Welcome to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, once known as a green city in the sun. Its perfect geographical location has made it a cosmopolitan world with great opportunities and international interactions. Interestingly, with all the diverse opportunities that Nairobi has to offer, it is unfortunate to note that many were left terribly undiscovered.
For many, Nairobi is a place to arrive and move quickly to another destination or a place for a brief overnight stop, often reluctantly, before heading home or heading to the game parks. In fact, most visitors arriving at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport then transfer immediately to Wilson Airport for their short flight into the jungle, or collect their safari van for the overland journey to their lodge or camp. And they do the exact same thing in reverse on their way home.
Landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Kenya is an experience filled with unique excitement and anxiety. Even for those whose purpose of travel has nothing to do with wildlife viewing, there are always unavoidable wildlife encounters from the first turn into town.
Located in the south of Nairobi, the airport was once a free land where wild animals lived freely. That is certainly the reason why, to date, there are occasional wildlife encounters in this area. It’s not enough, just a few kilometers from the airport is the world’s only urban national park that offers an unrivaled wildlife experience less than half an hour’s drive from the city center.
Nairobi not only has great hidden treasures, there are also great attractions within reasonable distances that can be explored in a day or two for a reluctant tourist. I already told you about the only wildlife capital of the world: Nairobi National Park. Covering an area of 117 square kilometers, it is also the oldest game park in East Africa. It is their influence that makes it common to see giraffes or herds of antelope while driving through the city.
The park is home to several innovative conservation efforts: Nairobi Safari Walk is Kenya’s new conservation-based recreation facility. The combination of skillful and creative landscape design, unique wildlife species, and detailed interpretation, makes the facility paramount in tourism and conservation education. With a combination of three simulated forests, wetlands and savannahs, local visitors have the opportunity to learn about their valuable resource and how they can contribute to its conservation.
Next door is the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, the oldest animal orphanage in Kenya. Located at the entrance of the Nairobi National Park, with lush vegetation contrasting with the red dust and clay of the soil, this educational and training center is often home to more than 20 different species of animals and birds. It is a shelter and rehabilitation center for wild animals found abandoned or injured in Kenya.
The David Shedrick Wildlife Trust is located in the southern part of the Nairobi National Park. It is a small flexible and environmentally significant charity that helps save the lives of orphaned elephants and rhinos who are eventually returned to the wild. You have the opportunity to see the orphaned and rescued elephants and rhinos every day from 11:00 to 12:00 and participate in the feeding program.
Also along this area is the privately run Mamba village, a fantastic experience with reptiles of all kinds including snakes, monitor lizards and large African crocodiles. A few meters away is ‘Bomas of Kenya’, where every afternoon from 3pm you have the opportunity to experience various cultural feats and impressive acrobatic performances. You can also tour the cultural villages to get a real taste of African culture.
Further down is the giraffe center. Managed by the African Trust for Endangered Wildlife, the center’s effort is to conserve the endangered Rothschild giraffe. Participate in feeding the exciting and beautiful giraffes, learn more about them, take a nature walk on the nearby nature trail, and reach out to donate to this noble conservation effort.
For shopaholics, there can be no better experience than a visit to the town market. This not only contains an excellent range of small shops and beer shops, but is also the place to be seen on the weekends. Visitors can enjoy a great cup of Kenyan coffee and a light meal in the square. The village market is probably the best place to buy local handicrafts and curios, and is the site of the weekly Maasai market on Tuesdays at the Globe Cinema along Kijabe Street, on Saturdays at the town’s High Court Parking and on Sundays at Yaya Center. The market is also held at other locations in Nairobi on other days of the week.
As for Nairobi, this is a city of wonderful restaurants serving fine, locally grown food in pleasant surroundings at affordable prices. It is a city with a varied and exciting nightlife that does not only wake up on Friday or Saturday. Visitors are sure to receive a warm welcome from any establishment they frequent, even those that, at first glance, appear especially promising.
In short, Nairobi is a lively, exciting and, above all, fascinating place to visit. Once you’ve experienced its hidden treasures, you’ll want to return.
