Overview

Many people may consider Nairobi as an intermediate stop while they are headed to an adventure-filled safari holiday. Well, let’s just say that is not entirely it. Nairobi itself is home to many attractions. First and foremost, it is known for its Nairobi National Park where you can find several breeds of all sorts of wild animals-ranging from ferocious lions and cheetahs to thick plant-eating rhinoceroses, patterned zebras and many more- separated by an electric fence that stands between them and the city. You can also enjoy the city’s skyscrapers that outline this park. As a tourist, one may also be eager to visit the Giraffe Centre which was established to protect the endangered giraffes. Not just that, this center serves as an educational and breeding ground for the Rothschild Giraffe, David Sheldrick’s Elephant and the Rhino Orphanage. Likewise, there is Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, a mountainous area covered in a lush forest: here you can enjoy the company of creatures like primates, and several sorts of birds.

Furthermore, museums like the Nairobi National Museum provide the tourists with an opportunity to get to know the historical background of the city, interesting artifacts, and discoveries of the Leakey family. The Karen Blixen Museum is another such place situated at the foot of the Ngong Hills. It is named after the author of the famous book, ‘Out of Africa’.

A trip to the corporate and the commercial areas of Nairobi is also a must. The buildings are well-constructed with a modern theme to it. There are skyscrapers in this city that are the headquarters of corporations and businesses. Several restaurants and cafés allow you to fine dining, and to enjoy the African cuisine. You can also shop around, collect souvenirs as a reminder of your trip and have the time of your lives.

Climate

At about 6,000 feet, in summers Nairobi is sunny and warm whereas in winter it turns cool, particularly chilly in the evenings. The sunniest and warmest months start typically from December and they end until March. The mean temperature in these months is usually around mid-70s while the mean temperature in June, July, and August is around the low-70s. Months like August and September are known for being cloudy and rainy months of the year.

Best Time to Fly to Nairobi

The prime time to fly to Nairobi would be in January and February when it is warm and dry there. June to September can be, likewise, another popular choice for the temperatures in these months are just ideal.

March to May and October to December classify as the wet seasons with significant rainfall particularly from March to May. These months can be cheaper and quieter for those of you who cannot be bothered much by rains.

Getting around Nairobi

Hiring a car for your trip can be a sound option, but the rush hours can be busy with other road drivers driving risky around. Lack of traffic signs can further make navigation a bit difficult. When you are to get a taxi, the smart thing would to negotiate and settle the fare beforehand. There are mini-buses available that are known as ‘Matatus’. One should know that they can be packed and not well-driven at times. Also, theft can be another cause of concern with Matatus. Therefore, you are advised to be alert at all times and to keep your valuables and belongings out of sight. Likewise, carrying good amounts of cash, walking outside late at night and wandering about slums areas Eastleigh, are not some of the recommended practices while you are on your trip.

Nairobi Travel Information

A drive through the Nairobi’s business center will take you to the most amazing Nairobi National Park. The Nairobi National Park is home to the wild and is situated in such a way that the city outlines its background. The park has a diverse wild population that includes the herbivores, carnivores as well as omnivores. There exists the glorious species of lions, cheetahs, zebras, monkeys, hippopotamus, African leopard, eland, impala, Masai giraffe and so on. Swamps and packs of these animals in the dry warm climate of Nairobi is a sight that anyone of any age will remember for a lifetime. 

With the cheap flights, you can get to Nairobi, you can splurge on outdoor sports like hiking, biking, white water rafting, etc. The 1000km Tana River, situated just an hour’s drive away from Nairobi, provides the tourists with delightful white water rafting conditions in East Africa. Moving right along, there Ngong Hills along the Great Rift Valley where you devour nature at a whole new level with herds of buffalos wandering about and here-and-there instances of vandalism. It is a recommended practice that you travel the hills with one of the rangers available there. They will charge you a small fee but that would be nothing compared with the beauty that awaits at the hills.

Nairobi also gives you a diverse array of bazaars and souvenir shops. You can always collect something as a reminder of your trip. The Blue Market on Muindi Mbingu Street is one such place. It was built as an aircraft hangar at first but today it is embellished with the most creative blankets, clothing, and other works of art. You can always find the best deals by negotiating well with the vendors. However, when shopping in these areas, one is advised to be alert against pick-pocketing.

Do you want to feed a giraffe over a breakfast table or from your bedroom window? You can do so at the Giraffe Manor which is only 30 minutes away from the center of Nairobi. It has been said that it is one of its kind places in the world where you can enjoy such proximity with the giraffes. Besides, the Giraffe Manor, there is the Jock Leslie-Melville Nature Education Center which is more commonly known as the Giraffe center. Here the tourists can just stroll through the forests with giraffes.

Nairobi can also be the ultimate place for literature lovers, for there are many museums there. For instance, there is the Nairobi National Museum, the Mbogani house of Karen Blixen the author of ‘Out of Africa’. The Karen Blixen home was made a museum in 1986 after a film (in which Meryl Streep and Robert Redford were starred) on her memoir received international recognition in 1985.