The place nearly everybody arrives at first, a huge sprawling metropolis with a diverse range of people, cultures &  lifestyles. It can be intimidating and you should always be careful of your security & possessions but once you get the hang of it Nairobi is a good hub to organise travel and meet people. Traffic is a growing problem as more & more people buy cars so don't expect to get any where quickly!

Attractions
There is not much in Nairobi to see or do unless you just want to experience the bustle of the capital city. Below is listed the main things that are worth a visit.

Daphne Sheldrick Animal Orphanage - Between 11am & noon you can visit, entrance is free but you are expected to give a donation 500ksh is normal. The keepers bring out their orphaned babies mainly elephants and sometimes baby rhino. The Elephants come out and play in the mud pools and are fed, if it is cold they have cute little rugs on. The Trust does a huge amount of work and it is well worth the trip.

AFEW Giraffe Centre - Has specialised in saving and boosting the number of Rothschild Giraffe. The centre is a great place to get really close up to them on their level from the viewing tower and you are able to feed them at certain times. However for what it is it can be pricey for a group but they have a new Safari board walk.

Nairobi National Park - It is amazing how this area has survived so close to the capital city, it is very popular with weekend day trippers. There are no elephants but plenty of other game including Lions. At the main gate is the Mini Orphanage and the Nairobi Safari Walk which is very informative. The Rangers Restaurant is comfortable and offers a wide menu. Fees $20 for Park / $5 for the orphanage & safari walk.

Nairobi Race Course - Is a great inexpensive day out, small but with a lively crowd and pleasant bar & restaurant you can mix among the local  ex pats  and get to meet a great range of people. It is more about the socialising than the horse racing! Check out the local papers for race days.

National Museum - Is worth the visit and full of information on the Geology of Kenya, human pre history and ornithology. If you have the time at the beginning or end of your trip and can be bothered to absorb all the facts  it will give your Kenyan Adventure more history and depth.

Shopping
In Kenya you have to bargain hard, as a tourist never accept the first price, after a while you will get the hang of it and can get some real bargains. There are hundreds of duka's and you can buy anything you could possibly want. There are a number of malls but prices tend to be fixed.

Village Market Limuru Rd  up market and where many of the UN crowd go. It includes a cinema, swimming pool, excellent food court, bowling alley and smart shops. If you are craving a bit of the West visit here.

Sarit Centre is a large purpose built Centre in Westlands typical shopping mall with food court and variety of shops from books to clothing and everything in between.

Yaya Centre Hurlingham similar to that of the Sarit but has an excellent deli and a good coffee shop on the 2nd floor.

Prestige Plaza Ngong Rd is new and has a huge supermarket and cinema.

The Junction Ngong Rd is an excellent new centre with a  supermarket and some smaller shops plus a great Italian Restaurant and coffee bar.

Markets There are a number of markets through out Nairobi however be strong as you will experience some hassle either from traders trying to get you to buy or you will be mobbed by little kids. It is often best to go with someone that knows the area. If you want Masai Traditional stuff the Masai Market is on a Tues near the Globe Cinema and Embakasi Village Crafts out towards the airport is very organised with less hassle. If you want to support community  initiatives Kasuri Beads & Pottery in Karen does some fantastic designs at very reasonable prices.

Eating
There is a vast range of places to eat through out Nairobi from local fare to Japanese food Nairobi has it all. If your on a budget there is an abundance of cheap hotelis selling African & Asian food, invariably good size portions and plenty of ugali or chips to fill you up! DO NOT drink the water unless you have seen it come out of a sealed bottle as tap water throughout Kenya is not fit to drink.

There are a number of chain restaurants such as Nando's & Steers that offer fairly good quality fast food. Dormans Coffee House in the centre is worth a visit along with the Trattoria Restaurant serving great Italian food and pastries. On the outskirts if you fancy Japanese then Misono is great and you can have the food cooked in front of you, they offer a range of set menus to suit everyone's taste. On the Ngong Road at the Junction Shopping Centre is a great Italian restaurant and further up in Karen is The Talisman & Horsemen Restaurant both with a good bar and are meeting places for the local white population.

