Alexis LossDay 1: Arriving in Nairobi!
After a 12-hour direct flight we arrived in Nairobi in the morning. We were met outside customs by our private driver, Eric, who took us directly to our eco camp in Nairobi.
First Stop: The Wildebeest Eco Camp
We stayed at The Wildebeest Eco Camp and for more information on our stay, please click here. While there, we got settled, had lunch and relaxed. Later in the afternoon, we headed to the Giraffe Center, a popular destination in Nairobi.
Second Stop: Giraffe Center
This center began in 1979 after a British couple living in Kenya learned of the endangered Rothschild Giraffe. At the time, there was around 130 Rothschild giraffes left. Thanks to their efforts as well as many others, there are now over 300 in existence. The Giraffe Center serves primarily as a center to educate Kenyan schoolchildren. While there, we saw several groups of children with their teachers learning about the giraffes and feeding them as well.
For a small fee, you are able to feed the giraffes and spend time at the center for about an hour. It was an amazing experience to be able to get up close and personal. The feeding times are between 9:00am to 5:00pm so plan your trip accordingly. It was a wonderful first stop in Nairobi.
Day 2: Tour of Nairobi
First stop: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Found in 1977, this Wildlife Trust was started in response to the need for elephant conservation. Unfortunately, poaching is still very much occurring in Kenya. This organization focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing elephants back into the wild primarily. However, since their inception, they have helped to protect African elephants, Black and White Rhinos and giraffe.
While here, we watched the daily feeding of their baby elephants which was absolutely adorable. Below, you’ll notice how messy they are at drinking!
Second Stop: Kazuri Beads
While in Nairobi, our driver and guide, Eric suggested we stop at this shop to find locally made jewelry. This shop started as a way to train local women to make clay beads and earn an income from the jewelry that they make and sell. Using clay, they are handcrafted and painted and then heated. The jewelry was beautiful. While there, we received a simple demonstration of how they make the beads.
Third Stop: Nairobi National Park
Don’t let our location fool you! The National Park is 117 km2 in size and is only 7km from the city center. Despite being in Nairobi, we felt anything but! While, one boundary is fenced on the city side, the other boundaries are not. Therefore, the animals are able to roam free from Nairobi all the way to Tanzania and back depending on the time of year.
The drive through the park was quite an experience thanks to the recent flooding that had occurred. Many of the roads were washed out and in fact, we came upon a family in a compact care that was stuck. Our driver had to call the rangers to get help and advise them to stay in their car. Please, don’t become famous for getting out of your car in a national park to take a selfie!
While in the park, we were fortunate to see a family of elephants, Maasai giraffe, a Maasai ostrich, Nile crocodile, hippos and many other animals. This took many hours. By the time we finished, we headed back to the eco-camp for some downtime and dinner later! It was a perfect end to our day in Nairobi.
Our two days in Nairobi were busy and showed a mix of extremes – wildlife in the park, mixed with poverty all around except for in Karen, a wealthy section of Nairobi. We learned a lot and loved our time there.
