solo travel to nairobi city

My solo travel to Nairobi City starts from Kolkata . First I take a flight from kolkata to mumbai . Then Mumbai to sharjah then sharjah to Nairobi. I descrive the Journey from Sharjah to Nairobi and traveling Nairobi city and national park nearby.

22 nd January 2021 Nairobi city

In the morning I was in Sarjah UAE . From here our flight to Nairobi was for 5 hours and 15 minutes . It was my longest flight journey ever . Around 9 AM in UAE time our flight left for Nairobi . Today my carrier name is Air Arabia . It is a sarjah based budget airline company . Sarjah airport is small but here airport transport buses are very big and wide . This buses are comfortable too .

In our flight I got the window seat . Beside me is a african middle aged woman and beside her another man . When I came near to my seat , I saw a lady sat in the window seat and reluctant to her own seat . When I forced then only she left . I find here also same incident happens what usually happend in our country. In this flight I ordered Biriyani as for long time I have not eat anything . I was really hungry . I finished all . Though the taste was not as Indian biriyani still it works . They given two time coffee . In the first journey from mumbai to Sarjah they given some veg sandwich , It was totally salty . It was worthless still I eat .

In this airplane there is a screen where it is shown from where the plane is now flying . After it left the sharjah it goes over the desert of arabia . From the sky you can very well see the land . You can see the vast land only sand and sand threre might not be no settlement . Here you can see the shadow of the cloud in the land . Then the flight cross the small red sea and the arabic sea part and enter africa by the Somalia and then ethiopea and then to kenyan airspace . Here in the africa you can see vast desert and dense forest and savana forest . When it fly near to nairobi you can see huge barren land . this are actually nairobi national park . This national park just beside Airport .It is more than 5000 km journey and it completed in 5 hour . Around 13:00 It landed in Nairobi .

After Landing they all check for QR code for covid . I don’t have it . So with the help of airport wifi I made It . Then I face kenyan imigration . There was a young lady . she asked me “where are you coming from ?” , “where you travel ?” , “How many days you travel ?.” Then she stamped in my passport . It was 30 days single entry visa . It has special provision that one time you can enter Tanzania and return back to Kenya . As for tourist they must go to tanzania for travel . After that there was a custom guy who put my bag in the x ray machine . He just formally ask when Inside it . I said there is food inside . He let me go . Now I am formally in kenya. I am very excited because 2-3 times I am unsuccessful to travel abroad .

Now I withdraw money from the ATM inside the Airport . I withdraw 25000 from here . Now There is 2-3 sim shop but they are charging more . So I went outside the Airport building and go to the Airtel office . Here I take an airtel sim . It has some local calling and Data . After might be 30 mins my data was activated . After that I switch on the internet and call my mother . Upto this time I totally disconnected from my home . As in the Sharjah airport iinternet is not working so I can not call to home . Now it is possible .

After that I hire a car and goes for the city , My hotel . Here roads are very nice . In airport also you will find there is lots of girls try to make your attension …. I would say be careful with them . After a hard burgain I made it 1000 ksh for the city . Now I start travelling toward the city . Just after it crossed the airport I saw zebra beside the road . I asked him “He says It is nairobi national Park .” It is very amazing to spot animals just after Landing …. People come long way to see this animals .

Roads here are up down and four lane so no problem . But there is heavy traffic . For the fist 30 mins the driver only talk about traffic then chines , How bad the chines people are …. He said they eat everthing so he hate chines . They are going to buy their country . But he have very good opinion about Indian People . He says they are good people .

Here one thing I find people are very friendly . They always have a smile in their face and love foreigner and make frienship with them . Only careful about the girls here , First they make friendship and then they ask money . I have heard this stories in lots of blog , youtube videos and also realized this thing after coming here . After might be 1 hour I reach to my hotel . This is nagra river side lodge . It is 1200 ksh for one night . Room was nice and cozy . From my room you can see the nearby locality .

When I first came here I was little frightened . As my driver says that this place is not safe . Here people will mug your valuable items . So first I just see from my window how the people are here . Now I have very little charge in the mobile . Now I have to charge my phone . Here electric pugs are different . Now I try to plug my Universal adapter . I was not able to plug it . so I went to hotel reception He show me how to plug it . Now I start charging phone and eat some foods .

