A
guided tour of Nairobi - a vibrant and bustling city, commences
from the city center. The tour includes the colorful market
and its surrounding bazaars, Parliament buildings, Kenyatta
International Conference Center, Railway Museum and Nairobi
University. The tour culminates in a visit to the National
Museum: "the Finest Small Museum in Africa". It
is well known for its wealth of display of local interest
paleontology, tribal artifacts, paintings of late Joy Adamson,
political history of Kenya, ornithological collections,
multitude of stuffed game heads, casts of fish (even a whale
skeleton) and the skeleton and fiberglass replica of 'Ahmed'
- the famous elephant from Marsabit. Snakes and reptiles
can be viewed in safety at the adjacent Snake Park.
Just
a few kilometers from the city exists an attempt of creating
a living museum of indigenous Kenyan life - The Bomas
of Kenya. Here numerous homesteads (bomas) reflecting
Kenya's cocktail of cultures have been recreated to portray
the traditional lifestyles of Kenya's many tribes. Also
enjoy colorful performances by dancers which depict events
in their respective tribes.
Nairobi
National Park is unique in that nowhere else in the world
exists a wildlife reserve with such a variety of animals
and birds so close to a major city. The Nairobi National
Park is located literally within earshot of downtown traffic.
It is a small, superb park that contains most of the animals
to be seen on an extended safari - Rhino, Buffalo, Cheetah,
Zebra, Giraffe and plenty of Antelope and Gazelle. The
park also possesses a diversity of environs. Much of the
park is predominated by open plains country. However,
there is a section of highland forest as well as stretches
of broken bush country, deep, rocky valleys and gorges
with scrub and long grass. At the main entrance to the
Park is the Animal Orphanage, which cares for semi-tame,
orphaned and wounded animals.
At
the foot of the Ngong Hills lies the home of Karen Blixen,
the famous author whose memoirs were immortalized in the
popular film "Out of Africa". It is now preserved
as a museum where visitors can travel back in time and
gain an insight into the life of this remarkable woman.
Furniture, artifacts, and photographs from her days as
a pioneer coffee farmer are on display.
Afterwards continue top the Giraffe Manor- a rare opportunity
of literary coming face to face with Africa's tallest
animal, the giraffe. Feed Daisy, the famous Rothschild
giraffe and her family and learn about the success story
of the once endangered Rothschild Giraffe. Entrance fee
contributes to other conservation projects in Kenya.
A short distance to the nearby Ostrich Park provides the
opportunity to see the breeding of ostriches from eggs
to full grown-ups.
A
Brazilian style restaurant that offers a menu famous for
exotic charcoal grilled meat including wild game such
as crocodile, zebra, eland and wildebeest in addition
to succulent lamb, beef, chicken and pork dishes all roasted
on skewers over a huge wood fire. A must for meat lovers!
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NAIROBI
NATIONAL PARK
