Nairobi is capital of Kenya, a republic in East Africa with just over 47 million inhabitants and 44 ethnic groups. It is the capital and the largest city, and it is a fairly new city because it was founded in 1899.
Let's find out today Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Nairobi
It was founded in 1899 by the British as a simple railway point that, at that time, linked Uganda with Mombasa. By 1905 it was already quite important for the English and with the decolonization of Africa, After the Second World War, it finally became the capital of the Republic of Kenya.
The city occupies around 150 square kilometers and rests at just over 1660 meters above sea level. To the west are the Ngong Hills, a typical landscape of the capital, and on a clear day, in the distance, you can even see Mount Kilimanjaro.
We can define the city as a multicultural and cosmopolitan site whose first important mixture was between what was specifically African and what was British. But also, over time, people from Pakistan and India arrived to work on the railway, and they ended up staying after the completion of the works. Later, neighbors from Sudan and Somalia have also arrived.
What to see in Nairobi
First, Nairobi is known as safari capital of kenya and knows how to offer a mix of tradition and modernity. It is a site with great nightlife, with good restaurants and a wide range of hotels open to all budgets.
There is much to do and see both in the city and in the surrounding area, not far away. Let's start with the attractions of Nairobi. We can know the Nairobi National Museum, about 10 minutes from the city center.
This museum was built in 1929 and expanded in 2008. It has many exhibits, from archaeological exhibitions to collections of fauna and flora. If you are interested in African history and Kenyan history in particular, it is a very good place to start through its history and art galleries.
El Nairobi National Park It is on the outskirts of the city, towards the south, and It is the only national park in the world within a city. Even though it is one of the smallest parks in the country, just 117 square kilometers, it has a super rich wildlife.
The most important thing in the park is the group of Rinocerontes and the conservation that it carries out of this species. There are about 50 black rhinos, the largest population in all of Africa, but there are also lions, cheetahs and leopards, gazelles, zebras, giraffes, ostriches and buffaloes. Visiting this park is ideal if you only have two or three days in the city, because it is close. The usual visit is usually the Nairobi National Park and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
The best time of year to visit this place is from June to October, the dry season in the country. It is also beautiful between November and December, but it can rain a little. Between January and March the dry season returns. You can stay overnight in the camp inside the park, there are eight well-equipped tents. Other accommodation options are Ololo Safari Lodge and Maasai Lodge, not inside the park but close.
El Jomo Kenyatta Mausoleum can also be visited. Kenyatta was a Kenyan politician, prime minister between 1963 and 1964 and president shortly after, after independence. He is considered the founder of Kenya and his figure is not without controversy.
Another attraction in Nairobi is the Karura Forest, Urban forest in the north of the city with beautiful bamboos and waterfalls beautiful. It is a perfect place to walk and ride a bike, there are many monkeys and around 16 thousand people visit it per month.
Kenyan bomas opened its doors in 1971. Bomas means villages and this particular attraction has received more than 10 million visitors. It is a good place for know the culture of Kenya and its typical villages, a good place to learn about the country's tribal culture. There is dancing, drumming and much more.
El Karen Blixen Museum It is about 10 kilometers from Nairobi and is the casa by Danish author Karen Bixen. It is one of the most popular museums in the city. Blixen wrote Out of Africa, a chronicle of his life in Africa on which the famous 1985 film was based. Memories of Africa.
El Oloolua Nature Trail It is very close to the Karen Bixen Museum so you can take advantage and get to know both places. Includes waterfalls, caves, bamboo forest and native lands. The Maasai culture is very present in Kenya and a good place to visit is the Maasai Market, quite chaotic but colorful. The market has many stalls that sell local products and yes or yes you are going to have to buy because the sellers are super insistent.
But Nairobi is not just animals and nature. You can know the Go-Down Arts Center, an old workshop converted into arts center with many exhibitions and performances… You can also visit the OCC, the Ollo Children's Center, a volunteer school where you can meet and help needy children in the country. You can also attend a horse race in the Ngong Racecourse, where there are races on Sundays of the month. Or go out to eat at one of its many restaurants , or go dancing.
The memorial garden of the United States Embassy is another open site, another is the Railway Museum at Nairobi station, opened in 1971, the New Testament Church, Statue of Dedan Kimathi, Flea Market...
Finally, we must not forget that we are in an African city. I'm not talking about going with prejudices, if you ever set foot in Nairobi you probably won't have that many, but always keep in mind the dangers of this city and don't forget to take precautions: do not wear visible jewelry, take taxis at night and if possible ask for them at the hotel and that kind of thing. The center, at night, has a lot of police presence, but even so, don't get overconfident and always be careful.