Planning a trip to Nairobi
Getting There & Away
By Air -- Located 15km (9 1/4 miles) from the city center, Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (tel. 020/82-2111; www.kenyaairports.com) is East Africa's major air transport hub, and it sees its fair share of international air traffic, receiving large numbers of diplomatic and business travelers, not to mention many Westerners arriving for their first African safari.
Closer to the city center is the smaller Wilson Airport (tel. 020/50-1943), which specializes in domestic and charter flights; it's located on Langata Road, just 6km (3 3/4 miles) south of the city. Wilson is a hub for flights to a string of coastal destinations, national parks, and reserves, as well as scheduled and charter flights to private airstrips on wildlife preserves throughout the country (it's also used for a few flights to neighboring countries). The main domestic airlines (which may also fly to select airports in neighboring countries) are AirKenya (www.airkenya.com), SafariLink (www.safarilink-kenya.com), TropicAir (www.tropicairkenya.com), and Fly540 (www.fly540.com).
Taxis are always available at both airports, but in all likelihood, you'll feel better if you arrange a transfer in advance; this is usually done through a tour operator's ground agent. Someone with prior knowledge of your full itinerary will be waiting in the arrivals hall with a name board; they'll assist with luggage and get you to your Nairobi hotel or to your onward transfer in the quickest time possible, and also inform you of any amendments to your schedule. You can also arrange airport pick-up through your hotel, but if you have the patience and the will, it's relatively simple and safe (and considerably cheaper) to grab a cab at the airport; you'll discover that the fare is highly negotiable, almost always starting with an inflated suggestion from the driver; anything more than Ksh1,200 to reach downtown from the International Airport, and you're being hustled -- chances are, you'll end up paying Ksh1,500. If you're going into the city, it is, theoretically, also possible to catch the no. 34 City Hoppa bus and pay just Ksh30; the journey will take you as far as the bus "terminal" right near the Hilton Hotel, but if you've arrived with anything more than a small bag, you're going to battle stowing your luggage or, indeed, keeping an eye on it -- better to take a taxi.
By Road -- You can travel by road (including by bus or minibus) between Kenya and Tanzania. The main routes are from Mombasa or Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, and from Nairobi to Arusha and Moshi. Roads also, theoretically, connect Nairobi with the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and with Ethiopia, the main border crossing being at Moyale. Die-hard adventurers can ultimately travel to Nairobi by bus or 4X4 from Cape Town or Cairo -- but that's another story entirely.
By Train -- There is an overnight train connecting Mombasa (at the coast) with Nairobi; however, use this option only if you have time and patience, as it's grown increasingly notorious for an inability to operate according to schedule.
Getting Around
Your tour operator, hotel, or host can put together a sightseeing itinerary for you and will usually make all transport arrangements, so you needn't even pick up the phone or think about where you're headed. Some establishments, such as Giraffe Manor and Ngong House, have limited sightseeing included in the rate, ideal if you're in town for only a day or less but keen to explore a bit. If you prefer your independence and need a reliable taxi, this can also be arranged through your hotel. With an extensive network and fixed good-value rates for destinations all across Kenya, Kenatco (tel. 020/222-5123 or 072/183-0061; www.kenatco.com) can be relied upon to get you from A to B, or you can hire a car and driver for a specified number of hours. You can even book a pick-up online (although it's a bit laborious). Alternatively call Joseph Irungu (tel. 072/183-8661); he's based at Village Market near the UN headquarters and so is a good (and reliable) choice if you're in or around the northern suburbs, and he'll quote a price that's fair. With all cabs, you need to consider the city's heavy traffic and schedule pick-ups accordingly -- a driver will inevitably take longer than expected to get to you.
For people who don't have their own vehicle in Nairobi, the main modes of transport are either bus or matatu; the latter is basically a minibus taxi (as it's called in South Africa, or dala dala in Tanzania). These can both be useful (and extremely cheap) if you have time to figure out routes and are traveling without any luggage, bags, and valuables. If you're interested in how truly local transport operates, you can start investigating the chaotic throng of vehicles that continually pull in and depart from the sprawling bus stands near the Hilton Hotel.
