Sightseeing in Nairobi - what to see. Complete travel guide

In West Africa, tourists can visit an interesting large city – Nairobi, which is the capital of Kenya. Numerous travelers visit this city every year to participate in fantastic safari, explore the gorgeous historical district, and visit different authentic shops and even charming farms. The latter, surprisingly, are also a landmark of this wonderful settlement. The river, which gave the city its name, only makes this region even more picturesque. Quite often, it is possible to hear how people call Nairobi “the Green City in the Sun”. This nickname has become very popular because the city’s administration takes care of the parks and other green areas in Nairobi.

The territory of modern Nairobi was marshland until the 19th century. No one lived here. In 1899, the first station responsible for the maintenance of the railroad from Uganda appeared in this region. This event marked the foundation of the city of Nairobi. However, a plague epidemic soon emerged in the settlement, so it was necessary to burn all buildings. One year later, it was decided to rebuild the completely ruined town. In 1905, the British protectorate decided to move the country’s capital to another city, changing Mombasa to Nairobi. Naturally, this was a major boost to the development of the city’s infrastructure.

Under the British rule, the city got a municipality status in 1919. However, the continuously expanding territory of Nairobi enraged the indigenous peoples of Maasai and Kikuyu who were the original owners of this territory. After the end of World War II, the Mau Mau rebellion emerged in the country. People succeeded in pursuing their dream, and Kenya finally became an independent country. This event marked the start of another period of development for the capital city. In 1998, terrorists from Al-Qaida bombed the embassy of the United States. This attack claimed the lives of almost two hundred people. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Start your acquaintance with Nairobi in the National Museum that is open in the capital. This venue exhibits unique historical and anthropological artifacts discovered in Kenya during archaeological excavations. Once, local fishermen got a rare catch – a coelacanth, a rare genus of Latimeria fish. Nowadays, the stuffed fish is exhibited in the museum. The National Museum has other famous exhibits, for example, the skeleton of Turkana Boy, which raised much concern and arguments among the religious communities.

The official opening of the National Museum took place in late September in 1930. Initially, the venue had another name – Coryndon Museum – after Sir Robert Coryndon, the governor of Kenya. Thirty years after the proclamation of the independence the museum received the “national” status. Nowadays, the collection of this museum tells local people and foreign tourists about the history of Kenya and its capital. Check the collection of the museum out to learn more not only about the history of this land but also to see interesting exhibitions of Kenyan art of different periods.

Would to you like try something thrilling? In Nairobi, tourists can visit an interesting park with all kinds of snakes and reptiles. The first visitors saw a live collection of this park in 1961. The main purpose of this venue was to tell local people and tourists about the snakes and reptiles that are indigenous to Africa. The collection includes many venomous species. Besides snakes, there is a Nile crocodile in the park. Without a doubt, the serpentarium with the deadliest snakes is the most popular part of the park. The poison of the snakes that live here can kill a human in minutes. Black mamba and Bitis are among the most popular inhabitants of this serpentarium.

More than several hundreds of different reptiles live in the park. The collection is constantly growing because zoologists often find, confiscate, or save various African reptiles. Once, the park’s veterinary doctors had to save an octopus. Visitors can now see it during an excursion in the snake world. The reptiles and amphibians that are safe for people often participate in various interactive masterclasses and always attract many visitors. Besides all kinds of reptiles, there are many different birds in the park. They often fly above visitors. Everyone is welcome to feed the crocodile with fresh fish. Of course, the park’s staff won’t leave you alone with the dangerous predator.

The Kenyan airport is located twelve kilometers from Nairobi. Many international air carriers from Europe and Asia fly to this airport. That being said, some countries do not have a direct air connection to Nairobi. In this case, travelers need to make a change in Amsterdam, Dubai, or Paris. These are the most comfortable variants. Additionally, passengers can make a stop in Istanbul and Cairo. It doesn’t matter where you decide to make a change, the average time in transit is between ten and twelve hours. Upon arrival in Nairobi, it is possible to reach the city center by taxi or bus.