Attractions in Nairobi County
1. Panari Sky Centre
Most travellers to Kenya arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, at the southern edge of Nairobi, to year-round good weather. Thankfully, this part of the world sees more sunshine than most countries. With the equator running straight across Kenya, the sun is almost always overhead. From the airport, it is a short 17 kms hop north to the City on one of Nairobi’s bussiest trunk routes (Nairobi-Mombasa Road). On the left, just over the rows of buildings marching on with the highway, sits the Nairobi National Park. On the right, 13 kms from the airport, sits Panari Hotel, best-known for its ice skating rink which offers people of all ages a few fleeting moments to interact with this rare element. The Solar Ice Rink at Panari Hotel measures 32 × 12 ms with an ice skating surface area of 15,000 square feet. The rink itself with temperatures of 12 degrees C can accommodate 200 skaters at any time and is open seven days a week from 11.00 am until 10.00 pm. More amenities at Panari include: Red Garnet, Black Golf Cafe, Amber Coffee Shop, Dips Club, Ruby VIP Club, and the Anga Sky Cinema.
2. Go Down Art Centre
About 1 kms north of Panari Hotel the Southern Bypass Interchange is reached. Taking a left, the Southern Bypass goes past the Nairobi National Park, through Langata and Ngong Forest Sanctuary, before joining the Nairobi-Uganda Road near Kikuyu. Taking a right, the Southern Bypass goes into the Industrial Area, which is one of two ways to reach the Go Down Art Centre. “Founded in 2003, in a space that was formerly a car repair warehouse, the Centre has contributed significantly to the growth, recognition, and visibility of local artist by fostering and facilitating collaborations and encounters between artists from different disciplines and different parts of the world”. One of its noble flagship programs – The Economy of Creative – helps budding artists reflect on the trajectory of their own life journeys as creatives, and as entrepreneurs, looking at ways they can identify and plug skills and knowledge gaps in their own practice, as well as, open outwards to embrace new innovations and technologies, and networks. It can also be reached by taking exit 3 (right) at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout, 6 kms north of the Bypass and Panari Hotel, along Lusaka and Mukenia Roads.
3. Nairobi South Cemetery
Nairobi South Cemetery is found 3 kms south-east of the city centre on Uhuru Highway leading from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Nairobi CBD. On the way from the airport the cemetery is situated directly beside the road on the left, adjacent to the Bunyala roundabout. This is the first roundabout after the Nyayo National Stadium. The road leading to the cemetery entrance is marked by a CWGC direction sign. “During the First World War, Nairobi area was the headquarters of the King’s African Rifles and became the main hospital centre for the East African campaign. Nairobi South Cemetery has 155 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, mostly in one section, interspersed by civilian graves. There are also two burials of the Second World War. The cemetery also contains the Nairobi British and Indian Memorial, which is a screen wall which commemorates British and Indian officers and men who lost their lives in the East African campaign before the advance to the Rufiji in January 1917” – CWG
4. Nairobi National Park
At Nyayo Stadium Roundabout taking exit 1 onto Langata Road, passing Wilson Airport, sits the Nairobi National Park. It can also be reached via the Sourthern Bypass which links to Langata Road. The latter provides one of the surpassing roadside views of the park. Except for this stretch and for a few kilometres near Langata Road, to keep wildlife out the heavy traffic, the park is not fenced. The animals move freely in and out of the park across the unfenced boundary with the Athi-Kapiti Plains. The entrance to the National National Park, adjacent to which is also a unique animal orphanage, where animals are nurtured back to health, is located within the Kenya Wildlife Service Headquarter. The 117 km2 Park has over 60 kms of marked looping trails which unveil, around every bend, all that is great about wildest Africa; with the backdrop of Nairobi City’s skyline.
The Nairobi National Park is never without a unique concentration of wildlife across its plains – zebra, wildebeest, kongoni, impala, grant’s gazelle, cheetahs, lions, warthogs among many more. Along the Athi River are herds of waterbuck and, in the river, there are hippos and crocodiles. The park has more than 100 species of animals, several quite rare like the Caracal. The best times for game viewing in the park are the early morning and early evening, when the sunset behind the Ngong Hills provides a wonderful background for photographers. Also of interest is the Ivory Burning Site. The first ivory burn happened in 1989 when 12 tonnes of ivory were incinerated. The most recent happened in 2016, when 100 tonnes of ivory were incinerated at the same burn site. “This is one the most important landmarks in the annals of conservation” – Lonely Planet.
5. Nairobi Safari Walk
The stilted Nairobi Safari Walk, spread over 0.1 km2, provides a rare plenary to sight wildlife and their habitats from above. Four of Africa’s high-minded big-five – lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino – can be spotted along the safari walk, which on average takes an hour half to complete. This simulation of wetland, savanna and forest ecosystems is an outstanding interpretation of the wildest places to be seen in Kenya. The raised wooden boardwalk also serves as a fine birding ledge from where many species of avifauna can be spotted in the forest canopy. To boot the view over the wildlife and habitats, it offers unprecedented glances of the Athi-Kapiti Plain. Admission to the Nairobi Safari Walk is Sh 215 for citizen adults and Sh 125 for children; Sh 300 for resident adults and Sh 170 for children; and USD 22 for non-resident adults and USD 13 for children. It is situated adjacent the entrance to Nairobi National Park, or 7 kms from the City.
6. Nairobi Animal Orphanage
Established in 1964 as the sanction and rehabilitation center for abandoned and wounded wildlife in Kenya, it serve as an all-important close-up encounter with wildlife especially for the younger ones, who are awestruck by the close up view – while the animals in need are being ‘mothered’ back to top health, before they are released to the wild. “Nairobi Animal Orphanage harbours lions, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, serval cats, Sokoke cats, warthogs, leopards, various monkeys, baboons and buffalo. Various birds can also be viewed including parrots, guinea fowls, crowned cranes and ostriches”. It is located in the Nairobi National Park.
Abiri Kenya 