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Nairobi in Kenya

WHERE TO GO IN KENYA

Kenya’s capital city in the central highlands has rapidly evolved from an undiscovered and unpopulated swampland, at the turn of the 20th Century, to a sprawling metropolis that is one of Africa’s largest and best known. When railway workers set up a camp here in 1899 it was named ‘Mile 327’, whilst the local Maasai had called it Ewaso Nai’beri or ‘place of cold water’.

Modern day Nairobi is a place of skyscrapers and hustle and bustle, its elevated position of 1,800 metres above sea level gives it an air of cool. It can be a great place to acclimatise to Africa either before or after venturing on a safari of Kenya’s wildlife and beaches. Whilst you are unlikely to stay here long, it does offer some interesting attractions.

Nairobi National Park climate guide

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
AVG. TEMP	26°C	27°C	27°C	25°C	24°C	23°C	22°C	23°C	25°C	26°C	24°C	25°C
RAINFALL	48mm	49mm	95mm	200mm	151mm	37mm	15mm	21mm	22mm	52mm	132mm	83mm

Where to Stay in Nairobi

Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor is one of the most exclusive hotels in Africa, normally booked up a year or two in advance. A wonderfully exclusive boutique property, set in 12 acres of private land, in the suburbs of Nairobi, just 20km from the city centre. It was initially built in 1932.

What to Do in Nairobi

The Karen Blixen Museum

Often a point of interest and a well-run homage to the author of ‘Out of Africa’ and Karen herself lived here between 1914 and 1931. The museum contains artefacts like the original gramophone Blixen used to play Mozart and the estate grounds, which replicate an early 20th Century coffee plantation.

The Giraffe Centre

Located in the Lang'ata suburb of Nairobi, the Giraffe Centre was established in 1979 by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) to protect the Rothschild Giraffes and to educate people on the conservation of these popular animals. The Centre has played a crucial role in increasing the population of the Rothschild giraffe, which had dwindled to dangerously low numbers. Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, you can feed the giraffes and learn from interactive sessions about giraffe biology, behavior, and conservation issues.

David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

Situated within Nairobi National Park, just a short drive from Nairobi's city center. Founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick in memory of her late husband, David Sheldrick, a famous naturalist and founding warden of Tsavo East National Park. The primary focus of the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage is on rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants and rhinos, which are often victims of poaching, human-wildlife conflict, or other threats. The orphanage is open to the public for one hour each day, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. During this time, you can watch the baby elephants being fed and playing in the mud.

The minimum donation of US$50 per year is already included in the cost of your safari and for this you'll be able to foster a baby elephant and get a digital interactive map indicating where your orphan was found. You'll receive monthly summaries and updates as well as a certificate. This is a very worthwhile cause.

Nairobi