Around 5 in the evening I start touring local places . Here in this place there is mmostly gaurage mechanic and some fruit shops in front of my hotel . In the first floor of my hotel there is a bar . As it is corona time so bars can only function upto 9 o clock . So from 5 only people gathered inside the bar . Now I go outside my hotel first time . Infront of the hotel there is some shops selling grilled chicken . Now I start walking in the leftside of the road . There are most of the shops selling fried fish or meat or fried chicken pokora . From one shop I take only veg pokora . There is also some shops selling local vegetables in the Footpath . There is also some established resturent on that place . Everywhere I asked for vegan food the answer is not satisfactory . They don’t have vegan food or have no experience with that .

After long search lots I went into a resturent and saw a people eating this. second one I can Understand … this is tea only the cup is much bigger . Now the first one is Mandazi . It is a type of fried bread . They made this triangle and fried in the oil . I find this Mandazi very tasteful . I dip it into tea and then eat . The resturent is nice . When I first enter the resturent boy make a greeting in their local way by striking the fist . I find people are very friendly here and they are east to talk with foreigner . Now I start walking toward the city centre . As I come closer the city centre is becomes congested more . In the road from a bakery I take some cake and cookies and went for city centre .

In the road I drink some sugarcane juice . Here they also pack juice . I take a small bottle sugarcane juice . In the way comes the nairobi river but it looks like the drinage of the city . This place is very dirty . Here everywhere is gurbage . Here on this place two or more road meets . Now I walk toward the city centre . Here you can find a steep hike in the road . As today was rain sometimes before so roads are slippery . Now in the upper road I went near to a bus station and saw lots of local buses are leaving . now It is 8:30 PM so Now place my hotels location in google maps and start toward my hotel . In the way I went into a some road where there is lots of ladies are standing beside the small doors . They are asking me to come . First I thought it might be prostitution but soon I realize most of them might be massage parlour . Though I don’t have intension to take massage now . So I quickly went to my Hotel .

My room was in 3 rd floor in the hotel . Now the bar almost closed . Here in my hotel something is unique first the mosquito net is round shape though the bed is rectangular second In the bathroom there is no Bucked and mug . Later I ask to the cleaning lady …. she said people here just switch on the shower and take a bath they don’t use bucket for bathing . I said I need a bucket for bath so she gives some bucket and a mug . Here one think is very nice …. every people laugh wholeheartly . It make you relaxed about the people .

23 th January 2021 Nairobi National Park

 Today is the second day  in Nairobi .  In the morning I have talked to 2-3  travel agents .  They are all charging very high for the Nairobi National Park safari around 15000 Kenyan shilling.  I thought it might be very high.  so I make the backup plan.  I wake up around 5 o’clock in the morning , then just  freshened  up a little bit and take the breakfast. After that I went for the city Centre , from where I might get buses for the Nairobi National Park . In the way to the city Centre there is a big Gurudwara. Here roads are very dirty , you will see garbages just flying over the roads and the  Footpaths are also  dirty.  They should made the city Centre clean it made bad impression for the city .After walking for 30 minutes I finally reached to the bus stop. 

 After coming in the bus stop I just can’t find the bus toward Nairobi National Park . Then I ask some conductors and they show me the bus . It was a green colored mini bus. The  interior off the bus is very amusing.  in this bus there is a middle passage and both side of the passage there Are seats. what happens when there is too much rush…  there is a seat folded in the sight of site sets. and when there is too much people  they just open the folded seat  and put in the passage.  so there is one more seat people are getting. I have travel lots of  areas but this thing I find it very unique .

I was seated in the back seat . today  I also saw people are maintaining social distance in the bus.  I was just sitting behind a boy and the boy says you should maintain social distance. I say it is fine but did you really maintain social distance when there is too much crowd in the bus . Now other people are also laughing by  listen this.  so I understand that this things are not strictly followed . though I follow this instruction because it is good for me and others also.

