Nairobi is the largest and the capital city of Kenya in East Africa, located at an elevation of 1,750 meters above sea level. Nairobi is also often referred to as the green city in the sun. The city was founded in 1889 by the colonial government as a rail depot on the Uganda and Kenyan railway when the site was identified by Sir George Whitehouse. The name Nairobi was derived from a local Masai word, “Enkare Nairobi,” translated to mean “place of cool waters,” in reference to Nairobi river flowing through the city. Nairobi replaced Mombasa, which was initially the capital city of Kenya in 1907. During the colonial times, Nairobi acted as the center for the colony’s sisal, tea, and coffee. The main inhabitants of Nairobi are the Masai people, who are renowned for their authentic culture and traditional way of dressing.
Nairobi is also often referred to as the only adventure capital in the world. There are a lot of tourist activities you can do while in Nairobi, and some of these include the following:
Visit Nairobi National Park: Nairobi National Park is located just 10 kilometers south of Nairobi city. Being close to the city doesn’t mean it lacks wildlife. Nairobi National Park provides unforgettable experiences similar to other Kenyan remote wilderness national parks. The park was the first to be established in Kenya in 1946. You can take game drives in Nairobi National Park, which is home to about 100 species of mammals. You can see wildlife such as Masai giraffes, lions, leopards, zebras, olive baboons, buffalo, black rhinos, cheetahs, and wildebeests, to mention a few. You can also visit the ivory burning monument.
Visit the Giraffe Centre: The Giraffe Centre is approximately located 20 kilometers from Nairobi city center at Lang’ata. The Giraffe Centre was started in 1979 by Jock Leslie Melville with his wife Betty. They started a program of breeding giraffes on the Lang’ata property, and by 1983, there were enough funds raised for setting up a giraffe visitor’s center. It has been successful up to date, becoming one of the most visited tourist places in Kenya.
Karura Forest: Karura Forest is managed by the Kenya Forest Service and was gazetted in 1932 in conjunction with the Friends of Karura Forest Community Forest Association. Karura Forest receives both domestic and international tourists every month. There are several established trails within the forest where tourists can do guided nature walks. You can spot some forest species like bush babies, syke monkeys, honey badgers, forest genets, bush pigs, Suni, Harvey’s duiker, hares, and much more. You can also explore the forest by cycling. Karura Forest is also a birder’s paradise boasting over 200 species of birds recorded. Some of the examples of birds found in the forest include the African crowned eagle, singing cisticola, spot-flanked barbet, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, African goshawk, paradise flycatcher, lesser striped swallow, and black-throated wattle-eye, to mention a few.
Visit Nairobi National Museum: Nairobi National Museum was initiated in 1910 by a group of enthusiastic naturalists who needed a place to keep and preserve their specimens. When the museum later became small, the colonial government constructed another museum at the Museum Hill and named it in honor of Sir Robert Corydon, who was once a governor of Kenya. When Kenya got independence, they renamed the museum the National Museum of Kenya. The museum now gives visitors an introduction to Kenya with temporary exhibitions, an art gallery with botanical gardens, and a nature trail.
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was established by Daphne Sheldrick in honor of her late husband, David Sheldrick, in 1977. The wildlife trust operates an orphan elephant and wildlife rescue rehabilitation program. The wildlife trust is open to visitors for an hour every day from 11 am to 12 pm, except on Christmas day. You can watch elephants doing mud baths at the wildlife trust and observe orphaned baby elephants being fed.
Uhuru Park: Uhuru Park is a recreational park in Nairobi city, opened in 1969. The park now contains an artificial lake, national monuments, and has become a famous place for skateboarding in Nairobi.
Nairobi Arboretum Park: Nairobi Arboretum Park is located just 3 kilometers from Nairobi city center. There are a lot of things to do in the Arboretum park, such as picnicking, jogging, biking, guided nature walks, environmental education, bird watching, and butterfly watching.
Maasai Market: The Maasai market is a one-stop-shop for picking up souvenirs to take back home for remembrance after your trip to Kenya. It has a variety of hand-made African crafts made mainly by the Maasai people. Items like beads, paintings, bags, shoes, clothes, African pots, and many others.
You can also visit Nairobi National Museum and learn a lot about the history of Kenya.
