We arrived at Nairobi with a bus from Naivasha. Without booking anything in advance, we hoped to find a good cheap guesthouse on the way, so we left the bus a few miles in front of the center and started walking around. In the end, it wasn't easy; either the guesthouses were expensive or too far away. We asked multiple ones. On average, the price was 2000 KS a night, that's double the price in Kenya itself! We ended up booking a place from Airbnb, still pricy and actually - a mistake! The owner was sneaky and even increased the price. The room was nasty, too simple, and not good. My partner had so many discussions with him he managed to calm him down so that we had to pay even less than the average price in the end.
Overall, Nairobi is huge, busy, and full of people. We didn't see any other tourists, so moving around was a challenge as usual. They offered us very high 'Boda-city' prices, and we couldn't even take a Boda for the two of us. Police controls, a German friend of ours got into custody a month later and needed to pay a fee for not carrying his passport. So Nairobi is a different place, pure African culture, but there is always stuff to explore and enjoy.
Towered cities please us then, and the busy hum of men. ~ John Milton
Things To Do in Nairobi
The Masaai Market
During Corona, this market was empty. The locals were sitting sadly inside their hut and would jump out of it immediately when we arrived. They offer many accessories, self-made earrings, bracelets, clothes, or stickers. I liked it, they have been friendly, everything is hand made and shows the effort and quality. Even though the market is small, you can easily walk through in 10 minutes, and it was a pleasure to visit. Also, you can find an ever bigger city market close by, a vast area full of mostly vegetable, fruit and clothe stores. Good to buy second-hand things.
Slum Kibera - the biggest slum in Africa
First, I refused to visit this slum. Because you can only go there by booking a tour guide that shows you around for safety reasons, I thought it was super strange to pay like 15$ each to enter one of the poorest areas in Africa. We contacted one guide via a website and Whatsapp, it was possible to negotiate the price, and we decided to take the tour.
Facts: They pick you up, drive you with a fancy private car close to the slum, then lead you through the chaos for like 3 hours and take you back to your hotel. We got lucky with our guide. We were a super sympathetic welcoming guy. We got along very well and could laugh, talk a lot, and enjoy our time. Also, it has been just the three of us, usually, the groups are up to 10 or 15 people. I guess it's again that empty due to Corona.
The tour started, and we walked through tiny narrow paths deeper and deeper into the slum. We were crossing dirty water paths, outside toilets, nude kids, people washing their clothes, a family cooking some rice, or simply kids playing games with plastic bags. A fascinating, shocking place that leaves a deep impression on the mind. You have to hike, climb over old buildings and you'll meet lots of interested kids and people starring at you. And they are all happy, you can see they enjoy the simple things they have, but yes, the illness rate is high. Often it stinks; it's muddy or dirty. So be prepared to wear good shoes or at least those that can get dirty. One highlight of the tour is stopping by into a 'bar,' a small room crowded with locals, and they will pure you pure alcohol. You should try it! It's super strong, but it feels like I'll be healthy my whole life after. Of course, they expect some tips for that, but it's worth it, talking to the people and interacting can't be more authentic. They don't like pictures, though, so it's better to interact first for some good time and then ask politely for a photo in the end instead of confronting them immediately. Plus, you can choose to visit the hut of a local family, they will welcome you to enter, look around, and eat some nuts. Also for tips, you can choose as you prefer. With that tour, you get a glimpse of the living standard and the everyday life of those people there, but a good impression and some second's thoughts about our good life. So we can recommend it.
Giraffe Center
It is liked by tourists and a famous spot to spend a day or even a night at the hotel in this center. The specialty is to interact with the giraffes, feed them super close, pet them, and see lots of them everywhere. We didn't go, it seemed very touristic, but if you like to get this experience, it is a unique place.
Uhuru Park
It is a piece of nature in Nairobi. There are multiple parks to visit, and this one is big, has a lake, sculptures, and lots of grass to sit down on—an excellent place to get some rest or stroll around.
Do you want to learn more about Kenya, its cities, and things to explore? Check out other blogs here.
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