Might be after 30 minutes bus  leave  for the destination. Road conditions  are here very fine here , the  roads are straight and there is no potholes. It was raining today and our bus left for the destination. It is four lane highway so bus was running very fast . After 1 hour  it reaches to the main gate of Nairobi National Park . Now I get down from the bus .

Nairobi National Park

In the main gate there was a forest Ranger , he welcomes me in the park . I ask him if there is group tour today.   so he take me to John. John is our tour guide cum driver today .  In the park there is a covid Diagnostic Centre  to check your body temperature.  This is a small camp like thing where everybody checks their temperature .

After that I talked with John. he says for one day with all inclusive charges is like 15000 ceiling. I say this is too much for me. so I said I will wait sometime for group tour. if there is a group tour or to arrange group tour then it will be feasible for me . As I am a solo Traveler it is expensive for me.

so I roam around the Park. I talk to to some guys . They said now a day group tour is very difficult because for the covid travelers are very less. Then I also talk with another guy he says if you come in the morning then there might be  group Tours .  but now there is no Group tour . 

 at last I bargain with  John . It was 13500 Kenyan shilling with which he will show me Nairobi National Park which include parking fees for the car ,  insurance for the car and also my ticket for the National Park. For non residents the ticket prices 43 US dollar and for the resident it is only 430 Kenyan ceiling . It was little bit expensive for foreigners but when you  come to Africa , Safari is must . Without Safari you can’t enjoy the African tour.

In National Park you can find lots of animals. they are very relaxed and freely Roam around the park .The size of this park is 117 square kilometre. In terms of size it is very smallest in Africa. but it is only City National Park in the whole world .  You can find zebra , giraffe , lion , crocodile , hippos , rhinoceros , hayena , gazal , Buffaloes , wild beast , waterbuck , baboons and jackals In this National Park. There is also plenty more animals .

There are 400 types of  birds in this  National Park.  The prominent  birds are ostrich , vulture , crown bird , Black headed heron , Blacksmith lapwing , Longtailed fiscal . Though  I haven’t since most of the birds . I have see lion from very near . There is one lion and one lioness  they are just lying behind our car.  They are very relaxed. we are very near to them but they are not showing  any aggression. Now here in africa we are in the cage and they are just looking us. in the National Park I also see a Lots of zebras , Waterbuck , gazal just beside the road . sometimes you find buffaloes crossing the roads . Here I also sea crown bird , this bird is unique in Africa and it is in the national emblem of Uganda. This  birds have Crown like structure in the head.

Inside the National Park sometimes the car travels by the road and sometimes off the road to see the animals. My car is very modern. It is a 6 seater car with open rooftop. You can open the rooftop or close the rooftop as you wish. It also has the wireless transmitter to communicate with others to spot the animal .I was single tourist in the whole car . I can wait where I want to Wait  and I can travel if I want. Making a safari solo is a memorable experience This car is very expensive . I totaly enjoy this three hours of safari .

At the last he taken me to some point , from where  you can see up to the place where sky meets the land , up to the place you can see , this is all National Park . This place is really amazing , From here you can see all the animals below how they are running how they are behaving . After that my Safari ends and he taken me to the gate of the National Park . Just one wish does not fulfilled – We only see Giraffe from a distance . We tried lots but we don’t see it from close . they are in the deep forest only because of the height of the animal we can see it .

Now I pay to him. when I just about to leave the park , at that time I see  there was masai dance happening. Masai  are one of the major tribes in Kenya. they are also one of the most hardest people in the world.  They live in the forest . Animal husbandry is the major job. Cattle and goats and sheeps are the the major animals they nurture . They mostly   nomads people . High jump is the most significance of the dance.  I stayed there for couple of minutes and then left for the city. They wear red cloths .

Now I went outside the National Park. from the opposite side bus stop I take a matatu to the city . It takes 50 Kenyan shilling for the ride. Around 1 o’clock I reached to the city. Now I also have plan to visit Tanzania . so I just take lunch in a hotel and then go to Aga khan Hospital for covid test . It was one of the most reputed hospitals in Kenya. I was there for 2 hours and they said in the next day evening you will get the result. They take the swab only from the nose .

