Nairobi- The Green City In The Sun
The largest city in East Africa, with a population of over 1 million, Nairobi Kenya started life as a railways depot in 1899. Today, the city skyline is dominated by modern high rise buildings and is a tourism and trade hub.
A vibrant city with a mix of races and cultures, providing the visitor with several sightseeing options such as museums, a national park, golf courses, resorts and posh night clubs.
Nairobi is one of the leading cities in Africa. Please see below for links to useful information for the traveller visiting the city.
Quick Facts on Nairobi City
Area : 390sq km Altitude: 1155m [ 3790 ft ]: Location : Roughly south central Kenya
Accommodation : Ranges from budget to 5 Star Hotels and Private Houses.
Attractions: Nairobi National Park, Bomas of Kenya, Karen Blixen, National Museum, etc.
Access: Several international airlines fly to Nairobi from US, Europe and Asia.
Top Things to See in Nairobi
The Nairobi National Park:
Nairobi National Park was established in 1946, and is world famous for being the only National Park to be found within a capital city in the whole world. Being a mere 8 miles from the city centre, the parks vegetation is primarily savannah and plains and has areas of highland forest, acacia and riverine environments. It hosts over 100 animal species such as the rhino, lions, cheetahs (with an exception of the elephant) and an amazing 500 plus bird species. Click here for more information.
The National Museum
The National Museum is located within Nairobi City and is an excellent place to visit while in the city. The museum is famous the Leakey prehistoric artefacts plus some of Kenya’s best preserved tribal artefacts that date back hundreds of years. Other sights within the museum include well preserved birds, butterflies and animals and host of information about the country’s rich past and culture.
Karen Blixen Museum:
Karen Blixen Museum, the historic house of the famous danish woman, Karen Blixen, on whom the movie ‘Out of Africa’ was based, is located in the outskirts of the city within serene gardens. The house is ideally located near the Karen Blixen coffee garden, gallery and gift shop which echo themes of the museum.
The Bomas of Kenya:
Bomas of Kenya is located in the outskirts of the city and is an ideal spot for visitors to Kenya and locals alike to visit and savour the very best of the country’s rich traditional dances performed by Kenya’s many tribal communities. They range from the high jumping Maasai’s to the breath taking Giriama and coastal dances.
Where to Dine in Nairobi
The Carnivore Restaurant
Nairobi is home to a vibrant restaurant industry with interesting culinary choices. In Nairobi you can get quality Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, Lebanese, Brazilian and ofcourse local African cuisine restaurants. Most hotels offer continental and international menus as well.Well known restuarnats include Carnivore which offers mainly grilled meats.
Accommodation
Nairobi City hosts a wide range of accommodation options to suite every budget and pocket. Most of these hotels offer the usual 4 or 5 star amenities such as en-suite, air conditioned rooms with satellite T.V and round the clock service. Hotels also offer a choice of bars and restaurants in addition to state of the art gyms, steam and sauna facilities. There are also a wide variety of private houses and apartments within the city center and also within the outskirts of the City.
For a complete list of selected hotels and private houses within Nairobi and their descriptions please click here.