City Information

People in urban Nairobi jostle between jobs and have to struggle for a living. There is a big divide between the rich and poor. There is hunger and poor sanitation for the city slum dwellers and the slums are increasing with the number of immigrants who hope to have a better life in the city. There are more than 2 million living in slums. These large numbers only have about 1.5 % land to live in. In the rainy season these areas become dangerously uninhabitable. Garbage piles up in these areas which have no electricity. Diseases are rampant. Evictions happen often. Indignity and homelessness is the rule as the government has never recognized the need to formalize these settlements. Crime thus is an obvious course for many.

Transit visa is required for many nationals. Please do confirm at the website of the embassy before traveling. The following nationals are exempt from a transit visa:

This is the perfect place for year round travel. Nairobi is at 5,449 feet or 1,661 meters above sea level. It has a very pleasant and moderate climate with temperatures never reaching too high or too low. Evenings can get pleasantly cool due to the altitude, in the winter months of June and July but it never really goes down too much below 10 °C.

Location:

There are a number of declared public holidays when businesses and banks are shut, but small shops, pubs and restaurants normally remain open.

January: 12; February: 13; March: 13

Kenyan Shilling (KES) is the official currency of Kenya.

While Nairobi today is certainly not the small station depot it used to be, it cannot really be classed as a very big city. It is not a city one goes to visit just for the city itself. But this is the gateway to an immensely beautiful and adventurous country with unique features not available anywhere else in the world. It has many drawbacks yet it is a friendly city and it can really grow on you, if you have the right approach. The place can be lively and interesting. It has a unique culture. Where else can one see Maasai warriors in traditional attire walking along with modern business people? The city is perpetually busy and colorful.

Till trains did not come into the area, Nairobi was just a little swamp land and a place for the Maasai people to quench their thirst enroute. Europeans colonizers had not shown any interest in it. Under great pressure of civil wars and outbursts of diseases like cholera and chickenpox, the Maasai chief was forced to allow the British to construct their Mombasa to Uganda railway line through the Maasai grazing lands.