Nairobi Kenya Tourist Activities

Nairobi (The capital city)

Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya and the country’s established hub for business and culture. Nairobi is a bustling and energetic urban metropolis and is the fifth largest city in Africa. The city is relatively modern, having been founded by the British. The city is situated in the south-central part of Kenya at the Nairobi River. Nairobi is 500 km west of the Indian Ocean, and it lies between Mombasa and Kampala in Uganda. The city is referred to as the ‘city in the sun’ due to its sunny tropical climate. Nairobi has over 2 million inhabitants representing all of Kenyan ethnic groups, and it has an area of 689 km2.
The name Nairobi translates to the Maasai word meaning cool water, ‘Enkare Nyrobi.’ Before British occupation, Nairobi was originally a swamp land occupied by a pastoralist people, the Maasai, the sedentary Akamba as well as the agriculturalist Kikuyu people. During construction of the Uganda Railway by the British, Nairobi was founded as a supply depot, a residential area for the laborers and as a crucial hub for the supply of water. Nairobi has been particularly significant since it occupied a central position between Kampala and Mombasa. Nairobi began growing rapidly and unexpectedly until a plague outbreak and fire required the town to be rebuilt.
By 1900, Nairobi had been incorporated as the Township of Nairobi. Its growth was so significant that it was made the capital of the newly formed British East Africa in 1907. After becoming a Municipality, Nairobi was declared a city in 1950 by the Royal Charter of Incorporation. Nairobi assumed an integral part in the fight for Kenya’s independence and it was the capital city of the newly formed Republic of Kenya.
Nairobi is the administrative center of the country, being home to the National Assembly, Ministries, Judiciary, President’s residence and numerous government corporations. Nairobi boasts the largest economy in East and Central Africa, with the bulk of the region’s multinational headquarters. The Nairobi Stock Exchange is one of the largest in Africa while the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport links East Africa with the rest of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Nairobi is also significant for the United Nations, hosting the UN-Habitat and UNEP headquarters. Banks, five-star hotels, and multiple industries are present in the city.

Location and Climate
Nairobi is located at 1.2921° S, 36.8219° E, and it sits at an elevation of approximately 1,795 meters above sea level. The city enjoys a pleasant climate, with temperatures ranging from 9°C to 25°C throughout the year. Its altitude contributes to the moderate and comfortable weather, making it an attractive destination for visitors and residents alike.
There are rainy seasons, but rainfall can be moderate. The cloudiest part of the year is just after the first rainy season, when, until September, conditions are usually overcast with drizzle. As Nairobi is situated close to the equator, the differences between the seasons are minimal. The seasons are referred to as the wet season and dry season. The timing of sunrise and sunset varies little throughout the year for the same reason.

Population and Suburbs
With a population of over 4.4 million people, Nairobi is the most populous city in Kenya and the second-largest city in the African Great Lakes region after Dar es Salaam. The city is divided into various suburbs, each with its own distinct characteristics and attractions. Some of the prominent suburbs include Westlands, Karen, and Lavington, each offering a unique lifestyle and ambiance.
Language
The official languages of Nairobi are English and Swahili. English is widely used in business, government, and education, while Swahili serves as the lingua franca for communication among different ethnic groups. Nairobi has a rich history, having been established as a railway depot by the British in 1899 and later evolving into a thriving commercial and cultural hub.

Lifestyle and cost of living
Nairobi offers a diverse range of lifestyles, from upscale urban living to more affordable options in the suburbs. The cost of living in the city varies depending on the neighborhood and the amenities available. Residents can enjoy a wide array of recreational activities, including visits to national parks, vibrant nightlife, and a thriving arts and music scene.
Business, Jobs, and Industries
As the economic powerhouse of  Kenya, Nairobi boasts a robust business environment and a wide range of job opportunities. The city is home to major financial institutions, multinational corporations, and a burgeoning startup ecosystem. Key industries in Nairobi include finance, technology, tourism, and manufacturing, providing ample employment prospects for both locals and expatriates.

Tourist Sites
Nairobi is a treasure trove of tourist attractions, offering diverse experiences for visitors. The city is renowned for its wildlife conservancies, including the Nairobi National Park, where visitors can witness the co-existence of urban and wild landscapes. Additionally, cultural landmarks such as the Karen Blixen Museum and the Nairobi National Museum offer insights into the city’s rich heritage. The city is dotted with green spaces such as Uhuru Park. Nairobi is also the main sports, music and literary center in Kenya.
The Giraffe Center, an animal sanctuary on the southwestern outskirts of Nairobi, was opened in 1983. Today, it breeds the endangered species of Rothschild’s giraffe.

