Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, is a bustling, jostling, lively, energetic and sometimes deeply frustrating place to spend time. It is one of the youngest cities in East Africa, gaining prominence in Kenya only after the advent of the railway. Today, flights to Nairobi are packed with tourists keen to head off on safari and explore the nature of Kenya’s plains, but few choose to stay long in the city. This is a great shame, for Nairobi, though unarguably dangerous, has much to offer tourists.
Nairobi is a commercial city, and a visit to see life taking place in the business district is a must. The city’s buildings seem very Westernised, with skyscrapers and a range of corporate names emblazoned on restaurants and cafés. But the life that takes place in these surroundings is anything but. Spend some time shopping for souvenirs and you’ll soon encounter a typical African culture.
There are few major tourist sites, but those booking Nairobi flights are usually keen to see the Nairobi National Park and to take a stroll down Kenyatta Avenue. For those on their way to safari lodges, the Sheldrick Animal Orphanage is a popular spot, with orphaned baby elephants often in its care.
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Almost at 1.8km (6,000 feet), Nairobi has sunny, warm summers and cool winters with chilly evenings. December to March is the sunniest part of the year, and daytime temperatures are usually in the mid-20s (Celsius). June, July, and August temperatures usually range about the low-20s. August and September, though, are marked with overcast, drizzly days.
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Peak Season:
Nairobi’s main season is January and February when it is hot and dry. June to September is also a popular time.
Off Season:
The two wet seasons are March to May and October to December, with the most rain from March to May. The city is much quieter and cheaper during these periods, yet there is not enough rain to stop you from getting out and around.
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The KBS bus service 34 leaves fairly regularly for the city centre; most travellers however take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by their hotel or tour operator. The Mercedes taxis take passengers to the central city hotels for a fixed fare.
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Getting around Nairobi can be an adventure. Buses are cheap, crowded, driven too fast, and popular with pickpockets. The minibuses (matatus) are pretty much the same, but passengers can get on and off whenever they want. Loud, noisy, and crowded, matatus are very popular with the locals. The buses and matatus are inexpensive ways to get around the city, but take some figuring out.
Taxis are available, convenient, expensive, and provide a safe form of transport at night. They can be hailed or picked up at a stand or hotel. The larger cab companies can also be called. Taxis are not metered so agree on a fare before boarding. The three-wheeled auto-rickshaws, or tuk-tuks, are also used as taxis in Nairobi. The fare for a tuk-tuk should be less than a taxi — bargain hard.
For visitors, walking is often the main form of transport by day, but stay on the alert for pickpockets and muggers.
It can take a few days to become accustomed to driving in Nairobi. Matatus stop suddenly and lurch back into traffic suddenly, and no one is willing to surrender the right of way in a rotary. Parking is hard to find during business hours.
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- Nairobi National Park is in the middle of the city. The park covers 117 square kilometres and is home to lions, leopards, rhino and buffalo. The park has more than 80 species of mammals and the park claims to have more species of birds than there are in the entire British Isles.
- The Karen Blixen Museum opened in the 1980s. On view is the colonial farmhouse with furniture and personal items that belonged to Blixen and her husband.
- Shop at the Blue Market, which is near the Covered Market, a great favourite of tourists.
- The Giraffe Manor, 30 minutes from the centre of Nairobi, claims to be the only place in the world where you can feed and photograph the giraffe over your breakfast table, at the front door, and from a bedroom window. The adjoining Jock Leslie-Melville Nature Education Centre, is better known as the Giraffe Centre. Visitors can take a guided walk through its forest.
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