Nairobi, Kenya July 2018
Epic things to do in Nairobi:
Visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
Be a tourist and eat at Carnivore
Be a local and eat Karoga
Take a photo of the Nairobi Skyline
Elephant Orphanage - At 11 am, for one hour only, you can visit this amazing elephant rescue location. Arrive early. You get to hear about the elephants that they have rescued, meet them and watch them eat breakfast. Such a great nonprofit. And a great experience. #1 thing to do. Don’t miss it. And you are allowed to touch any elephants that wander within your reach. You can also adopt an elephant!
If a baby elephant is left by its mother, or hurt it will die on its own, so this foundation rescues them from all over Kenya. They bottle fee them and then rehabilitate them back into the wild. The process can take 7-10 years! They will also rescue older elephants, or other wild animals, that have been trapped in snares or hurt in some way. The property was spectacular, and you can tell that the staff lives for and loves these elephants.
Carnivore – If you love meat, then this is your place! It is much like a Brazilian steak house. There is a big BBQ pit and the wait staff will bring around the different meats – beef, pork, turkey and ostrich balls. They used to serve zebra and other wildlife, but the laws have changed so it is more in line with what kinds of meats you have already tried. But it is fun and busy, and an experience in and of itself. Also, don’t miss the Dawa, which translate as “Magic Potion” and is the classic Kenyan cocktail, made tableside by the “medicine man”. Touristy – yes, but we really enjoyed ourselves and I would put it on the “must do” while in Nairobi list. Reservations recommended.
I have included a recipe for the Dawa below:
Dawa:
2 teaspoons white sugar or 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 oz vodka
Crushed ice
1 whole lime quartered with skin
¾ cup of lime juice
2 Tablespoons honey
Procedure:
- Put lime and sugar into a whisky tumbler
- Crush limes slightly, add ice, pour vodka and lime juice
- Twist a Dawa stick into the honey and add to drink
- Muddle limes with the Dawa stick
The more you crush the limes into the mixture and stir with your honey stick, the sweeter your Dawa will taste.
Karoga- Karoga means “to stir” in Kiswahili. It is a uniquely Kenyan style of cooking and eating outside. The food is Indian. Karoga was started hundreds of years ago by Indian migrants. This is especially fun with a large group of people. Try it! You will like it! We had a great time of cooking and eating and trying new dishes with a group of us.
Skyline photo – From the platform of the Kenyatta Conference center or from the road in front of it. You can certainly walk around the city itself, as we did. But there just isn’t much to see. Drive through. There, now you have done it. Oh – but do stop at one of the coffee shops! The tea and coffee are so good!
Overall – I have a friend that live here so that made the trip special for me. I am glad I was able to visit, it is interesting, but I don’t think Nairobi is a destination. Perhaps you are heading out on a safari and have a stop here for a day or two – now you know what to do while you wait to head out to your real adventure!
