Travelers Best

Overview
Nairobi is the safari capital not only of Africa but of the world! Nairobi paints the picture of being the gateway to wildlife. When visitors picture Nairobi they think of wild beasts roaming the plains and Kilimanjaro covered in Maasai villages. The closest national park in the city is only 4miles away from the city centre. Nairobi was first founded as a railway depot and has now flourished into East Africa’s largest city with sprawling suburbs, towering skyline, two airports and skyscrapers everywhere.

History
Nairobi did not exist before 1890. The city was used as a dust bus depot by the British, but when people realized the benefits of the moderate climate and abundant water supply it grew rapidly. The Maasai inhabitants were the original people in the area, but they soon became displaced and ranches and homesteads spread out across the land. The big game hunters soon began to make trips to Nairobi as the city established itself more as a vacationing spot. Nairobi with its grand colonial hotels and extraordinary wildlife made even the local people stand up and take notice of the value of preserving wildlife for their future generations. Nairobi soon became the capital of East Africa especially with the Nairobi National Park only 4 miles away from the main city. The district is filled with bustling business, honking taxis, tall towers, plush shopping malls, posh suburbs and diverse communities.

Modern Nairobi is known for its crime, but the city centre is mostly safe during the day. Taxis are generally not known to travel after dark. Visitors usually avoid the city center and stay in the upmarket suburbs, Karen or Westlands.

Things to Do
Shopping in the city is something akin to an art form with its upmarket stores and supermarkets. While the prices are fixed in malls and stores, the sellers everywhere else will make you haggle hard. The prime shopping strip in Nairobi is down Moi Avenue with its handicraft stores and mainstream stores. Visitors can find handicrafts and tribal textiles in popular tourists markets including drums, Maasai beadwork, soapstone carvings, wooden toys, carved gourds, masks, ceremonial weapons and tribal shawls. The markets on Muindi Mbingu Road are packed with vegetable and fruit stalls, souvenir vendors and village crafts. The suburbs have the best shopping centers and cater to expats and wealthy locals. The city offers a variety of upscale stores, restaurants and cafes.

Sightseeing
Visitors can tour the giraffe centre run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, which is located about 11 miles from the main city. The aim of the Wildlife centre is to increase the rare Rothschild giraffes in the wild. This is a fascinating spot for children and a terrific chance for all travelers to get close to such magnificent creatures. Visitors can take a tour of the Jamia mosque, a striking, large mosque with a grand central dome. The exterior is made up of ornate green and white, while the interior is simpler. The Karen Blixen museum is the home of the author of Out of Africa, Karen Blixen. This beautiful colonial bungalow shows a taste of life between 1914 and 1931. Visitors can experience the life of colonial residents living in the era of the British with its lovely gardens and handsome lifestyle! Visitors can also take a stroll through the Nairobi National Museum recently refurbished with its collection of wildlife species and stuffed birds. The culture and history of the Swahili coast, the tribal portraits and snake parks are worth a peek when inside the national museum.

Weather
The climate in Kenya is warm all year through with cool nights and mornings and plenty of sunshine. Traveling across the city, however, will make you experience various weather patterns. The hottest season in Kenya is from February to March with temperatures rising to 93 degrees F. The cooler seasons are from July to August with temperatures dropping to 50 degrees F.
M.A.H.