After that I went to the national Museum of Kenya . I take a boda boda(It was a motorcycle service which will taken you any part of the city ) to reach there . it is very fine museum with lots of humans  skulls of Prehistoric  time. As we all know that the turkana lake of Kenya is the the birthplace of modern humans so in this museum you can find human Skulls of that time also . My battery was running out and I also feel tired so I went for my  hotel . I also take another Boda Boda to reach to the Hotel.

After reaching to the Hotel I first take a shower and then eat muri and Chanachur ( It is like a type of bhujia ). Then take rest for sometime and then in the evening I start the city voyage once again . I first reach to the super market and take one cake , Fruit juice , then Minireal water and then some snaks . Here cakes are very good in quality . Then roam around the Market take one boiled egg . Here eggs are pink in color . Tday there was a lady sitting in the reception . I asked her how to reach to Nakuru National Park . She says from here you just take a Matatu and it will drop you there . Now I just pay the tariff of the hotel and went upstairs .

Around 8 in the night , from a local restaurant I just take my dinner . I just take beans and two parathas . Just after the night It feels really cold . As it is in the highland so here night time is a bit cold . After I taken dinner I come back to the hotel and enquire in the phone about Nakuru National Park . One person says that if you come to nakuru town then it is possible to make it a bit cheaper . This is one trick I would like to share to make the safari a bit cheaper . When You travel to any national park just reach the gate of that park by any transport and then book a jeep for here for the safari . It will be much cheaper than to book from the city . As safaris are very expensive so do follow this trick . There will be people or travel agents who will help you on the journey . For budget traveler like me it is very usefull . In tanzania also my host make the same suggesatation to travel to Serengati National Park . After that I slept in the Night .

24th January 2021 Nakuru National Park

Today around 6 0 clock I start towards Nakuru town . Today I make a mistake I can take the small matatu but for making the journey a bit cheaper I went to the bus stop . It is like 1 km from my hotel to reach to the Bus stop . In the way I take some fruit juice and mineral water . Here bus journey is very pathetic so local people prefer to take matatu (smaller ones) . The ticket price in the bus here are burgainable . Forst they said 1000 I said in matatu they will charge 750 I will give only 600 . I say the agreed with that price also .

Now the real problem is that bus will not leave till most of the seats are filled . I purchase the ticket around 8:30 and the conductor says that bus will leave after 10 mins only . After 15 mins I reached to the conductor he says in the next 15 mins it will leave . The conversatation goes on like this . Everytime I goes to the conductor He talked like that it will leave imediately .

Now comes the another problem I don’t know who he is , he might be a prist or religion spreader of the christinity . This people with his rough voice starts telling the jesus stories . It was too hot the bus was not leaving then another person starts telling about religion . I just stop talking and tolerate the situation . In between there was some Hawkers who are trying to sell products . After 3 hous around 11:30 the bus finally leave .

They just suck all the energy to the travel . In between 2 times the tour agent from the Nakuru called me . I say “I seat in the bus but it was not leaving ” . Local people says here buses are like this . They normally stand in the bus station and waits for the passenger . I thought How much petrol this bus wasted by just standing in the bus station and make the engine in running mode to attract passengers . It was a experience I will never forget in my life . In our India also this things happens but it might be for 30 mins but it is 3 hour in the same place engine was in start condition to make just sound only . It is totally crazy man .

It is a very very scenic journey on the way . In the journey come mount Lonegard and also comes the Lake Naivasha . This mount Lonegard is a dorment volcano and Lake Naivasha is a lake situated in great african rift valley . This lakes Naivasha , Nakuru , Baringo all are situated in the rift valley . Some lakes have alkaline water which attracts the Pink Flamingo . Besides you will see lots of coffee and tea gardens . Here in those mountain this are the main agriculture product . The bus was running fast . around 2:30 it reaches to the Nakuru . I have called two times that tour guide but I could not contact him . So I go with a local boda boda driver to the main gate of Nakuru National Park .