Bars & Clubs
There are many local bars if you just want to grab a drink but beware of the standards of liquor and cold beers can be hard to come by. The in crowd go to Gypsys in Westlands, it is popular and heaving on a weekend with a good selection of snacks and drinks. Pavement is the in place for clubbing and has a busy crowd. The Cotton Club near Karen attracts a wide range of people from all over and is on the first Fri of each month.

Transport - There are matatus and public buses every where not all of them very reliable and often change routes so check before you get on where it is going. Taxis are not bad value for money the centre of Nairobi is not that big so walking is always a good option

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Is dominated by Mount Kenya and home to the Kikuyu tribe, the slopes are green and forested giving way to the Laikipia Plains in the north. You only really visit the area to climb Mount Kenya, visit one of the parks or if you are travelling North. It can be cold as you travel up the slopes and can often rain so be prepared with warmer clothing.

Main Towns - Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki.

Climbing / Rafting / Bungee - Make sure you are reasonably fit and have some warmer clothing! Choose a good company or guide, there are many places in Nairobi offering trips at various prices. Savage Wilderness is a good set up with a base at Sagana where you can white water raft and bungee, the guys are cool and know how to have fun! www.whitewaterkenya.com . 

Parks
Mount Kenya National Park worth a visit for climbing the mountain.
Mwea National Reserve away from the tourists a small reserve completely fenced in to stop the elephants damaging local homesteads. Elephants, giraffe, buffalo, antelope can be difficult to see but a fantastic lake in the middle watch out for crocs and ticks in your tent!
Aberdares National Park A forested reserve which can make viewing animals a challenge, most people go to stay at the Tree Top hotels with water pools where the animals come to drink at night. This is  pricey so unless your feeling flush don't bother.
Laikipia District is north of the mountain and opens out into savannah plains there are several private ranches such as Lewa Downs (where Prince William stays) Borana, Ol Pejeta Ranch it is a vast conservation area with a high concentration of wildlife, if you can afford to pay & want luxury the ranches are worth a visit.

Check out the "Where to stay" page for accommodation details.

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If your in Kenya you cant miss it! A huge fault system that actually runs across Africa, it is home to fabulous soda & fresh water lakes & breath taking scenery. If your travelling up from Nairobi you will have to cross it at some point.

Main Towns - Naivasha not worth stopping at, stay down by the Lake instead. The La Belle Inn is a good stop if you want to get a snack or drink so is the Delemere Petrol Station Shopping Centre on the main highway before you turn to Naivasha. Nakuru Town has an excellent market for buying cheap souvenirs and The Sweet Mart & Cafe is great for food. Other towns are Njoro, Molo, Iten, Karbanet

Boat trips - Lake Baringo has a great boat trip and Naivasha is not bad.
Walking / Cycling - Hells Gate National Park is great for walking and cycling to see the gorge and experience the wild out of a vehicle.
Horse Riding - Round Naivasha you can ride at Sanctuary Farm, Malewa River Lodge between Naivasha & Gilgil offer horse riding on their conservancy.
Climbing / Abseiling - At Malewa there are good facilities for rock climbing & abseiling. www.malewariverlodge.com
Wildlife - Lake Nakuru is the best for excellent wildlife viewing.

Lakes
Lake Borgoria National Park & Lake Baringo  Lake Borgoria is a soda lake, home to thousands of flamingos and has stunning natural hot springs bursting from the lakes surface, in a lunar type landscape. Lake Baringo is fresh water and populated with Hippos, Crocs and loads of birds including the stunning Fish Eagles. The locals run boat trips and all the wildlife can make for an exciting ride!!! There is a great campsite Roberts Camp where you can pitch your tent under the acacia trees beside the lake but don't go to close to the waters edge in case of intruding Hippos grazing at night! If you don't fancy a tent they offer a cheap range of accommodation plus bar & restaurant. Over Landers are always stopping here so often a crowd is in. Check out the "Where to stay" page for accommodation details.

Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the places not to be missed, home to a large group of endangered Rhino you are certain of taking a good shot! Lions, Leopard and plains game make for great wild life viewing and the Park is easy to explore in a day, with almost guaranteed sightings. Nakuru Town is  just 10 mins from the park gate, it offers a good range of accommodation options. As it is so close to the town it is one of the most accessible parks if transport is a problem.Check out the "Where to stay" page for accommodation details.

Lake Naivasha is surrounded by flower farms you cant see the Lake until you are on the shore but don't let this put you off. You can camp at Fishermans Camp under the trees or in one of the bandas and enjoy drinks and meals at the restaurant & bar where the local expat community hang out. Then hire a bike & local guide to explore Hells Gate, an awesome experience to be out in the wild! The town itself is nothing to write home about you are best to stay beside the Lake.Check out the "Where to stay" page for accommodation details.

Parks
Nakuru National Park, Hells Gate National Reserve, Mount Logonot National Park, Lake Borgoria National Park.

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Is where you will find Lake Victoria, fields full of tea bushes and the amazing tract of equatorial rainforest that is Kakamega National Forest Reserve. This area is well worth a visit, it is off the main tourist trail so you get a real experience of Kenya, it's beauty and diverse rural towns. If you want to head for Uganda the main highway takes you through Eldoret then just a couple of hours to the border.

Towns - Kisumu, Kisii, Kericho, Eldoret, Kitali

Lake Victoria - Kisumu town is situated on the shores of the Lake if you want to take a boat trip head for Hippo Point just outside of town, where the locals will take you to see the Hippo or go to Mbita village and catch a matatu boat to one of the small islands such as Mfangano Island to see the rock art. Swimming is not recommended it is possible to catch bilharzia and plenty of other water bourne infections!

Kisumu Town offers a Museum which is worth checking out it includes a Snake House with some deadly species safely behind glass! A short walk out of town is Hippo Point and the Impala Sanctuary with tame impala and a lot of monkeys, make sure you are accompanied by a ranger if walking. There is a big market and you can often get very good quality cheap souvenirs.

Kericho is the main tea area for Kenya it is well worth travelling through just to see the amazing landscape of tea bushes so orderly and neat after viewing the patchwork of shambas that inhabit most of Kenya. The Tea Hotel is worth a stop and yes it does do a very good cup of tea!

Eldoret is a busy trading town and a good place to stop and stock up plus excellent travel options for all directions and a good selection of accommodation. Check out Eldoret & Beyond

Parks
Kakamega Forest - Is a beautiful dense lush forest and is well known for it's spectacular wildlife, if you don't have a vehicle it can be tricky to get to. But head for Forest Rest House in the Forest Reserve or you can go to the National Forest Reserve which is closer to the main road. You need to pick up a guide if you want to explore. Forest Rest House, Rondo Retreat are the best places to stay, listing on the "Where to Stay" page.

Mount Elgon National Park and it's environs are near the highland town of Kitale. Very forested you may just catch a glimpse of a shy elephant but there is plenty of bird life and you cant miss the cheeky monkeys and baboons! There is a very pleasant walk through the forest to the elephant caves.

Saiwa Swamp is just up from Kitali, it is a marshy swamp, with an excellent board walk so you don't need transport for you to explore and catch sightings of the endangered Sitatunga Antelope and the fantastic birdlife.

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You cant come to Kenya and not go to the coast the Indian Ocean is stunning especially on the South Coast. Mombasa (actually an island) is the central hub hot & humid & bustling with people. On the drive down you will pass three of the major game parks Tsavo East & West & Amboseli check out Game Parks to the left for more details.

Main Towns - Voi (handy stop when travelling down), Mombasa, Diani, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu.

