The biodiversity, culture, and history within Nairobi county continues to be experienced along Ngong Road and the Karen Suburb area towards Langata Road. A continuation of Part One.

7. Ngong Racecourse

Horses are not the only animal species that enjoy the calmness of the indigenous dry upland forested area along Ngong Road. There are plenty of other species that call this place home. It includes rich biodiversity where one can observe the African Crowned Eagle and the beautiful Hartlaub’s Turaco just 10 Meters from the famous racecourse track. If riding horses are your forte, why not ride a horse while you bird watch through the forest. The dam located a few meters from the entrance is a great place to watch the African Fish Eagle hunt.

Ngong Racecourse – Image Courtesy

8. Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary

This is part of the dry upland Nairobi Forest which is split by development of the Northern Bypass. The forest is mostly indigenous with an area size of 1200 Ha. It can be accessed along Ngong Road and the Northern bypass. Families of baboons are in the area as well as other monkeys, warthogs and a diversity of bird species. It’s also home to the African Crowned Eagle.

Entry fee: Adults KSh 200 and Children KSh 100. (Kenyan Citizens)

The View from Below at Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary – Image Courtesy of kevinoumaphotography.com

9. A Rocha Kenya Nairobi at Karara

Take a walk in the nature trails with a unique combination of both natural forest and thicket. It is Located 200 metres from Karen shopping centre. The beauty of nature will amaze you with butterflies, forest bird species and mammals such as the smallest antelope in Africa, the Suni and the Dik Dik as well.

Entry fee: KSh100

Karara – A Rocha Kenya in Nairobi – Image Courtesy

10. Stedmak Snake Park

Described as a Snake ‘Watchers’ paradise, it is fairly a 10 minutes’ drive from the Galleria Mall. The gardens offer recreational spaces as well. After having your lunch, you can choose to go see some snakes and hopefully not lose your appetite. They also host an animal sanctuary with crocodiles, monkeys and ostriches.

Entry fee: KSh 400

Stedmak Gardens – Image Courtesy of Stedmak Gardens on Facebook

11. Karen Blixen Museum

Located 10km from Nairobi’s CBD on Karen Road lies another Nairobi Gem. Other than Karen’s home hosting historical gems and stories ‘embedded’ within its four walls as depicted in the movie ‘Out of Africa’, the one place you would want to explore is the outdoors. The place is another birder’s paradise in Nairobi.

Entry Fee: Adults KSh 200 and Children KSh 100 (Kenyan Citizens)

Karen Blixen House – Image Courtesy of scrapbookjourneys.com

12. Giraffe Centre

Get to meet tall ‘blondes’ 5km from the CBD. The endangered Rothschild Giraffe calls this place in Karen, Nairobi home. Every giraffe at the centre has a name and a story. A visit to this place will definitely aid in protecting the species. The Centre also has a nature sanctuary trail within a 95-acre patch of indigenous dry upland forest opposite the Centre. The trail is 1.5km long and descends to the seasonal Gogo River; a tributary of the Mbagathi River whose source is the Ngong Hills.

Other than giraffes, the ecosystem hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna making the forest an ideal habitat for other mammals such as bushbucks, monkeys, squirrels, hyena and leopards as well as butterflies, dragonflies and 122 birds species. The trail is well labelled with boards which will guide in identifying some of the many tree species in the forest.

Entry fee: Adults KSh 400 and Child KSh 200 (Kenyan Citizens)

Giraffe Centre – Image courtesy slyglobetrotting.com

13. Oloolua Nature Trail

A place where primates enjoy the diversity of trees in a dense indigenous dry upland forested area 20km from Nairobi.  It is home to the Institute of Primate Research. The nature trail meanders through the thick forest vines. The course of Mbagathi River cuts through the forest. There is also a 33m long cave within the forest.

Entry fee: Adults Ksh 200, Child Ksh 100 (Kenyan Citizens)

Oloolua Nature Trail Water Fall – Image Courtesy of safari254.com

14. Mamba Village Nairobi

Nairobi Mamba Village is located in Nairobi’s leafy Karen Suburb, about 13Km away from the CBD and 1km from Bomas of Kenya. Mamba Village is a great place to see crocodiles, ostriches and giraffes in Nairobi. For more information, their FaceBook is very responsive.

Entry Fee at Crocodile, Ostrich and Tortoise section: Adults KSh 150 and Children KSh 100 (Kenyan Citizens)

Mamba Village Nairobi – Image Courtesy

Part three.