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All of Kenya under one roof

To learn more about life, nature and culture in Kenya, visit the Nairobi National Museum. The museum is located near Museum Hill, a 10-minute drive from the city centre. In addition to the museum, which was beautifully renovated in 2005, you will be able to visit the botanical gardens, a nature trail, shops and restaurant facilities.

Nature

From warriors to birds

Even before you enter the museum, take a look at the modern artwork at the entrance and admire the local art in the lobby. The collection includes the most beautiful utensils from the native tribes. Further on, you will find more exhibits on this civilisation and their culture, with samples of Masai warrior outfits and necklaces. The museum also focuses on African fauna. There is a room full of stuffed animals, such as deer, a lion and a giraffe. The bird collection in particular is quite large. From hornbills to the standard-winged nightjar, there are many species on display. Outside of the museum you will also find a reptile garden with impressive snakes. The most interesting exhibit is probably the one about the evolution of mankind. The exhibit includes special casts of human fossils, such as an almost complete skeleton of a 1.6-million-years-old Turkana boy, which was uncovered at Turkana Lake in Kenya. Prehistoric skulls of our ancient ancestors provide a great overview of human evolution.

Ahmed was a goldmine for poachers

An elephant with bodyguards

The museum’s showpiece is the skeleton of Ahmed, one of Kenya’s most famous elephants. This large beast with enormous tusks was born in Marsabit National Park in 1919. Environmentalists were afraid that poachers would slaughter this beautiful elephant for its tusks. In 1970, then president Jomo Kenyatta offered Ahmed round the clock protection, seven days a week. He made sure that the animal was always accompanied by 2 park rangers. Ahmed lived to the age of 55 and died of natural causes in 1974.

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Nature

Shopping

Active & Outdoor

Nature

The Great Rift Valley lies in the west of Kenya: this deep crevice between 2 plates in the earth’s crust runs from Mozambique in south-eastern Africa to Syria in Asia. Thousands of kilometres of the Great Rift lie in East Africa. This impressive gorge is between 30 and 100 kilometres wide and features the deepest lakes and highest mountains.

Nature

Kenya is a paradise for safari lovers. There are almost 50 national parks which are home to millions of impressive animals. Elephants, lions, hippos and leopards: that is just a small sample of the huge diversity of animals. In the water, on the savannah, in the trees or in the mountains, magnificent animals are everywhere. This is Africa at its best!

Shopping

The name of the Village Market, located in Nairobi's embassy district, is a bit misleading. There are some outdoor market stalls, but this is hardly a simple village market: in fact this is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in East Africa. However, it does have a rural feel – albeit a very chic one.

Active & Outdoor

The Karura Forest is a green oasis inside the city, just a 15-minute drive from Nairobi’s central business district. Three rivers flow through the park and there is a 49-foot-high waterfall, a bamboo jungle, a series of caves and a wetland. The park also boasts up to 31 miles of walking trails.