Africa

Nairobi

Nairobi is Kenya mile-high capital is only 45 km south of the equator. Founded by the British little more than a 100 years ago, the city now has a population of more than 2 000 000. Its a modern commercial center with some interesting high-rises and lots of bustle. Visitors can find things not so common in other parts of Africa, such as nice theatres showing the latest films, expensive restaurants serving every type of food, as well as E-mail facilities, faxes and any other sort of modern technology you may want to use. The city is constantly alive, especially at night. Unfortunately, Nairobi has acquired a reputation of being a dangerous city and petty crime is rampant.

Besides being a convenient place to take care of administrative matters and contact people back home, Nairobi has much to offer to travellers. If you want to hang out, there is a wide array of restaurants, clubs, pubs and discos to choose from. While in Nairobi, be sure to visit the City Market, the National Museum, the Arboretum (excellent collection of East African flora) and the superb Kenya Railway Museum. Exhibits about the period leading to independence can be seen at the Kenya National Archives. There are casinos at the Safari Park Hotel and the Inter-Continental Hotel and theres also Sunday-afternoon horse racing.

For those who cant wait to see animals (or who are only visiting Nairobi), the nearby Nairobi National Park has lions, giraffes, impalas and more wild animals in addition to an animal orphanage. Or you can take a rather pricey taxi ride to the Giraffe Center in the suburb of Langatta where the Rothschild giraffe was saved from extinction. At the facility, you can feed the giraffes and the gift shop has some of the best prices we found in Nairobi. However, the Giraffe Manor (the manor house turned into a hotel) elsewhere on the grounds has some of the steepest daily rates in the citybut then its the only place where giraffes may join you for meals.

This excursion to Langatta is often combined with a visit to the former home of Karen Blixen (who wrote under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen), author of Out of Africa. Blixens farmhouse, which was presented to the Kenyan government by Denmark, is now a museum its located next door to the Karen College. Langatta also has The Bomas of Kenya which is a terrific cultural center that regularly hosts traditional song and dance performances.

A day trip (a two-hour drive each way) can be made to Lake Magadi to visit Olorgesailie in The Hague for its prehistoric campsite. The scenic region inhabited by Masai farmers has a wide variety of birds.

Karen Blixen Museum

This museum was originally the home of Karen Blixen, who came to Kenya from Denmark in the early part of this century; the present museum site is at the heart of the larger coffee plantation run by Blixen between 1914 and 1931. The house and surrounding land was donated by the Danish government to Kenya at independence; the house was restored by the Danish government and was used during the filming of Out of Africa, which immortalised Karen Blixen’s book by the same name. The Museum was opened to the public in 1986.

Those who have read the book of Karen Blixen or seen the film (which was filmed on location here) will recognize the house with its sprawling tropical garden and views of the nearby Ngong Hills. Efforts have been made to decorate all of the rooms of the house in their original style. The house itself is furnished with a mixture of original decor and props from the 1985 film production.

The museum has excellent trained staff who are well versed in the history of the house and the life of Karen Blixen. They are available to answer queries and to give personally guided tours.

For anyone with an interest in Karen Blixen’s book Out of Africa or the subsequent film, this museum is a must see. The Museum is easily accessible from Nairobi, by taxi or bus.

Kenya National Railway Museum

Beside the main Nairobi Railway Station is a Museum devoted to the history of Kenya’s Railroads. Anybody interested in knowing more about the history of the famed Kenya/Uganda railway should definitely take the time to see the museum .

Many historic engines and rolling stock from the original colonial railway are on display here. One of the best known is the carriage that was used during the hunt for the Maneater of Kima in 1900. In a case not unlike the earlier tale of the Maneaters of Tsavo a lion halted the construction of the line with repeated attacks on the labour camps. A colonial officer, Captain Charles Ryall, and some other men positioned themselves in a rail carriage one night in an effort to shoot the man-eater. Unfortunately they all fell asleep, and the lion slipped into the carriage under cover of darkness, took Ryall into his mouth and sprang through a window.

This macabre tale is just one of the many stories told by the antique stock in this Museum.

Nairobi Snake park

The Nairobi snake park is not a snake park per se, in the actual sense it is a reptile park as it displays the representatives from all the members of the reptile group. Put up thirty or so years ago, the park has been and still is a constant visitor attraction center. In fact a visit to the museum is never complete without making a visit to the snake park.