Mombasa - Is great for a day trip or catching your onward travel but it is best to stay some where quieter, with better beaches. Places worth checking out are Fort Jesus & Bamburi Nature Park.

Diani - is south of Mombasa and has the most stunning length of beach it goes on for a few kilometres, and is geared up for travellers and tourists alike. You can ignore the major hotels and find some great reasonably priced accommodation. It has become a really popular place for gappers with the infamous Forties Beach Bar!

Brilliant trips snorkelling out in the Kisiti Marine Park and visits to Wasini Island are well worth it! Plus only 40 mins to the Shimba Hills National Park a great trip to escape the heat.

Watamu - has lots of small beaches and coves for you to explore it is one of the main places to go on the North Coast for diving & fishing. Ocean Sports or Open Shorts as it is known to the expats is a main centre with the Watamu Marine Park in close proximity. The Gedi ruins are worth a visit located just outside of town.

Malindi - is north of Mombasa and was the first real beach resort in Kenya, however there are better beaches and sea quality as a nearby river churns loads of top soil into the bay. The Malindi Marine Reserve is great for snorkelling  and easy to arrange boat trips to it.

Lamu - Renowned for it's tightly packed streets, architecture, history and laid back atmosphere. This island is definitely worth the extra trouble & expense to visit. If you travel out to the point of the island you can have a desert island experience with nothing but sand & sea around you. It is best to fly if possible even though the road has improved safety can still be an issue.

Marine Parks - Kisiti Marine Park (south coast), Watamu & Malindi Marine Parks (North Coast).

Parks - Shimba Hills, Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary (South Coast) Arabuko Sokoke Forest (North Coast)

Dhow Trips - Dhow trips can be taken to Kisiti Marine Park from Shimoni just south of Diani, if you shop around you can get a good rate. You can catch sight of Dolphins and if in season Whale Sharks.

Snorkelling - is every where but check out the equipment, it is worth taking a boat out to one of the marine parks as snorkelling just off shore is great for learning but not stunning!

Diving - Excellent diving both North & South Coast operators such a Ocean Sports (North Coast) Diving the Crab & Diani Marine (South Coast). It is competitive so rates are not bad.

Safari - You can take a trip up to Shimba Hills Park to see the endangered Sabel Antelope, if your lucky peeping out from between the trees you may see Leopard & Elephant. Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary is  virtually guaranteed Elephant viewing. In Diani you can easily arrange a day trip. If on the North Coast trips into Tsavo East are possible.

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Northern Kenya is a vast dusty dry area with very little rainfall, you have to be a very determined traveller to to make your way independently into this area, Lake Turkana is the main draw. It is not one of the safest areas to travel to so make sure you check out the situation before heading off. As you can imagine the tourist infrastructure is non existent and you go for miles without seeing anything other than the amazing open landscapes. If you want to experience isolation then the North is the place to go.

Main Towns - Maralal, Lodwar, Isiolo, Marsabit

Lake Turkana - You can book trips to the Lake with an over land company such as Game Trackers this is a good option as it can be hard going independently. The Lake is highly unpredictable calm one minute then rough and volatile the next. Beware the crocs they have a mean reputation! Accommodation is sparse and any round the lake is normally for private weekend trips booked in advance.  Lake Turkana Fishing Lodge on the western shore is an option but the campsite is not great. It is better to head for Loiyangalani where there are a few more options such as the Cold rink Hotel, Palm Shade Camp, Mosaretu Camp & Oasis Lodge. Central Island is worth a boat trip out but bargain hard.

Parks - South Turkana National Park, South & Central Island Parks, Sibiloi & Marsabit. Narsolot

All the parks are difficult to get to unless you have your own transport, due to the remoteness and small visitor numbers it is a very different experience to any of the major parks, if you like a  challenge and are prepared to look hard wildlife sightings can be very rewarding but as always the scenery is breath taking.

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