jock Lesilie Melville in 1979. Betty discovered the sad plight of the Rothschild giraffe which were near extinction numbering only 120 at the time on an 18,000 acre ranch in Western Kenya that was scheduled for sub-division and settlement.
Through concerted effort Betty managed to transfer two young giraffes to her property in Langata which remains the current location of the Center with the remaining Giraffes being moved to other parks in the country.
The tour gives a completely up close and personal interaction where guests have the opportunity to view giraffes as well as feed them. Giraffe Center invites you to explore the unique ecosystem of the Center’s dry upland forest, which is one of the remaining segmented natural forests outside Nairobi city through a nature trail.
Nairobi boasts of having a number of spectacular hotels meeting international standards providing accommodation to its visitors. Some of the 5 star hotels include Sankara hotel, Nairobi Serena, Laico Regency, Tribe hotel, Windsor hotel Karen, Holiday Inn, Safari Club, The Stanley Hotel, Safari Park & Casino, InterContinental, Panari Hotel, Hilton, and the Norfolk Hotel.
The major Shopping Malls in Nairobi include: Sarit center, Yaya Centre, Capital Centre, Westgate Shopping Mall, ABC Place, The Village Market, Junction Shopping Centre, Prestige Plaza, Crossroads Shopping Centre, and T-Mall. Nakumatt, Uchumi and Tuskys, the largest supermarket chains in Kenya.
Nairobi is also home to the largest Solar Ice Rink in Africa covering 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) and can accommodate 200 people. It began its operations in 2005 and is located at the Panari Sky Centre along Mombasa road.
After absorbing all this information am sure all your doubts about what to do in Nairobi have been whipped out as it has truly lived up to its title “Safari Capital of the World”.
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Nairobi is also a great place to do shopping for souvenirs such as priceless handmade ornaments that you will not find anywhere else in the world. You can usually haggle the price of these pieces of art down to a much cheaper cost if you think they have been over priced.