"Nairobi" a Nairobi Travel Page by grets

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya, situated at an elevation of about 5450 ft in the highlands of the southern part of the country. Nairobi is the largest city between Cairo and Johannesburg with a population of around 2 million. It is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa - a great place to tune into modern urban African life. Unfortunately it is a very bad place in terms of security, with a justified reputation for muggings and pickpockets.

Located in what was once the grazing area of the nomadic Masai, Nairobi's name comes from the Maasai Enkarenairobi, meaning "cool waters. The city was founded in the late 1890s as a British railroad camp on the Mombasa-to-Uganda railroad. It was totally rebuilt in the early 1900s after an outbreak of plague and the burning of the original town and by 1905 it succeeded Mombasa as the capital of the British protectorate. Nairobi is served by Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Most safaris to Kenya require a pitstop in Nairobi before and / or after a visit to the national parks. Stay in Nairobi and you'll find a town full of hustle and bustle, which gives you a chance to experience a very real part of Africa - street hawkers, overflowing taxis, and probably some of the most unconventional driving in the world!

Citizens from most countries are required to obtain a visa that costs 50 USD. Visas can be obtained directly on entry. However, if there is a Kenyan diplomatic mission in your country, it is advisable to obtain the visa in advance. The visa is valid for 90 days.

We have visited Nairobi five times so far. The first time was in 1986, the second in 1993, the third in 2001, the fourth in 2005 and the last time in 2007.