By John Mundati, Special Contributor
Nairobi is the biggest, busiest and most developed cosmopolitan city in East Africa. From world class hotels to a vibrant night scene and a thriving tech scene, the city has the best there is to offer in the region.
While most tourists travel to Nairobi, and largely to Kenya, for a bush experience and its famed safari adventures, there are those that want to experience the authenticity of the city as a local would. Away from the touristy stuff, there’s more than meets the eye that tourists can experience.
Visit Local Museums
Nairobi is home to some of the best maintained and equipped museums in Africa. The Nairobi National Museum, located a 10-minute walk away from the CBD curates Kenya’s history and its place in the evolution of man as well as the culture of Kenya’s tribes.
The lush botanical gardens offer a great trail to saunter through and the museums snake park plays hosts to a diverse range of African vipers.
On the opposite side of town is the quirky railway museum, home to exhibits from the “Lunatic Express” as Kenya’s first railway line and train were nicknamed. Here, you’ll also learn about “The Man eaters of Tsavo” – a pride of lions that terrorized railway builders back in the day.
Explore Gigiri And Karura Forest
The adventurous soul can head over to the city’s diplomatic district of Gigiri and therein lies Karura forest. A scene of violence in the past, Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai fought for its preservation in her efforts to foster sustainable development and environmental conservation.
Today, Karura forest hosts numerous charity and community events and the lush forest offers breathtaking nature trails with biking paths that are bound to awe you.
Another must visit site is the Nairobi Safari walk. Other than the breathtaking trails, proximity to town, and ease of access, Nairobi Safari walk is also home to some wild animals from Lions, to Hippos, Tortoises, and even Rhinos and Antelopes, although these are in enclosed spaces.
If you fancy seeing the big four – Lion, Buffalo, Black Rhino, and the Cheetah, among others in their natural habitat, the Nairobi National Park is located a short 10-minutes away from the city, making Nairobi the world’s only wildlife capital, literally.
This is the only city in the world with a fully-fledged national park inside the city limits where wild animals roam free. There is nowhere else that you’ll be taking photos of wild animals in their element and with the towering skyscrapers of a capitals concrete jungle as your backdrop!
See Flamingos At Lake Naivasha
30-minutes’ drive west of Nairobi will lead you to the floor of the rift valley. With beautiful and picturesque escarpments on both sides and numerous lakes below, you simply won’t have enough time to sample it all.
Lake Naivasha is surrounded by pristine lodges in tranquil settings and camping sites near the lake. A little further away, Lake Nakuru National Park will take your breath away as you watch the stunning flamingoes wade in water in their pink glory.
See A Play At The Kenya National Theatre
The newly refurbished Kenya National Theatre is the melting pot of Kenya’s vibrant theatre scene where you will always find a play on schedule or get to hang out with some of the best actors and entertainers in the country.
It’s also where the best Kenyan actors honed their skills and where these talented thespians turned the acclaimed movie, Sarafina, into a musical of epic proportions and that was the talk of the industry long afterwards.
Shop For Vintage At Toi Market
For thrift and vintage shopping, the city has a wide range of markets to keep you busy. Toi market, located on Ngong road is home to second hand clothes and shoe shops where you get the best clothes from some of the world’s best brands but at a fraction of the price.
Vintage shopping will see you headed to the many malls around the city where you will find Maasai markets on different days of the week. Merchants here specialize in souvenirs and locally made craft items as well as clothes, bags, and authentic African jewelry.
Drink Authentic Kenyan Coffee
As mentioned earlier, Nairobi is home to some popular food chains including Burger King, Dominos, Subway and Pizza Hut.
However, for authentic Kenyan grown export quality brewed coffee, the city features top of the line but local chain of coffee shops namely Java House and Artcaffe. The two are frequented by the who’s who in the country and expats alike.
These coffee shops feature contemporary interiors with stately décor, award winning customer service, and mouth-watering desserts.
Check Out Some Live Music
They say music is food for the soul. With Nairobi’s diversity, there is something for everyone. One of the best places to be for music is the Carnivore restaurant. Apart from the music, meat lovers will be spoilt for choice with everything from crocodile to ostrich on the menu.
Another popular venue for live music in Nairobi is Alliance Francaise. Friday’s see a cacophony of live bands converge here to play everything from Jazz to soul and afro pop.
For a livelier experience, Brew Bistro on Ngong road features live salsa bands on Thursdays, a roof top bar, and in-house brewed craft beer.
Shop At City Markets
The city is home to some of the best markets in Africa serving both locals and expatriates with produce fresh off the farm. Ngara market predominantly serves Parklands and Westland and is a local favorite.
Gikomba market is the most affordable and a one stop shop for everything from vegetables, fruits, meats, clothes and even shoes. However, seeing that it is downtown and near one of the many slums around the city, Gikomba is best approached with caution or in the company of a local.
That said, Kenyans are generally very warm and welcoming people who are always eager to help or show you around.
Visit With Orphan Rhinos And Elephants
And that’s not all……..
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust harbors orphan rhinos and elephants and is one of the best places to see them up close and sometimes even interact with them. Just close by is the giraffe center which is home to the extremely endangered Rothschild giraffe.
Nairobi is a city of contrasts.
On one hand is the usual concrete jungle of any capital, but unlike any other. The bush experience is only minutes away, just like flipping a coin.
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