Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, a country situated on the Eastern edge of the African content, flanged by Ethiopia to the North, Tanzania to the South, Somalia to the East, landlocked Uganda to West and parts of Indian Ocean to the South Eastern. But why would one want to grab flight tickets to Nairobi say for a business trip, vacation or even for studies?  It goes without saying that the capital of Kenya is a place which harbours activities of all sorts, not to mention people from different walks of life. Talk of creed, religion, races to ethnic tribes across Africa, Nairobi is a place where folks from all around the world dine together and engage in not just academic discourses but also sports and politics. In fact, mentioning Nairobi without infusing politics in your discussion will be a great disservice to the people who obtain their name from the city, commonly referred to as Nairobians.  Ostensibly, Nairobi qualifies as both metropolis and cosmopolitan city. The city is always bustling and studies have shown that it is one of the faster growing cities in the world.

• The changing face of Nairobi…

With the promulgation of Kenya’s new constitution in the year 2010, a lot was bound to change and so is Nairobi. Well, from what was usually a city where everyone goes to fend for themselves in either the formal or informal sectors, Nairobi has increasingly become a different city altogether. There is absolutely no doubt that it will remain Kenya’s capital but the fact that county politics will forever change the face of Kenya’s commercial city which is also the seat of the government is something you can take to the bank. The coming elections which has attracted many interest for the governor’s seat is something to look forward to as it seeks to pit a formidable opposition which currently rules the city through an elected governor against a government which is hell-bent to gain control of Nairobi country. But these are not only things to keep in mind. There is a basket full of interesting facts about Nairobi and so compelling that grabbing flight tickets to Nairobi will be your next big wish.

• A city in the sun…

It all begins with why thousands of tourists flocking to Kenya’s capital every year. The answer is pretty much simple. Nairobi is a city in the sun. Getting the right exposure to Africa’s sunlight is something many tourists and travellers chase thousands of miles away and a good number of seasoned visitors, some of whom have since learned to call Nairobi their second home, know too well to what extent the sun shines here. It gives you a good dose of UV light to set foot in Nairobi and so, whether you hail from Houston, Texas in the United States or London in the United Kingdom, leisure you’ve never witnessed below awaits you in Kenya’s bustling city.

• A place of cool waters…

Situated on Maasai land, Nairobi sits on an expansive plain originally known as Athi plains. Athi is denotatively Maasai word for cool waters. Well, weather changes have always been best witnessed in the city but there has never been such outstanding one as the cold season. Around July through to October, Nairobi which is flanged by cold towns like Limuru, Kiambu and relatively warmer towns like Machakos is a blend of temperate and tropical climates. The cold season is always so extreme that a walk in the streets will leave you looking for the coffee shop around. Predominantly and despite having lots of resorts where one can while away the day in the sun, Nairobi is a climatically cool city.

• A city blessed with national park

Nairobi is one of the few cities in the world that boasts of a jungle known as Nairobi National park. Here, you can get to see, at a close range, animals of different species. The national park is a few minutes’ walk from some of the biggest hotels and major streets in the city and this means you can access it using whatever means and route you choose. You can walk here from the intercontinental hotel through Uhuru highway or take a tourist van. It all boils down to how you want to experience it.  Don’t forget to carry a camera with you.

• Headquarters to the United Nations Environmental Programme

Nairobi boasts of being the seat of UNEP, one of the United Nations agencies operating worldwide to ensure the world is a better place in terms of environment protection and conservation. With the global warming increasingly becoming a threat to animal and plant life, the UNEP headquarters has seen a beehive of activities in recent times.

• A home to the second largest slum in Africa

The spiralling Kibera slum is not new to those who know something about Nairobi city for it is here where most of those who work in the informal sector hail from.  Most houses in this informal settlement, which is also the second largest in Africa, are made of iron sheets. However, the government has in recent times embarked on a slum upgrading programme aimed at providing better housing to slum dwellers.

• A typical African hub to public transport and traffic snarl-up

Public transport is a boom in Nairobi and this is something you can get up and close with during weekday hours especially in the mornings when people from both the upscale, middle and low class estates are heading to work in the central business district. On the other hand, there are thousands of other people who make their way to the city on foot from far flung estates. But what is a conspicuous display of a life that thrives in Kenya’s capital every morning and evening is the endless traffic jams.

With an exception of Sundays, and slightly on Saturdays, making your way to and from the city centre is a sure delay for even up to five hours before you can get to the estates.  It is all because of endless traffic jams which are the order of the day here during peak hours.