All You Need To Know About Visiting Nairobi.
Nairobi is a bustling metropolis in East Africa. Kenya’s largest city and capital known for its vibrancy and great wildlife preservation. In this blog post, we’ll explore Nairobi and tell you all you need to know about visiting this richly varied city. An explorer’s paradise, this cosmopolitan city has a ton of interesting activities to explore. With Wakanow, you get explore your dream vacation spots and enjoy them without the hassles of planning. We take care of your travels from start to finish.
What to do
Giraffe Manor: Nothing beats having these elegant animals peer through your window and this manor offers just that. The Giraffe manor is also a conservation spot for the highly endangered Rothschild’s species. Although the giraffe manor is a bit pricey, the Langata Giraffe Centre offers you a cheaper option. Located right beside the Giraffe manor, if you’re running on a budget, this is the right spot for you. Here, you can observe, kiss or feed the giraffes. It’s quite an exhilarating experience.
Explore National Park: Kenya’s first national park, roughly occupies one-fifth of Nairobi. 95% of Kenya’s wildlife species is in the National Park. You get to go on a safari and have the city’s skyscrapers act as a backdrop. If you get lucky, you’ll spot everything from antelopes, to buffalo herds, lions, zebras and hyenas on the prowl. This park gives you a once in a lifetime experience and it is beyond mind blowing.
Karen Blixen Museum: Located at the foot of the Ngong hills, this museum was named after Danish writer Karen Blixen. You can take a tour of this museum to get an insight into Kenya’s colonial past. Also, have a cup of coffee at the coffee garden here.
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage: This sanctuary raises orphaned Elephants and Rhinos. Between 11am and noon, you get to watch the elephants feed and roll in mud baths. Learn more about this adorable bunch and their life cycles from the keepers. You can consider adopting an animal and you’ll get updates from the foundation.
National Museum: Learn all about Kenya’s rich cultural heritage. The national museum gives an insight into Kenya’s culture, history, nature and contemporary art. Tourists can also get tickets to the Snake Park to view live specimens of Kenya’s most common reptiles and the botanic garden is also located in this premises.
In conclusion, you can take day trips from Nairobi to enjoy more things that Kenya has to offer: Visit Mount Kenya, Massai village, Lake Naivasha and many more. For a more grounded experience with the locals, you can get on a matatu (minivan) although, you might have to get keep a watch over your belongings. Matatus are basically music studios on the move.
Nairobi’s weather
Nairobi’s weather is temperate all year round with cool nights and warm days. Temperatures are usually at their highest from December to March. It’s best to plan a trip to Nairobi between January – March. You can also opt for a trip later in the year between July – October. The wet months are April and May so it’s best to avoid planning a trip during that period. The time zone in Kenya is GMT +3. Flight time from Nigeria to Nairobi is 5 hours and 5 minutes
Official Currency
Kenyan Shillings (Ksh)
Meals to try
Ugali: popularly known as Kenya’s national food and the locals’ favorite. It is ground corn made into a hard porridge over fire and best eaten with soup Sukuma Wiki. Looking for something to try on your trip? My bet is on Ugali.
Chicken Biryani: with origins from the Middle East, its no surprise that there’s a bit of an East African twist to it. Chicken Biryani is simply a coming together of some of the best flavors. Spices, dried fruit and chicken with a mix of Basmati rice, and you have Chicken Biryani.
Nyama Choma: This is basically roasted meat. Allowed to roast in its own spices, Nyama Choma is a delight. Kenyans are known for their love for meat so it’s no surprise that you’ll find Nyama Choma around.
Mandazi: is a popular street food especially for children. To have an idea of what it’s like, think bite sized doughnuts made with coconut milk and coated with sugar. The perfect street snack!
Languages Spoken
The main languages you need to get around in Nairobi are English, Kiswahili and Sheng (the broken down version of Swahili). Learn a few Swahili words to form a good rapport with the locals : Habari (hello), Mzuri sana (very good) e.t.c.
There you have it, all you need as a tourist when you go visiting Nairobi. Looking to go on a trip? Let Wakanow do all the hard work. We know everywhere!