Warning: As a general rule, do not leave any valuables in plain sight inside any vehicle and do not carry valuables around with you; flimsy backpacks and handbags are also vulnerable. Be wary of using your mobile phone with the car window open, as snatch-and-grab scenarios are all too common. Most important, don't get into unmarked or ambiguously identified vehicles whose drivers claim to be taxi drivers -- there have been reports of travelers being mugged in this way, and basically left naked in a ditch with everything taken off them.
City Layout
Nairobi's business-oriented city center is actually quite compact, and you can probably walk from one end to the other in about 30 minutes. The center is also where a good number of business hotels, budget lodgings, restaurants, bars, and rather old-fashioned shopping centers are located. Kenya's Parliament is also located here, as are a handful of the city's museums. Beyond the center, Nairobi sprawls in every direction, with leafy upmarket suburbs to the north and south. Westlands, which is northwest of the center, has a high concentration of restaurants, bars, and upmarket shopping malls (including Westgate, the city's newest) frequented by large numbers of expats, many of whom are associated with the foreign embassies located nearby, as well as by UN representatives. Nearby, in a couple of green and unbelievably wealthy neighborhoods, many of these expats live. The areas most popular with travelers are the suburbs south of the city, notably Karen and adjacent Langata, established on what was once the coffee plantation of Danish author Karen Blixen. These two suburbs -- also referred to simply as Karengata -- are the preserve of Nairobi's white Kenyan community, many of whom are loathe to ever visit the city center itself. You can hardly blame them, though, since Karengata feels nothing like a city at all -- for now, it remains countryside. Here you're never too far from Wilson Airport, the main hub for scheduled domestic and charter flights to the major safari destinations, and you have a number of the city's most impressive attractions, including the main entrance for Nairobi National Park, right on your doorstep; shopping here is an adventure.
Visitor Information
Your best bet for any sort of meaningful information and news about the city is to ask your host if you're staying in a smaller hotel or guesthouse; these people are usually passionate about Kenya and their city and know its ins and outs. If you're staying in one of the larger city hotels, speak to the hotel concierge, but be warned that many of them give pretty much standard responses about what to see and where to eat, and few have experienced any of these places for themselves; the concierge at the Tribe hotel at the Village Market in Gigiri is very thorough. If you want to surf for information before you travel, try the expat community website Inside Nairobi (http://insidenairobi.xemzi.com), which includes Google Earth maps for all places listed. For up-to-the-minute information on Kenya's national parks, visit www.kws.org.
Tour Operators & Guided Tours
Nairobi does a brisk safari trade, and at times it seems that just about anyone will be able to sell you a trip to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, or just about anywhere you care to imagine. I wouldn't recommend leaving any safari planning until your arrival in Nairobi unless you have the luxury of time. For all accommodations and in-Kenya arrangements -- from airport transfers to accommodations reservations and domestic flight arrangements -- I rely exclusively on Bush and Beyond (formerly known as Bush Homes of East Africa; www.bush-and-beyond.com); Chris Flatt, who oversees the operation, has intimate knowledge of virtually every corner of the country, and his team is on the ball, savvy, and immensely helpful, making you feel as though you're a guest rather than a tourist. As a rule, they don't support mass-market, package tourism operations and (unless you request otherwise) will ensure that you're put up in exclusive, mostly family- or community-run lodges, camps, and guesthouses. Their network is extensive, and their itineraries generally ensure that you stay away from the crowds. What's great is that Chris will sagely recommend alternatives if he is unable to assist, or should you be looking for something a little cheaper; a safari with Bush and Beyond starts at around $600 per person per day.
Frank Whalley is one of East Africa's foremost art critics; his weekly columns in The EastAfrican pretty much set the tone for the region's emerging contemporary art scene. Frank's Lenga Juu (Kiswahili for "Aim High") is a small, personal consultancy offering specialized art tours, as well as tailored holidays especially geared to art lovers wanting to expand their knowledge (and perhaps ownership) of contemporary African painting. Frank arranges exclusive tours of artists' studios, where collectors and enthusiasts can interact with Kenya's leading practitioners and even acquire work before it's shown to agents or galleries. Gallery tours can be arranged, too, where you can obtain choice works at specially discounted rates; excursions in Nairobi usually start with tea and snacks in Frank's own home, where you can look at his own marvelous collection of tribal and more modern African art. Frank also puts together bespoke tours that can include painting tuition by practicing artists, as well as time at a game reserve and perhaps a break at the coast to round off. For longer trips, you should contact Frank well in advance (tel. 072/252-5195; fwhalley@gmail.com).
