Day Tripping In Nairobi
By Paul
Godwin
Visiting
Nairobi as a tourist on a short stay has some exceptional places of interest
that one can cover in a day or two. Using Nairobi as a connection point, as
opposed to Dubai, might be a preferred option for South African Travellers who
love African culture and amazing wildlife right on the City’s doorstep.
There are
numerous hotels of all categories in Nairobi some within the airport precinct
and others in the City Centre. Our group stayed in the Sarova Stanley Hotel in the heart of the City. This historical and
beautiful hotel captures the previous colonial influence of the country
perfectly. Opened in 1902 it is the hotel which housed the first Nairobi Stock
Exchange, the first Tusker Beer was enjoyed in what became known as the
Exchange Bar and numerous celebrities and historical figures have stayed at the
hotel over the decades. Distinguished guests such as Clark Gable, Ernest
Hemingway, Michael Caine, Sidney Poitier, Sean Connery and Frank Sinatra to
name a few….
The Sarova
Stanley Hotel is a stone’s throw away from the International Conference Centre,
Parliament Buildings and Law Courts as well as a short walk to the University
of Nairobi.
Working with an
approved tour guide is recommended especially for the wealth of general
knowledge about the country and tips on how to make your visit as comfortable
as possible. There are many safari tour companies based in Kenya and in
Nairobi. Our guides spoke perfect English and were impressive in their
knowledge of the local flora and fauna as well as the history of Kenya which
they embrace. The Kenyan people are warm friendly, educated and proud of their
country and love showing it off.
The Nairobi
National Park borders the city and once again there are many hotels bordering
the park. We visited the Ole-Sereni Hotel – which incidentally is the old US
Embassy and then was converted into this hotel. All the security measures used
by the US Embassy were left in place. This is a fabulous hotel with conference
facilities, fantastic spacious rooms, pool deck and bars overlooking the
reserve and yes all one can see is wildlife and nature……
One will be
impressed by the many road side nurseries peppered along the roads in the
suburbs and the city centers…..it is very much a part of the Kenyan Culture and
it forms part of informal business with locals selling plants to passersby.
It is
interesting to learn that the youth in Kenya are taught at a very early age to
respect nature and to cultivate plants including food plants. They are taught the
importance of the eco system and nature in general and these youth become the
future caretakers of the wildlife and vegetation in Kenya. This was very
evident in the school outings we witnessed at the sanctuaries, where we
observed the future generations intently listening and engaging with the educators.
Emily Wilson from Travel Again Tours
Johannesburg was part of the familiarization team and was also mesmerized by
the reception we all received and commented :
‘’Kenya, a country which exudes a warmth and
deep respect from their people, for their wild life and toward travelers
visiting from around the globe. Their excellent hospitality is second to none
and diligent conservation allows travelers to enjoy a unique and rewarding trip
as a whole. There is an obvious pride in Kenyans. They have embraced old world
colonialism as part of their history and have kept parts of that time alive
resulting in a refined and well educated African nation. I can only agree with
Kenyan Airlines slogan, ‘ Kenya the Pride of Africa’. I would recommend fellow
Africans to have a good look at Kenya as a holiday destination. It may surprise
you that there is a magical place just waiting to be explored right on your
doorstep!
A must see is
the David Sheldrick Wildlife
Trust which is in the Nairobi National Park. Born from one family’s passion for
Kenya and its wilderness, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is today the most
successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and
one of the pioneering conservation organisations for wildlife and habitat
protection in East Africa. Founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick D.B.E, in honour of the memory of her
late husband, famous naturalist and founding Warden of Tsavo East National
Park, David Leslie William Sheldrick
MBE, the DSWT claims a rich and deeply rooted history in wildlife and
conservation.
This visit was totally
inspiring and was the preamble to what would become six days of wonderment for
our intrepid crew,
Next was the Giraffe Centre…if
you have ever felt the need to feed a giraffe, well your dream can come true
here. A totally amazing experience of interacting with the giraffe can be
enjoyed. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Giraffe Centre are a must do for any
visitor to Kenya
Lunch at the Tamambo Karen
Blixen Coffee Garden and supper at Carnivore Restaurant will totally complete your dining experience for a day
trip to Nairobi.
Karen Blixen has become a
revered figure in daily Kenyan life with a whole district named in her honour.
Her legacy is huge which makes a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum an absolute
must. The Blixen home is in its original state and is a true mirror of colonial
Africa and the lifestyle of European settlers of the period. The museum staff
is extremely knowledgeable on the subject and the museum even has the costumes
worn by Meryl Streep and Robert Redford on display from the screen adaptation
of Karen’s famous book “ Out of Africa “.
There are many markets where
one can pick up some lovely gifts and negotiation is the name of the game. Kenya’s
currency is Shillings but the locals are well versed and prefer the US Dollar !
Kenya has a warm climate so
be prepared and you will need a yellow fever vaccination and a course of
malaria tablets. Supermarkets and shopping
malls are abundant and the local chain stores utilize shillings, Vat is
included in the price shown on products.
Kenya manufactures many of
its own products and for our “tribe” - coffee and tea was top of the list. For
the beer drinker there are some really good beers such as Tusker, White Cap,
Allsops and Pilsners - a truly quality and thirst quenching beverage.
One will find the Kenyan
people truly friendly and are extremely proud of their country. An observation
is the poor road and pavement infrastructure however this has not stopped the authorities
from keeping the City of Nairobi devoid of any litter – the streets are always
clean.
One of the friendly waitresses
at the Stanley Hotel she had this to say. “ I could sit at home all day and
wait for a job, but I chose to go out and look for employment and work hard. I
believe if God sees me working hard He will reward me in the future” …..with locals
exuding this attitude, Kenya can only
prosper in the future and enforces the mantra of Kenya espousing to be the
“Pride of Africa”
Kenya is open for business,
so if you are looking to open a business in any field, they are listening and
would love to hear from you.
Would I recommend Kenya as
a destination ? Absolutely and unequivocally - Yes!
A few useful tips :
Carry a square pronged
adaptor for charging your phone or laptops
Carry US Dollars
Take Malaria tablets
Yellow fever vaccination
certificate mandatory
No Visa required for South
Africans for up to 30 days (these rules are subject to change – so please check
Kenyan Government websites for updates)
Do not take photographs of
Official Government Buildings and other key point locations including
universities and security personnel
Vehicles drive on Left hand
side of Road
Do not drink tap water, hotels
provide bottled water
All signage is in English
(Road signs and advertising)
Swahili is the main local
language but many people speak English
Smoking in public places
including sidewalks is prohibited
WiFi is very good and free
at most hotels and lodges
Leave only your footprints
Footnote :
This is the first of four
stories written by Paul Godwin on his recent trip to Kenya as part of a
familiarization team from South Africa and guests of the Kenyan Tourism Board
to promote tourism, professional conferencing and tourism business
opportunities,
Stories to follow:
Fantasy and fun – The Mara
South Coast Magic – Diani
Shimoni Slave Caves – Village of hope
Words and photographs - Paul Godwin/Nerve Communications