Nearby Cities
Being surrounded by scenic landscapes and charming towns, Nairobi serves as a gateway to exploring the wonders of Kenya. Nearby cities such as Nakuru, Naivasha, and Thika offer picturesque settings, wildlife encounters, and opportunities for outdoor adventures, making them ideal destinations for day trips or weekend getaways.

Higher education
Nairobi is home to several educational institutions, including the University of Nairobi (founded in 1956 as the Royal Technical College of East Africa), Kenyatta University College (founded in 1972 as a constituent part of the University of Nairobi), Kenya Polytechnic University College (1961), and Kenya Institute of Administration (1961). Other institutions include the Kenya National Archives, the National Museum of Kenya (natural history), the McMillan Memorial Library, and the Kenya National Theatre. Nairobi National Park, a large reserve for numerous mammals, reptiles, and birds, is a popular tourist attraction.

Literature and film
Many film makers also practice their craft out of Nairobi. Film-making is still young in the country, but people like producer Njeri Karago and director Judy Kibinge are paving the way for others. Perhaps the most famous book and film set in Nairobi is Out of Africa. The book was written by Karen Blixen whose pseudonym was Isak Dinesen, and it is her account of living in Kenya. Karen Blixen lived in the Nairobi area from 1917 to 1931. The neighbourhood in which she lived, Karen, is named after her.
With a long history of musical and artistic expression, Kenya enjoys a rich tradition of oral and written literature, including many fables that speak to the virtues of determination and perseverance, important and widely shared values, given the country’s experience during the struggle for independence. Kikuyu writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o, one of the country’s best-known authors internationally, addresses these concerns in his remarks on one folkloric figure.

Culture
Nairobi is a diverse melting pot of African cultures. As a cosmopolitan African city, it hosts all the diverse tribes that make up Kenya, and hosts a large immigrant population from other African countries.

Food
In Nairobi, there are a range of restaurants. Besides being home to Nyama choma which is a local term used to refer to roasted meat, there are American fast food restaurants such as KFC, Subway, Domino’s Pizza Hut, Hardee’s and Burger King and the longer established South African chains, Galito’s, Steers, Pizza Mojo and Spur Steak Ranches. Coffee houses, doubling up as restaurants and mostly frequented by the upper middle classes, such as Artcaffe, Nairobi Java House and Dormans, have become increasingly popular in recent days.
Traditional food joints such as the popular K’osewe’s in the city centre and Amaica, which specialize in African delicacies, are also widespread. The Kenchic franchise which specialized in old-school chicken and chips meals was also popular, particularly among the lower classes and students, with restaurants all over the city and its suburbs. However, as of February 2016, Kenchic stopped operating its eatery business. Upscale restaurants often specialize in specific cuisines such as Italian, Lebanese, Ethiopian, and French, but are more likely to be found in five star hotels and the wealthier suburbs in the West and South of the city.
More so, Nairobi has an annual restaurant week (NRW) at the beginning of the year, January–February. Nairobi’s restaurants offer dining packages at reduced prices. NRW is managed by Eat out Kenya which is an online platform that lists and reviews restaurants in Nairobi, and provides a platform for Kenyan foodies to congregate and share.

Transportation and Infrastructure
Nairobi has a well-developed transportation network, including a modern airport, an extensive road system, and a commuter rail service. The city is also investing in expanding its public transportation infrastructure, with ongoing developments in bus rapid transit and light rail systems. These initiatives aim to improve connectivity and ease traffic congestion within the city.

Airports
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the largest airport in Kenya. Domestic travelers made up 40% of overall passengers in 2016 and an increase of 32% in 5 yrs since 2012. JKIA had more than 7 million passengers going through it in 2016. In February 2017, JKIA received a Category One Status from the FAA boosting the airport’s status as a Regional Aviation hub.
Wilson Airport is a general-aviation airport handling smaller aircraft, mostly propeller-driven. In July 2016, construction of a new air traffic control Tower commenced at a cost of KES 163 million (approximately US$1.63 million).
Moi Air Base is a military airport. In its earlier years, it was utilised as a landing strip in the pre-jet airline era. It was mostly used as a British passenger and mail route from Southampton to Cape Town in the 1930s & 1940s. This route was served by flying boats between Britain and Kisumu and then by land-based aircraft on the routes to the south.