Fast Facts
Airlines -- Contact details for the main international airlines servicing Nairobi: Kenya Airways (tel. 020/320-7474), South African Airways (tel. 020/22-7486), British Airways (tel. 020/698-000 airport, or 020/327-7400 sales), Brussels Airlines (tel. 022/444-3070 Nairobi, or 020/82-2329 airport), KLM (tel. 020/327-4210, or 020/622-3509 or -3527 airport), Turkish Airlines (tel. 020/221-8720), Emirates (tel. 020/329-000 or -0404), Qatar (tel. 020/280-0000), Swiss (tel. 020/374-4045 or -4535), and Virgin Atlantic (tel. 020/278-9000). Domestic airlines include Safarilink (tel. 020/60-0777), AirKenya (tel. 020/60-5745), TropicAir (tel. 020/203-3032, -3033, 020/214-4405, 072/220-7300, or 071/131-1477), and Fly540 (tel. 072/254-0540, 073/354-0540, or 073/754-0540).
Ambulance -- Dial tel. 999, or contact any of the private hospitals listed below. You can also call AAR Emergency Ambulance (tel. 020/271-7374 or -7375), or the St John Ambulance (tel. 020/21-0000).
American Express -- Hilton Hotel, Mama Ngina Street (tel. 020/22-2906).
Area Code -- The dialing code for Nairobi is tel. 020.
ATMs -- Automated bank tellers are ubiquitous; besides the myriad machines throughout the city center, you'll find ATMs in all shopping malls (where you'll undoubtedly feel safer drawing money); those belonging to Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered are usually reliable. If you're nervous about using a bank machine, look for one manned by a security guard. Most machines accept Visa or MasterCard credit cards, but fewer also accept American Express cards.
Banks -- You'll have little trouble locating a bank in this city; Barclays and Standard Chartered are well represented.
Bookstores -- Text Book Centre, Sarit Centre, Parklands Road, Westlands (www.textbookcentre.com/index.htm), stocks a wide selection of all kinds of books, including African literature and photographic studies; plenty of magazines and newspapers, too. Simply Books, ABC Place, Waiyaki Way (tel. 020/444-9312), sells a good range of fiction and nonfiction, including books on Africa and Kenya; they also sells gifts and greetings cards. Bookstop, 2nd floor, Yaya Centre, Argwings Kodhek Road, Hurlingham (tel. 020/271-4533), has a good selection of second-hand books, as well as books on Africa, natural history, and gardening, and maps and guidebooks. There is also a large choice of local and international magazines. Westland Sundries, in the Village Market shopping center, carries wonderful novels from Africa, Africana-themed photographic tomes, and a wide range of magazines, nonfiction, and stationery.
Car Hires -- If you're here on vacation, I don't think it's a good idea to even consider driving a vehicle in Kenya; stick to the chauffeured options offered by your tour agency.
Currency Exchange -- The best way to get local currency is to withdraw money from an ATM; alternatively, step inside any bank with your money and your passport. In Karen, you change currency at Karen Connection Forex, Lower Plains Road, off Karen Road (tel. 020/88-3535), and Karen Bureau de Change, Karen Shopping Centre (tel. 020/88-4674).
Doctors, Dentists & Drugstores -- Ask your host or concierge for trusted choices close to where you're staying.
Embassies & Consulates -- Many foreign missions tend to be located north of the city in the vicinity of the UN Headquarters: Australian High Commission, ICIPE House, Riverside Drive (tel. 020/444-5034 or 020/272-6958); British High Commission, Upper Hill Road (tel. 020/284-4000); Canadian High Commission, Limuru Road, Gigiri (tel. 020/366-3000); Irish Consulate, Owashika Road (tel. 020/387-8043 or 020/235-7242); U.S. Embassy, United Nations Avenue (tel. 020/363-6000 or 020/712-3304).
Emergencies -- Flying Doctors (tel. 020/60-0090 or -0602), police (tel. 122, 112, or 999), ambulance (tel. 999 or 020/271-7374), fire (tel. 112 or 999).