Nairobi Snake Park is a home to some a hundred or so reptiles. Reptiles can be described as cold blooded vertebrates which spend their entire life on land except for a few examples such as the crocodile and some water tortoises. They have rough skin covered with scales making them dry contrary to the common belief that they are slimy and damp always. This park has:

Snakes
Elapids (Cobras & Mambas)
Black mamba
Green mamba
Jamesons mamba
Black necked spitting cobra
Forest cobra
Egyptian cobra
Vipers
Gaboon viper(longest fangs in the world)
Rhinocerous viper
Puff adder
Green bush viper
Kenya horned viper (only found in Kenya)
Colubrids
Boom slang(venomous)
Link marked snake sand snake
Speckled sand snake
Hissing sand snake
Green tree snake
Boids
Africa rock python
Kenya sand boa
Common house snake
Royal/Ball python

Lizards

Chelonians
Pancake tortoise (endangered)
Water dwelling tortoises-terrapins

Crocodiles

National Museums of Kenya

Brief History

The National Museums of Kenya was founded by the East African Natural History Society (E.A.N.H.S) in 1910 and the Societys main goal was to have a critical scientific examination of the natural attributes of the East African habitat. This meseum is a good place to learn more about Nairobi history and culture. It has throughout the years grown into an institution of both regional and international importance. The museum has become a leading centre of excellence, housing the finest museum collections and exhibits in the world. Today the NMK has had about 16 regional Museums, many sites and monuments across the country.

With the opening of the museum, the Society moved itsextensive library into the Museum complex. Part of this collection made the foundation collection for what is now the Herbarium. In the early forties and fifties, the late Dr. Louis Leakey made a public appeal for funds to enlarge the Museum’s galleries. The result was the construction of all the present galleries to the right of the main entrance. These were named in honour of the Nairobi community members who made their contributions for the construc-tion. Today, one finds the Mahatma Gandhi Hall, the Aga Khan and the Churchill Gallery among others. In the early sixties the Nairobi Snake Park was built with the aim to educate the public about snakes and the common reptiles of Kenya. The Snake Park continues to be a big attraction in the Museum.

As a custodian of the countrys national and cultural heritage, the principal mission of the National Museums of Kenya is to collect, document , preserve and enhance knowledge, appreciation, management and use of these resources for the benefit of Kenya and the World.

Bomas of Kenya

The Bomas are a showcase of Kenyan cultures. Located just outside Nairobi near the National park, the Bomas have been created to encapsulate several of Kenya’s traditional cultures.There are exhibits of traditional homes and artefacts, and displays of dance, music and song. The Bomas are a popular excursion for Nairobi school children, but are also open to tourists.

Uhuru Gardens

Nairobi’s largest memorial to the struggle for Independence was built upon the spot where freedom (Uhuru) from colonial rule was declared at midnight on 12th December 1963. The monument is a 24 metre high triumphal column, supporting a pair of clasped hands and the dove of peace, high over a statue of a group of freedom fighters raising the flag.

The monument is surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens and fountains.

Uhuru Gardens is located near Wilson Airport, on Langata Road.

The Coast

It sometimes seams as if the Swahili Coast is not part of Kenya at all. The culture of the Coast is a unique mix of African Bantu and Arab Muslim influences, a combination created by Arab traders who arrived on the Kenyan Coast before the 7th Century. By the 12th Century, permanent settlements were formed, and the Arabs took root. Arab men took African women as wives, and the Swahili people were born. Of course communication was necessary, so Kiswahili arose from the mixing of Africans tribal tongues and the traders Arabic.

The Coast is a main attraction for travelers. The white sand beaches are a beautiful place to dive, snorkel, or just relax. There are beaches just north and south of Mombasa, the capital of the Kenyan Coast. The best beaches, however, are farther north, near Malindi and Watamu National Marine Parks, and farther north still to the island of Lamu. The cities and towns themselves are attractions, ancient towns that emanate history and culture.

Mombasa

Mombasa isKenyas second largest city ans is not much like Nairobi. The hustle-bustle, cell phones, and expensive suits of the capital are replaced by a laid-back attitude, where locals dressed in traditional Islamic garb move as slowly as possible in the blistering heat. The Arabic influence is quite evident in the dress, architecture, and food of Mombasa.

Mombasa is just an hour or two from three nice beaches, with glorious white sands. When youre not in the water or soaking up the sun, take a stroll into Old Town to get a taste of Swahili culture and street food, then visit the historic Fort Jesus, or check out some of the hottest clubs in the country. Such as the Tembo nightclub where the party never stops. A 24 hour outdoor bar and disco.