Trains
Nairobi was founded as a railway town and the main headquarters of Kenya Railways is situated at Nairobi railway station near the city centre. The line runs through Nairobi, from Mombasa to Kampala. Its main use is freight traffic connecting Nairobi to Mombasa and Kisumu. A number of morning and evening commuter trains connect the centre with the suburbs, but the city has no proper light rail, tramway, or rapid transit lines.
In 2012 a new station was opened up that is, Syokimau Rail Service marking a major milestone in the history of railway development in the country. The opening of the station marked another milestone in efforts to realise various projects. The new station has a train that ferries passengers from Syokimau to the city centre cutting travel time by half. Opening of the station marks the completion of the first phase of the Sh24b Nairobi Commuter Rail Network that is geared at easing traffic congestion in Nairobi, blamed for huge economic losses. Other modern stations include Imara Daima Railway Station and Makadara

Railway Station.
The new Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway connects the port city of Mombasa and Nairobi. The new railway line has virtually replaced the old metre-gauge railway. The Nairobi Terminus is located at Syokimau, some 20 km from the city centre. Passengers travelling from Mombasa are transferred the short distance into the CBD with the metre-gauge trains.

Roads
Two trans-African automobile routes pass through Nairobi: the Cairo – Cape Town Highway and the Lagos- Mombasa Highway. Nairobi is served by highways that link Mombasa to Kampala in Uganda and Arusha in Tanzania. These are earmarked to ease the daily motor traffic within and surrounding the metro area. However, driving in Nairobi is chaotic. Most of the roads are tarmacked and there are signs showing directions to certain neighbourhoods. The city is connected to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by the Mombasa Highway, which passes through Industrial Area, South B, South C and Embakasi. Ongata Rongai, Langata and Karen are connected to the city centre by Langata Road, which runs to the south. Lavington, Riverside, and Westlands are connected by Waiyaki Way. Kasarani, Eastlands, and Embakasi are connected by Thika Road, Jogoo Road, and Outer Ring Road.
Highways connect the city with other major towns such as Mombasa, Machakos, Voi, (A109), Eldoret, Kisumu, Nakuru, Naivasha and Namanga Border Tanzania (A104).
Nairobi has been undergoing major road constructions to update its infrastructural network. The new system of roads that is, flyovers and bridges have tried to cope up with high traffic levels. Most roads now are well lit and surfaced with adequate signage.
In 2020, the construction of The Nairo Expressway began. The Nairobi expressway is a 27 km toll road connecting the Eastern Nairobi neighbourhood of Mulolongo to the uptown neighbourhood of Westlands at James Gichuru junction through Nairobi CBD. The road is directly to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport enabling travellers to access the airport faster avoiding the heavy traffic on Mombasa Road and Waiyaki Way. The road has an 11.025 km elevated section between Airtel Center and Westlands.
This road is intended to ease traffic from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that accesses Nairobi city center. Also traffic from Central Nairobi is expected to be facilitated, to reduce the number of departing passengers who miss their fights, while stuck in road traffic jams on the city streets.[5] The work involves expansion of the existing road to four-lanes one-way, (8 lanes total), with foot paths, drainage channels, overpass bridges and street lighting. In May 2022, the road was opened to the public.

Matatu
Matatus are the most common form of public transport in Nairobi. Matatu, which literally translates to “three cents for a ride” (nowadays much more) are privately owned minibuses.They generally seat fourteen to thirty three. Matatus operate within Nairobi, its environs and suburbs and from Nairobi to other towns around the country. The matatu’s route is imprinted along a yellow stripe on the side of the bus, and matatus plying specific routes have specific route numbers. In 2004, a law was passed requiring all matatus to include seat belts and speed governors and to be painted with a yellow stripe. This first caused a furore amongst Matatu operators, but they were pressured by government and the public to make the changes. Matatus are now limited to 80 km/h (50 mph).
However in November 2014, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the ban on the yellow stripe and allowed matatus to maintain the colourful graphics in an effort to support the youth in creating employment. Due to the intense competition between matatus, many are equipped with powerful sound systems and television screens to attract more customers.
Buses are increasingly becoming common in the city with some even going to the extents of installing complimentary WiFi systems in partnership with the leading mobile service provider. There are four major bus companies operating the city routes and are the traditional Kenya Bus Service (KBS), and newer private operators Citi Hoppa, Compliant MOA and Double M. The Citi Hoppa buses are distinguishable by their green livery, the Double M buses are painted purple, Compliant MOA by their distinctively screaming names and mix of white, blue colours while the KBS buses are painted blue.
Companies such as Easy Coach, Crown Bus, Coast Bus, Modern Coast, Eldoret Express, Chania, the Guardian Angel, Spanish and Mash Poa run scheduled buses and luxury coaches to other cities and towns.
In conclusion, Nairobi stands as a dynamic city with a rich tapestry of offerings. Its strategic location, diverse population, thriving industries, and vibrant culture make it a compelling destination for both residents and visitors. Whether you are drawn to its urban energy, natural splendor, or historical intrigue, Nairobi has something unique to offer to everyone.