Hospitals -- Opened in 2006, Karen Hospital, Langata Road, Karen (tel. 020/661-3000, 073/620-0001 or -0003, 072/622-2001 or -0003; www.karenhospital.org), is a private general hospital serving the Karen and Langata communities. The Aga Khan University Hospital, 3rd Parklands Ave., off Limuru Road, about 4km (2 1/2 miles) from downtown (tel. 020/366-2000; www.agakhanhospitals.org), is the second-largest private hospital in Nairobi and is owned by the Aga Khan Foundation. The Nairobi Hospital, Argwings Kodhek Road, about 3km (1 3/4 miles) from downtown (tel. 020/272-2160; www.nairobihospital.org), is the largest private hospital in the city.
Internet Access -- You'll inevitably have Internet (often Wi-Fi) access at your hotel or guesthouse (all those reviewed here have some kind of connectivity); alternatively, there are a good number of cybercafes in the city center, and you can usually track one down in any of the city's upmarket shopping centers.
Mobile Phones -- You should be able to use your own mobile phone; simply purchase a SIM card from one of the local service providers (such as Safaricom or Zain); air time can topped up by purchasing scratch cards from vendors and shops just about anywhere.
Newspapers & Magazines The Daily Nation -- is arguably the best Kenyan newspaper; The EastAfrican, with stories from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, is a better read. These and other daily, weekly, and monthly publications from the region and around the world are available from sidewalk vendors and bookstores everywhere. Hotels generally have at least two local dailies available, one of which may be delivered to your room each morning.
Police -- To contact your nearest police station, dial tel. 122.
Post Office -- Post offices, or posta, are easy to spot; the main one in the city is on Kenyatta Avenue (tel. 020/24-3434) and is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to noon. For parcels, you're best off using a courier service.
Restrooms -- Stick to toilets in hotels, upmarket shopping centers, and restaurants.
Taxis -- Cabs are fairly ubiquitous in the city and always hang around hotels, shopping centers, and many points of tourist interest. While in the city, drivers of unmarked "taxis" will often attempt to solicit your business; best to stick to vehicles that are clearly branded as taxis. If you can't find a cab, you can call one of the following companies: On-Time Cabs (tel. 020/271-0507, 020/273-0995, 072/152-1322, or 073/352-1313; www.ontimecabstravel.co.ke); Courtesy Cabs (tel. 072/270-1291, 072/239-0756, or 073/372-5429); or Soaring Eagles Tours, Travel & Taxi Co. (tel. 020/445-3996). Kenatco can be relied upon for fixed-rate trips to just about any point in the country.
Weather -- Nairobi enjoys a relatively mild climate, with warmish days averaging 24°C (75°F) and cooler nights that may require light woolens or a jumper; June and July are considerably colder, averaging 18°C (64°F) during the day, with very brisk nights. Theoretically, the short rains fall from October through December, while long rains fall between March and June.
Staying Safe
Even if you only occasionally tune into CNN or BBC, you'll have seen the harrowing images that almost destroyed Kenya's tourism industry in early 2008. Weeks of violent post-election rioting plagued Nairobi and other corners of the country, and burning buildings, street battles, and haphazard violence made headline news and stirred the global media into a frenzy. The pictures of looting, rioting, billowing smoke, and charging policemen in full anti-riot gear were enough to stop people from coming to Kenya; such images are hardly helped by memories of the American embassy bombing in 1998, pre-election violence in 1997, and street clashes during pro-democracy protests back in 1990. While the impression left in the minds of Westerners was of a country in tatters, Kenyans seem to agree that the flair-up was generally limited to certain quarters and had almost zero impact on areas of tourist interest. Still, the images linger and the death toll serves as a bleak reminder of the fury that exists under the surface of a nation of people who will stop you in the street to remind you, "Kenyans are very peaceful." Peace-loving Kenyans may be, but that doesn't undercut Nairobi's overwhelming reputation for crime -- it's so notorious, in fact, that it's often called "Nai-robbery," while it seems almost ironic that the city headquarters a government even more notorious for its endless corruption.
