Nairobi City Day Tours
The skyscrapers of the Kenyan nation’s capital rise above what 100 years ago was just a remote, uninhabited watering hole in the highlands. Nairobi is a Maasai name meaning “place of cold water” and that was good enough for the British to choose it as a camp for their railway from Mombasa to Lake Victoria. Today it is a bustling modern capital at the crossroads of East Africa with a population of 4 million.
The generally pleasant and temperate climate of Nairobi’s cities makes it an ideal starting point for exploring Kenya’s inland game parks or a good place to relax after a safari. African lions roar just 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the city center in Nairobi National Park. While the tea plantations cling to the foothills of the highlands.
The city of Nairobi carefully planned from the start, Nairobi has kept its appearance tidy and purposeful.
nairobi city center
Bounded by the Uhuru Expressway to the west. Haile Selassie Avenue to the south, Moi Avenue to the east, and university way to the north. The city center is the beating heart of Nairobi. all the shops and businesses, offices, restaurants and most of the big hotels are grouped in this area.
The imposing centerpiece and a good place to start your Nairobi sightseeing tour is the huge Kenyatta Conference Center overlooking the city square. its cylindrical honeycomb effects owe little to its African roots. But the amphitheater next door is shaped like a rondavel (African hut) and balances its neighbor nicely. From the 28th floor (admission is free, but tipping is expected), the view of Nairobi stretches west to the Ngong Hills, Kenya’s stronghold of the British.
The center forms a strange contrast to the quintessential English neoclassical law courts built during colonial times. Across the street are the parliament buildings, if you want to see African democracy at work you can get permission to sit in on one of its sessions. Beyond extend the common gardens of the city. You can also visit the National Archives across from the Hilton on Moi Avenue. There is an interesting ethnographic collection and even an art gallery.
Visit to the Nairobi National Museum
Take a taxi to visit the splendid national museum a mile from the city center. Its anthropological and paleontological departments provide an exciting visual account of Africa’s prehistory with fossilized remains and fossilized human bones that identified Kenya (specifically the Rift Valley) as the cradle of mankind. The pride of the place corresponds to the famous Cranium 1470 at the time the oldest known homo habilis skull was discovered.
There is a large ornithological collection and some impressive current stuffed animals. Other exhibits include collections of local and tribal handicrafts along with an engaging illustration of Swahili culture.
In front of the museum is the snake park, where you can see all kinds of snakes, crocodiles and lizards. Once a week (usually on Wednesdays) it is possible to watch the venom being milked from the snakes. On your way back to the city center you can stop for a cup of tea or coffee at the famous Norfolk Hotel, a relic of colonial times.
Nairobi National Park Tour
Conveniently located almost on the doorstep of the capital, close to the airport, Nairobi National Park is ideal for getting acquainted with Kenya and good preparation for a safari. satisfying number of Africa’s best-known animals: gazelles, zebras, giraffes and buffaloes, lions, leopards and cheetahs that may prove friendlier to the camera than those in the bush.
The park is one of the best places in Kenya to spot rhinos. In the southeast of the park you can walk through an acacia forest to try to spot hippos and crocodiles sunning themselves in the Athi River.
bomas from kenya
Beyond Nairobi National Park, towards Langata, Kenya’s Bomas is a cultural hub, a collection of traditional houses showcasing Kenya’s different cultures. You can see traditional Kenyan songs and dances from 16 Kenyan tribes. the most interesting are the Samburu, the Masai, the Wakamba and the Mjikenda. There is a demonstration of tribal crafts and a shop. The shows take place at 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 3:00 p.m. on weekends.
Nairobi Giraffe Center
This is a kind of open museum where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about the giraffe. You can also feed the Rothschild’s giraffe that roams freely on the grounds of the giraffe mansion.
Karen Blixen Museum
In the museum Karen has settled in a farm of the Danish writer who became famous for the film Out of Africa. His house is the archetypal colonial residence of the early 20th century.
Nearby you can visit the Karen Racecourse.
