Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and largest city, still conjures all the romance and adventure of its colorful colonial days. The city evolved from a humble camp for railway workers in 1899 to the capital of British East Africa by 1907. Today, Nairobi’s rich history and tribal culture is brought to life in its excellent museums. The Karen Blixen Museum is a big hit – especially with fans of the Out of Africa book and film, who come to see where the namesake Danish author toiled on her coffee farm in the beautiful Ngong Hills.
But even in such a bustling city, wildlife is a huge draw. This cosmopolitan capital is one of the only cities in the world with a safari park in its borders. A mere 15-minute drive from the skyscrapers of the city center, you can enjoy a classic African wildlife experience at Nairobi National Park. Lion, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, rhinoceros, and buffalo roam the sun-soaked savanna here, and animal lovers can cuddle baby elephants and connect with giraffes at the excellent animal sanctuaries nearby. Nairobi is also the gateway to the world-famous safari parks of kENYA, which have captivated adventure seekers for more than a century.
1 Nairobi National Park
Kenya’s first national park, Nairobi National Park is a haven for wildlife and only seven kilometers from the skyscrapers of Nairobi’s city center. The park is also a rhino sanctuary, which protects more than 50 of these critically endangered creatures. In addition to the rhinos, you can see lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, and more than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the wetlands.
Nairobi National Park is also a famous ivory burning site. In 1989, President Moi ignited 12 tons of elephant tusks and rhino horns here, boosting the country’s conservation image on the world stage. Today, a monument marks this historic site. The Nairobi Safari Walk is a popular attraction offering animal lovers the chance to spot wildlife on foot, and walking trails weave around the area known as Hippo Pools. At the park’s main gate, you can bond with orphaned baby elephants and rhinos at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
5 Nairobi National Museum
The National Museum in Nairobi is an educational way to spend a few hours on a city stopover. The museum displays diverse cultural and natural history exhibits including more than 900 stuffed birds and mammals, fossils from Lake Turkana, ethnic displays from various Kenyan tribal groups, and exhibits of local art. In the Geology Gallery, you can explore an impressive collection of rocks and minerals and learn about tectonic plates and the life cycle of a volcano. The Hominid Vault contains a collection of prehistoric bones and fossils, including the preserved fossil of an elephant. At the museum, visitors can purchase combination tickets, which include entrance to the adjacent Snake Park with live specimens of Kenya’s most common reptiles.
6 Bomas of Kenya
About 10 kilometers from Nairobi, Bomas of Kenya is a living museum celebrating the colorful tribes of Kenya. This is a great place to learn about the lifestyle, art, music, crafts, and culture of each tribe. The complex encompasses a recreated traditional village with homesteads or bomas, each one reflecting the culture of a major ethnic group. Every afternoon, a team performs traditional dances and songs in the large theater.