Kenya draws safari-goers, foodies, and cultural travelers looking to dive deep into the historical sights and museums of Nairobi. The country offers so much more, however, including a rich culinary scene and many of Africa’s most inspiring wildlife conservation projects. Few places offer such a diversity of experiences, as you can move from the heart of Nairobi into the jungle and feel as though you’ve stepped into another world.
Nairobi is considered the central hub of tourism in Kenya. Nairobi is also known as the Safari Capital of Africa due to the number of forests and rare wildlife species. Nairobi is the ONLY city in the world to boast a natural game park! The game park is called Nairobi National Park, the first National Park in Kenya, and home to the big five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and the leopard).
The whole city of Nairobi is surrounded by plains, cliffs, and forest, which are parts of the Nairobi National Park. Travelers have many things to do in Nairobi during day or night. Tourists can enjoy different safaris here like scenic, wildlife, cultural and sport, etc. This city is also rich in restaurants, culture, shopping centers, and eco-tourism.
Tourists can also engage in various sports from golf, rugby, polo, athletics, horse-racing, cricket, and soccer. Some of the lesser known tourist attractions in Nairobi which are worth visiting are Bomas of Kenya, Kazuri Beads Factory Tour, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Ngong Hills and National Archives.
The travel and tourism industry is the second most significant source of foreign exchange for Kenya's economy. The Kenyan Government has organized a board named The Kenya Tourism Board. This Board is responsible for different arrangements and information records on tourism in Kenya. Kenya is world-famous for different tourism types, including beach tourism, ecosystem tourism, cultural tourism, and sport tourism.
The city looks just like any other normal city with a lot of modern facilities and architecture although the same cannot be said about coastal cities of Kenya with rich culture and alot of historical buildings and influences. One of the first steps in order to make your travel to Kenya possible, is to obtain required documents.
A document needed by the majority of foreign travelers is eVisa. It is a permission allowing the entry on the territory of Kenya.
The visa is issued in an electronic form and to apply for it, you only need an electronic device and Internet access. The process itself is quick and easy - just fill out the application form. Don't put off the process to the last minute and apply 3 business days in advance!
Kenyan coffee is exceptionally tasty, just like the better-known beans grown just over the border in Ethiopia. Fortunately, many of the best Kenyan coffee and tea farms that offer tours are close to Nairobi, so it’s not hard for tourists to make a half-day visit.
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Nairobi National Park |
As already mentioned, Nairobi is the tourist hub of Kenya. To make your visit to Nairobi more memorable and joyful, we have summarized a list of best attractions in Nairobi that you must visit when you travel to Kenya.
1. Kenya Railway Museum
The Railway Museum in Nairobi is a part of the celebration of the railroad's rich history in Kenya. This museum is the perfect representation of the impact of the railway on the nation's development. The collections of this museum includes:
- Train and ship models
- Original construction photographs of the Uganda Railway
- Maps and drawings
- Railway magazines
Here, you can also see a collection of rolling stock and steam locomotives. The Railway Museum is considered an integral part of cultural tourism in Nairobi.
2. Nairobi National Park
In case you are in Nairobi, and do not get an opportunity to leave the capital, do visit the Nairobi National Park. This is likely the world’s only national park contained entirely within a city - a city of 4.5 million, no less. Here you can go on a safari with a futuristic skyline as a backdrop - a huge railway bridge even runs right through the park. It is rich in wildlife, although most of the large animals were reintroduced by humans.
Still in Nairobi you may want to see some animals right? Nairobi National Park is just a stone throw from the city. Nairobi National Park is Kenya's first national park, only seven kilometers away from Nairobi's city center (the skyscrapers). This National Park is considered a heaven of wildlife that contains a rhino sanctuary.
The park is a 20 minutes drive from the city, where you will spot pride of lions, and giraffes in the beautiful golden grass of the park. Leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes, even most endangered species of rhinos are found in this beautiful park. On the Nairobi Safari Walk see the over 400 species of wildlife that dwell in the park.
The rhino sanctuary is the house to more than 50 members of these endangered creatures. You can also see many other animals here, including buffaloes, lions, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches. According to zoologists, more than 400 species of birds are present in Nairobi National Park.
This National Park is a famous ivory burning site. It's a fantastic place for animal lovers who can enjoy the Nairobi Safari Walk to spot wildlife on foot. You will also see beautiful Hippo Pools here in which Hippos are taking a bath. There is a wildlife trust named The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which caretakes the orphaned baby elephants and rhinos.
Here you will see animals like Lions, giraffes, buffaloes and more. After that you may want to cuddle with baby elephants, David sheldrick wildlife trust care for orphaned elephants and everyday at midday they allow people to come closer and interact with these valuable creatures. From their you can kiss giraffes at Giraffe Center then visit Karen blixen museum a section of ‘out of Africa’ movie was shot here.
3. Giraffe Centre
And if you’re a big fan of Giraffe, the Giraffe Centre is the place for you and is located in Lang’ata, approximately 20 kilometres from the centre of Nairobi. Giraffe Centre is located at the edge of Nairobi National Park. The best thing about this Centre is that you can see the endangered Rothschild's giraffes face to face here. The main motto and mission of Giraffe Centre are to provide conservation education for children.
The visitors of the Giraffe Centre are briefed about these graceful creatures. You can also feed them with your hands on a raised platform by using specially prepared pellets. It's a unique thing to do in Nairobi, especially with family. You can take photos with wet, gray giraffe tongues with slurping little faces.
4. Karura Forest Reserve
Are you looking for some solitude near Nairobi City? You have a perfect gift in the form of Karura Forest, one of the most extensive urban forests in the world. You can do almost all kinds of things you want. You can go hiking on a multi-tiered 15-meter waterfall. Plenty of picnic gardens are also available here.
Get a complete solitude and watch monkeys climbing through the trees. Lily Lake is another best place in Karura Forest to soak up the tranquility. There are many well-marked red-clay trails where you can enjoy bike riding. This forest is also rich in wildlife, apart from monkeys you can see, butterflies, several species of birds, and duiker (small antelope) here.
5. Kenya Museum Society
While in Nairobi you should visit the Nairobi museum. The museum takes you through brief history of Kenya from the pre history to pre colonial kenya to colonial kenya and the current Kenya. You will also learn about birds migration from Europe to Africa during different seasons, animals found in kenya and some prominent kenyans.
Inside the museum there is a snake park with different snakes found in Kenya and some parts of the world. The Museum have a lot to offer and it's super cheap. Nairobi National Museum is the best place for cultural and heritage lovers to spend a few hours on a city stopover. You can explore a diverse cultural, and natural history here in the form of more than 900 stuffed birds, fossils, and mammals belonging to lake Turkana.
Nairobi National Museum also exhibits local art perfectly. There is a Geology Gallery where you can see an impressive collection of minerals of rocks. You can explore a vast amount of information about the life cycle of a volcano here. A Snake Park is adjacent to the Nairobi National Museum, where you can see Kenya's most common reptiles.
Final thoughts
Nairobi is rich in all sorts of tourism types, particularly wildlife tourism. If you want to experience scenic views, wild animal and African climate, you definitely have to plan your journey to this unforgettable Kenyan city.
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