Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital of, and the largest city in Kenya. Founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway, the town quickly grew into the center of the colony’s coffee and tea industry, and a major hub for international business. The name Nairobi is derived from the Maasai phrase, “Enkare Nairobi” which translates to a “place of cool waters.”

Some of the key sights in Nairobi include:
1. The Nairobi National Park: Nairobi is one of the only cities in the world, with a national park full of wildlife including lions and rhinos, located right on the edge of the city
2. The Karen Blixen Museum: The Karen Blixen Museum is the erstwhile home of a famous Danish author who lived in Nairobi, whose life story was depicted in the famous Hollywood film “Out of Africa”
3. The Giraffe Center: The Giraffe Center is an educational site where tourists can get up close and personal with giraffes, and feed them from a raised platform
4. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DWST): A well-known conservation organization that focuses on the rescue and care of orphaned elephants and rhinos, the DWST’s most famous project is the Nairobi Nursery, where orphaned elephants are raised and cared for by a team of dedicated keepers
5. The Cultiva Farm: Cultiva is a famous farm to table restaurant in the Karen district of Nairobi, where all the dishes are made with organic ingredients grown on the farm

Activities

Exciting and memorable things to do

Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is one of the only wildlife game reserves to be located right next to a major city. Established in 1946, the park covers an area of nearly 117 square kilometers, and is home to lion, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, giraffe and over 400 bird species. It is particularly known for being one of the world’s most successful Rhino sanctuaries, with more than 50 endangered black rhinos.

Karen Blixen Museum

The Karen Blixen Museum is the former home of the Danish author Baroness Karen Blixen, who lived here from 1917-1931. The story of her life in this house was depicted in the famous Hollywood movie “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, which itself was based on the autobiographical novel of the same name. The Museum is located about 6 km from Nairobi, at the “foot of the Ngong hills” as it says in the opening line of the movie.

Giraffe Center, Nairobi

Located in Lang’ata, about 20 km from the center of Nairobi, the Giraffe Center is an educational site where visitors, especially school children, can learn about giraffes and also feed them from a raised platform. Right next to the Giraffe Center, is the famous Giraffe Manor, an exclusive hotel where giraffes poke their heads into the dining room while guests are having breakfast.

David Sheldrick Trust

Established in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick in honor of her late husband, David Sheldrick, who was a prominent naturalist and warden of Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) is a well-known conservation organization that focuses on the rescue and care of elephants and rhinos that have been orphaned due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts.

Cultiva Farm

The Cultiva Farm is a famous farm to table restaurant in the Karen district of Nairobi, where all the dishes, including the beer, are made with ingredients sourced from the farm. As a result, the menu keeps changing, depending on the produce available on the farm. The restaurant was co-founded by Ariel Moscardi, who was trained at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school in Mexico, and Peter Silvester, the owner of Royal African Safaris.

Accommodations

Great places to stay

Tamarind Tree, Nairobi

Tamarind Tree Hotel has easy access to Nairobi, its national park, Wilson Airport and the Langata and Karen suburbs, with world-class shopping malls and excellent restaurants. The hotel itself offers an outdoor heated swimming pool, fitness center, garden, on-site restaurant, and modern rooms with garden and pool views.

Radisson Blu Upper Hill, Nairobi

Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill is a modern hotel with a variety of guest rooms and suites, a spa, fitness center, swimming pool, and multiple on-site restaurants with local and international cuisine. The hotel offers easy access to Wilson Airport, the gateway for flights to most safari destinations in Kenya, and the Nairobi National Park.

Sarova Stanley, Nairobi

The oldest hotel in Nairobi, dating back to 1902, Sarova Stanley is one of the few five star luxury hotels in Nairobi. It has played host to prominent world leaders and celebrities including Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, Sir Winston Churchill, and Ernest Hemingway. The hotel’s elegantly appointed rooms offer great views of Nairobi.

Hemingways Nairobi

A luxury five-star boutique hotel, Hemingways Nairobi is a plantation-style property in the peaceful suburb of Karen, believed to have been named after Karen Blixen, the Danish author of “Out of Africa.” The hotel’s 45 luxurious suites have private balconies overlooking the Ngong hills.

Giraffe Manor, Nairobi

Giraffe Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel, set on 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. The hotel is famous for its resident herd of Rothschild’s giraffes who poke their long necks into the windows, looking for treats. Visitors can feed the giraffes as well.

Nairobi

Activities

Accommodations

Map

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