When it comes to flying between the African continent and any other there are a few major hub cities that you are likely to fly through. The two major African airlines are Ethiopian Airways, with its hub in Addis Ababa, and Kenyan Airways, with its hub in Nairobi. Should you find yourself with a long layover in Nairobi, you should know that there are a lot of really fun activities to do that are easily accessible throughout the city.
In 2016, I had an 18-hour layover in Nairobi, on my way from Ghana to Thailand, and here’s everything I did.
Hire a Taxi for the Day
For the ease and convenience, I hired a taxi for the day. Having such a short amount of time in the city, I didn’t trust myself to figure out the public transit system. Plus, this way I got to chat with a local and get some inside tips.
There are a number of taxi services available at the airport, and you can easily choose one that is within your budget.
Giraffe Center
My very first stop was a cafe recommended by my taxi driver. I had arrived pretty early in the morning, and the places I was going weren’t open yet. So, I enjoyed the WiFi and ate a great breakfast to start the day.
My first tourist stop was the Giraffe Center. It’s about 40 minutes from the city center, and is a sanctuary and breeding center for Rothschild giraffes. There is an elevated platform for visitors to stand on and feed pellets of food to the giraffes. Going first thing in the morning meant that the giraffes were hungry and knew that they could get food at the platform.
There’s also a great information center inside with lots of information about the different kinds of giraffes, their ranges and the unique challenges that giraffes face.
If it starts to get a bit crowded, just across the road is a hiking area that is also a part of the sanctuary. Take a stroll through the woods and along a creek to get to a viewpoint of the Ngongoro hills. Some of the giraffes even come over to this area as well, so you may encounter one up close.
The entrance fee for non-Kenyans is about $10.
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
One project by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is the Orphans Project. They take in orphaned elephants, raise them and then reintegrate them into wild herds upon maturity. The orphanage is open to the public from 11 am to noon everyday, when the young elephants are fed and bathed.
Arrive early, as this is a very popular place to visit and there will be a line. The visitors will gather around the water hole and all the elephants will enter the roped off area. The caretakers have bottles prepared to feed the pachyderms and it’s a lot of fun to sit and watch them play and interact. One of the caretakers will introduce each elephant as it comes into the area, telling its story of how it came to the orphanage.
If you plan in advance, you can sponsor one of the elephants and have your own one-on-one time with the elephant you sponsor in the evening.
Entrance is about $7.
Mamba Village
After such a full morning, I was ready for some food. I had no idea where a good place to go for lunch was, so I asked my taxi driver to take me some place good. He took me to Mamba Village.
If you do any research on Mamba Village, you’ll learn that it is also a crocodile farm. I didn’t go to that part, so I couldn’t tell you about that, but I did eat a delicious multi-course meal. The menu was prixe fixe, and they easily accommodated my vegetarianism. The tables are set out on a lawn with a gorgeous surrounding to take in.
Bomas Cultural Center
I really like museums and cultural centers. When I saw that the Bomas Cultural Center also has a daily dance performance every afternoon, I knew that was going to be my last scheduled stop.
I arrived before the dance and wandered around the grounds. What’s really interesting is that they have recreated the traditional homes of many of the ethnic groups that live in Kenya. There is also excellent signage with explanations about the setup, the ethnic group itself and some of the culture.
The dance takes place in the large auditorium and they also perform dances from a variety of ethnic groups.
Entrance is about $10.
Wrapping Up the Day
Bomas closed around dusk and I still had a few hours to spare until my flight, so I asked my taxi driver if he had any other recommendations or things to do. He drove me around the city center, pointing out all of the major government buildings and some key places. We ended up at a lookout over the city just as the sun was setting. It was a great end to the day as he drove me back to the airport.
What recommendations do you have for a day in Nairobi?