Like Johannesburg, with which it draws obvious comparisons, Nairobi is a teeming city where countless destitute people rub shoulders daily with the privileged, and somewhere in that stew there's a huge propensity for all manner of crime. Don't assume for one instant that tourists are especially targeted. In 2009, during a citywide public art exhibition in which 50 artist-decorated, life-size fiberglass lions were on display in shopping centers and sidewalks, it wasn't long before at least one of the lions was stolen. Ironically, the exhibition was called Pride of Kenya and aimed to raise awareness about the threat facing Kenya's wildlife. But for many Nairobians, carjackings and armed home invasions (now greatly diminished) have been a far more tangible threat for many years, and you'll be astounded by the sheer extent of private security employed to protect businesses and private homes -- one company protects more than 4,000 households. In the suburbs, there are electric fences and manned security posts, while askaris line the city streets protecting shops, banks, and offices through the night. Yet while the streets of middle-class and wealthy suburbs -- such as Karen and Langata -- may be deserted at night, save for a few askari manning the gates to vast estates, there's a totally different feeling in some of the slums. In Mathare, one the poorest areas of the city, for example, one youth leader is proud to claim that if you lose your mobile phone in his neighborhood, it'll be returned by whomever finds it. It's a proud boast, perhaps, but one that certainly serves as a yardstick against which to measure perceptions of how crime and poverty really relate.
The latest panic-inducing threat is kidnapping, and several recent attacks have been on children and Western women. Security is being stepped up at schools in response to the abduction of more than 100 Nairobi residents in the first part of 2009; some "experts" have even referred to an emerging "kidnapping industry," possibly inspired by Somali pirate activity. Foreigners are not unaffected, and while single women may be especially vulnerable, there have been incidents of entire busloads of passengers being robbed, while in 2009 carjackers kidnapped a member of Parliament as well as a senior police commander; in a separate incident, the prime minister's private office was looted.
The moral of the story is that crime is a reality in Nairobi -- and in Africa -- and it is not bound by geographic borders or social contexts. It may take the form of a customs official trying to press you for a bribe or a taxi driver overcharging you. Such incidents don't even register against the hardships faced by many of the people living here. Vigilance and common sense are your most powerful allies. And the sooner you learn to adapt to a wholly different environment, the better. Do not wear expensive or even ostentatious-looking jewelry, and don't carry bags through the city with you, especially if they're loose fitting or easily snatched away. In fact, try to limit the valuables that you carry on your person. There are reports of unsuspecting tourists climbing into fake taxi cabs and being stripped naked, so it doesn't matter how well you hide your money -- but obviously, concealing your wallet (which is actually best left in a hotel safe) is better than flaunting it in a bulging pocket. Exercise the same caution with cameras, often difficult to keep an eye on when in use. Be wary of whom you speak to in the street or in bars; a simple conversation may, in fact, be a planned distraction -- more often than not, it's the start of a lengthy con in which you'll eventually be asked for some kind of monetary donation. Do not accept lifts with strangers or rides with unmarked, unidentifiable taxis. Be careful about sitting next to open windows in vehicles -- snatch-and-grabs are common, and you're most vulnerable when sitting in a car. And don't leave valuables in any vehicle, unless your driver (and I'm not talking about taxi drivers here) has assured you that it's safe or that he'll be keeping an eye on the car. Don't walk around at night, and be sure not to step onto deserted streets. And, at all times, keep your wits about you.
Policing the Cowboys
In October 2009, as part of a bizarre attempt to make Nairobi appear better policed, the city council introduced a number of bylaws banning a number of "unacceptable" behaviors. Suddenly (and this is against a background of poverty, unchecked sewage disasters, power shortages, slums without running water, and embarrassing crime statistics), it's become an offence to spit in the street, blow your nose without a tissue, walk across the road while talking on your mobile phone, and even make loud noises. Each of the Singaporean-style laws can be enforced with either a spot fine or a pretty stiff jail sentence. Spitting in public can attract a fine of Ksh2,000 or 3 months in prison. They're probably the most controversial and slightly surreal bits of legislation to be foisted on the city, and while they might sound like an attempt to clean up Nairobi's tarnished image, most people assume this is yet another opportunity for bribery, with the city likely to employ a squadron of enforcement agents keen to have their palms greased. As a foreigner, your misdemeanor is likely to attract a lot of attention, so remember to cover up when you sneeze and think twice before using your mobile phone while walking.
