Nairobi the capital of Kenya is a cosmopolitan city that has a lot to offer visitors who have limited time and want to get a taste of Kenya’s wildlife and culture.
A good tip would be not to plan to visit many places in one day and also keep your daily activities near to one another. Traffic in Nairobi can be heavy, especially during rush hour. You do want to have enough time to enjoy your destination, don’t you?
Kenya Travel Guide: Essential Facts and Information
Here are places you can explore in one day:
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage:
The Elephant Orphanage is located about 10 kilometers from Nairobi city center. It is close to Nairobi National Park. It is only open to the general public for one hour a day between 11:00-12:00.
The David Sheldrick Conservation Foundation carter to the rehabilitation of baby elephants and other wildlife species that have lost their mothers to poaching, death, injuries, getting lost in the wild, or other tragedies.
Visiting the Elephant Orphanage will get you close to elephant calves, the carers would bring the elephants out and feed them in your presence, and educate you about the different elephants and their history.
Nairobi Giraffe Centre:
Managed by African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya limited (AFEW (K) LTD) the Giraffe Centre is located approximately 5 km from the city centre in the area of Langata. The center is open daily between 9:00 am – 5.00 pm including weekends and public holidays.
The centre has a raised round feeding platform that enables visitors to get close to and feed the giraffes at ease. At the inner section of the platform, you will find an auditorium where visitors are given comprehensive talks about the centre’s activities, conservation, and giraffes.
Opposite the centre is a Nature Sanctuary where you can hike the trail that stretches about 1.5 kilometers meandering through thick bushes and forests. The Giraffe Sanctuary has a café where you can have refreshments whilst watching the giraffes as well as a gift shop that sells African Artcrafts from local communities.
Nairobi National Park
Open daily from 6:00 am – 6:00 pm, the Nairobi National Park is located 8 km from Nairobi city centre so is definitely a must if you are running short of time to travel further and want to experience a wildlife safari.
Wildlife that can be seen in the national park include Black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, buffaloes, Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and a diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.
My Experience in Nairobi and Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya
Bomas:
The Bomas is located approximately 10 kilometers from Nairobi city center. The Bomas of Kenya gives you the opportunity to learn about the diverse cultures that make up this fascinating country.
You can experience traditional dances and acrobatic shows which are daily, starting from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm on weekdays and 3.30 pm to 5.15 pm on weekends and public holidays.
Carnivore Restaurant and Nightclub:
End your day by dining in Nairobi’s famous Carnivore Restaurant – a meat-eaters paradise, often referred to as ‘the ultimate ‘Beast of a Feast’. Experience a barbeque with a difference. The unique thing about this barbeque is that, not only do they serve your normal beef, pork, and chicken but they serve game meat as well. Some of the specials you will find on the menu include giraffe, Zebra, Gnu, Crocodile, Hartebeest, and Ostrich.
For those who do not want to indulge in a large meal, the Simba Saloon provides an alternative, serving pizzas, an extremely popular salad bar at lunchtime, steaks, scampi, hamburgers, chicken, trout, and other light snacks. The nightclub is open for business from Wednesday to Sunday. The club has themed nights to cater to fans of contemporary African music, rock, soul, jazz, and the latest hits.
Lunch is also served at Carnivore Restaurant.
Kenya Conference Center:
Tourists visiting Kenya can take the elevator to the top of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to get a panoramic bird’s eye view of Nairobi.
National Museum:
The museum is open throughout the year from 8:30 am -5: 30 pm daily and is located at the Museum Hill, approximately 10 minutes drive from the Nairobi city centre. It showcases Kenya’s culture, nature, history, and contemporary art. Other attractions within the area include the Snake Park and Botanical Gardens as well as a State of the Art Auditorium that occasionally hosts concerts, film shows and other events.
Nairobi City Market:
Located in Koinange Street, City Centre, the market has dozens of stalls selling woodcarvings, drums, spears, shields, soapstone, Maasai jewelry and clothing, and well and meat and vegetables. It is open daily.
Karen Blixen Museum:
This museum is located 10kms outside the city and is open daily from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm including weekends and public holidays. The museum used to be the former home of the pioneer coffee farmer, Karen Blixen – of “Out of Africa” fame. A visit to this museum affords you an opportunity to step back in time and gain valuable insight into this remarkable woman’s life. It also offers a perfect view of the Ngong Hills from the beautifully landscaped gardens of the museum.
The Karen Blixen Museum is among the very interesting regional museums and archeological and prehistoric sites of the National museums of Kenya, and year in, year out, it continues to be an immensely popular tourist attraction.
Karura Forest Reserve:
This forest reserve is located on the Limuru Road on the outskirts of Nairobi. It opens daily from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The forest offers eco-friendly opportunities for Kenyans and visitors to Kenya. It is the perfect scenario to enjoy a leafy green respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, to walk, to jog, or simply to sit quietly and bask in the serenity of nature. It is a great place for picnicking and a two to four-hour hike, depending on which trail you choose.
My Review of Flying with Kenya Airways
Oloolua Nature Trail:
This trail is situated just down the road from the Karen Blixen Museum. It’s a cool place to get close to nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The highlight of the trail is the waterfall, It Is a great spot for birdwatching.
Kazuri Bead Factory and Pottery Center:
The current location of this factory used to be part of the Karen Blixen Estate in Mbagathi Ridge, Karen Road, Karen.
Kazuri, which means “small and beautiful” in Swahili, began in 1975 as a tiny workshop experimenting on making handmade beads. The Factory has grown immensely, now having a large workforce skilled in the making of handmade jewelry and a unique range of pottery-ware, which reflects the culture and wildlife of Kenya. The unique mission of Kazuri is to provide and sustain employment opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenyan society.
