Our East Africa finale: Nairobi’s ‘Nairobbery’ streets (and a scary taxi mix-up!) gave way to the conservation success of Nakuru National Park, where we finally tracked rhinos and thousands of baboons. From Kilimanjaro’s high peaks to conservation victories—we wrap up a chaotic, incredible month.
East Africa Finale: From Nairobi's Streets to the Rhino Sanctuary
Our first month away from Canada, spent entirely in East Africa, is drawing to a close. It has been an incredible start to our adventure, filled with extremes—from the high peaks of Kilimanjaro to the chaotic streets of the region's largest cities. We are currently in a Nairobi suburb, preparing for the next leg: a six-night stopover in Dubai (where it will be over 40°C!) before flying to Morocco.
Navigating Nairobi's Streets
After the safari, we spent a couple of cautious days exploring **downtown Nairobi**. Despite the city’s notorious nickname "Nairobbery" we found most people surprisingly hospitable, though the reputation naturally made us skeptical of overly friendly strangers.
- Logistics: Changing Tanzanian shillings into Kenyan shillings proved tricky, forcing us to use a currency exchange instead of a bank.
- The Scare: We treated ourselves to dinner at Trattoria and a movie (World War Z in 3D). The film ended at 9 p.m., prime "don't walk around Nairobi" time. We immediately grabbed a taxi, but the driver, after a successful haggle by Nicola, dropped us at the wrong hotel. We braced ourselves, but it was an honest mistake quickly corrected—a reminder that sometimes it's easier to assume the worst than the best.
Nakuru: Rhinos and Relaxation
We took a side trip to Nakuru National Park. On the way, our driver gave us insight into the deep-rooted corruption of Kenya's traffic police, which we witnessed firsthand during a roadside negotiation.
In Nakuru, we met a couple from Boston, Betsy and Gordon, and joined their game drive. Despite using a standard sedan instead of a safari vehicle, we were immediately rewarded with sightings:
- Rhinos: We quickly spotted several rhinos, a crucial animal we had missed during our Tanzanian safari.
- Baboons: We saw baboons by the thousands. One even jumped into our vehicle at the park gate, desperately trying to steal food!
The next day, we consciously slowed down, playing cards and soaking up the sun—a rare feeling of doing nothing that we realized we needed more of after our non-stop pace.
A Suspicious Return
Our return to Nairobi brought more traffic drama. Police were inspecting vehicles leaving Nakuru, and our driver had to disappear on a motorbike to negotiate with officers. He returned, waving a certification, crossed himself, and we were on our way.
Conservation and Goodbye
Back in Nairobi, we stayed at the Wildebeest Eco Camp in the peaceful suburbs. We upgraded from a pup tent to a surprisingly comfortable dorm tent and used the camp as a base for exploring local conservation efforts.
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage: We watched baby elephants being bottle-fed and had an inspiring close encounter when one grabbed our hands with its trunk.
- Giraffe Centre: Dedicated to breeding endangered Rothschild giraffes, this visit was inspiring, highlighting successful conservation efforts.
We capped off our time in Nairobi with a buffet dinner at the camp—possibly the best meal we had in all of Africa.
Goodbye East Africa: You challenged us, amazed us, and taught us more than we expected. Tomorrow, we fly to Dubai for a six-night stopover before moving on to Morocco, but we know we'll be back on this continent soon.