At that time there was two lady ranger and a staff there . So I talk with that stuff how to visit the park . So he arranged a person for the trip . In the meantime I talked a lot about how to travel in kenya . I said that I have a plan toward Mt Kilimanjaro . He says either you can go by the Namanga border and enter Tanzania and see Mt kilimanjaro from Moshi or you can go to the Amboseli National Park in Kenya . From there also you can visit Mt Kilimanzaro . Then he taken me to a sovounier shop where there is lots of locally made wooden Mask . In this mask there is potrait of demon , animal , some tribal deity and lots more . This are all curved by humans to make this potrait . Actually the price was high so I don’t take it . Now the driver also comes and we just take the ticket and goes into the National Park .

This national Park is most famous for different types of Bird. There is also 56 types of Mamals . Pink Flamingo are the Most Famous . The major animals in this park are giraffe , Black and white horn Rihno , buffelo , Gazale , Crocordile , lions , Hippo , Zebra , wildbeest , Hyena , wild Dog , Leopard , olive baboon , vervet monkey , black and white colobus monkey.

The major birds finds here are Great White Pelican , white fronted bee eater , Black winged Lapwing , crab polver , Grey Crowned Crane , Great Snipe , Hidebrandt , Lesser Flamingo , Great Flamingo and greater blue eared starling . There is almost 400 types of birds found here . In the Evening beside the lake you see more than 10000 birds gathered there . The sound of this bird makes a amazing situation .

When we are inside the Park there was raining heavily . I just once go outside though my guide say gon’t go very far might be buffelos may charge you. I just go near the lake . They said here some amazing thing happens that is the lake becomes wider day by day and I saw that the road inside the park submerged in the water . After spending there few minutes I left for the gate .

Nakuru to Nairobi

I say the driver that you just drop me to the place from where I will get transport to Nairobi . So he taken me to the Matatu center . Here First you have to purchase ticket and then go into the van . In the ticket there was ticket no . After that I say good bye to my guide and went for the journey to the Nairobi city .

The car was running very fast as after 9 in the night you can not enter in the city . As curfew will starts after 9 in the night . It is 5 : 30 when it leaves Nakuru town . One thing good about the car is that they made social distance in the car . They just empty the middle seat . The car war running like a rocket and it was raining heavely . The car was running upto 120 km/hr . In the middle it stops only once for 15 mins to take rest . The car finally reached to the city aroung 9 : 15 in the night .

Most of the shops are closed . Main door to my hotel also closed . Then I called them and they just opened the door . Now around 9:30 bar in the 1st floor also closed . I just went to my room . I eat the food I have in the bag and then sleep .

25 th January 2021 Nairobi to Namanga Border

Today I don’t wake up very early . I slept upto 7 in the morning . Then take a shower and then go first to the Aga Khan Hospital . It was showing 3 km from my hotel . First I take a matatu and it drop me somewhere in the road . There was lots of local food stalls . It was showing 1.5 km distance from this place to the Aga Khan Hospital . Now I start walking to that direction . It was like a like from this place to the Aga Khan Hospitals. From here I have taken the Covid Report . It is 7500 KSH (almost 5000 inr) for the report .

After taking the report I take food from a local shop . I eat bread and boiled egg for the breakfast . Then take a boda boda to the area from where matatu leave for the Namanga Border . Namanga border is the Border between Kenya and Tanzania . It is like 150 km from here . So I buy a ticket for the Namanga . Here also In this car social distance was maintained . The Car leaves around 9:30 in the morning .

Nairobi to Namanga

Just after it left the city there is almost very few traffic in the road. Roads are like straight line here so car runs very fast in the roads . A104 road connects Nairobi city to the Namanga Border . Most of the places are either arid desert place or savanna forest area . Specifically in the southern part it was too Hot and in the road it feels like mirage . In the whole road two three times car was stopped by military or police for the security check . They asked me the passport . In our car might be two three people don’t have proper document so they first asked them to board on their policing vehicle then might be they take money and left them . This happens in every country . Police always want money if you have any minor fault . In Nairobi corruption is very High .

After two check post finally it reached to the Namanga Border . This is a Land Border between Kenya and Tanzania .There was a man who was in our car . The Driver says that this person will help you border cross . I must say this person is very nice He accompanied me in the whole process just for help . He does not ask for money . I just gave him some money . This person is a local person . I will cover the Border Crossing and the next journey to Moshi in the Moshi part .

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