Nairobi

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and the largest city of the country. Its name comes from the Masai phrase Enkare Nairobi. This means cool water and is a reference to the Nairobi River that flows through the city. The city’s nickname is the Green City in the Sun.

Nairobi was founded in 1899 by British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. After that, the town quickly grew to replace Mombasa as the capital of Kenya in 1907. As a result, it became the capital of the Republic of Kenya after independence in 1963. Until today it is at the centre of the coffee, tea and sisal industries.

Nairobi today

Today Nairobi is one of the largest and most lively cities in Africa. It’s a city that never sleeps. The entire town has a boundless energy in which people from all over the world thrive. This is a place where religion, tribe and origin all become facets of its unique character. Nairobi is an established hub for both business and culture, where you can explore numerous cultural and historical sites such as the National Museum as well as experience bubbly nightlife.

Nearby attractions

A short drive from downtown Nairobi is the Nairobi National Park. The wide, open grassy plains begin right on the city limits where it is home to a variety of wildlife. Think of lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and over 400 bird species.  It is also the best place to see the endangered black rhinos. There are over fifty of these in the park, which is why it was nicknamed Kifaru (rhinoceros in Swahili).

Next to it you find the famous elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. It works to protect elephants, rhinos and giraffes and runs the world’s most successful rescue and rehabilitation program for orphaned animals. You can also visit viewpoints around Nairobi as well as feed giraffes at the famous Giraffe Center or the Giraffe Manor.

Nairobi is also a start-off point for safari trips to the Masai Mara National Reserve and other national parks.