Kenya (Part 1 of 4) - August 2024

Our Emirates flights from Northern California to Nairobi resulted in 20 hours of flying time and one 11 hour layover in Dubai. We spent our layover at the Dubai International Hotel located in the Emirates terminal. We arranged hotel staff to meet us as we deplaned in Dubai from San Francisco. The greeter guided us quickly to the registration desk. This hotel is very large and very convenient as you remain in a security zone. 

Nairobi, Kenya

We were met at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by representatives of Origins Safari. This was arranged by our Houston-based travel agency, Fish Eagle Safaris. Origins Safari is a safari travel broker for Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda. 

Origins representatives accompanied us through Customs and pickup of our checked-in baggage. An Origins guide and driver drove us to the House of Waine, in the Karen District of Nairobi. This was our beautiful 11-room boutique hotel for two nights in Nairobi.  From here, Origins staff brought to several Nairobi attractions and to the Wilson Airport, where we departed to our first safari camp in a private conservancy, next to Amboseli National Park.

Manyatta Room, House of Waine

We had one full day in Nairobi. Fish Eagle Safaris and Origins arranged visits to the following locations.   Dinners and breakfasts were at House of Waine. Our lunch was at Matbronze, a restaurant and gallery of African art. 

Giraffe Center

The Giraffe Center, operated by the non-profit Africa Fund for Endangered Wildlife, provides a sanctuary to help stabilize the Rothschild Giraffe subspecies. Visitors receive a short lecture on giraffes and have an opportunity to feed young giraffes with pellets made of corn, wheat, grass and molasses.  

Sheldrick Orphans' Project

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates the Orphan' Project. This project supports the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned young elephants and rhinos.  These animals are ultimately reintroduced and released to the wild. At this location, you learn about how each elephant and rhino arrived at the project and watch them being bottle-fed. 

Kobe Tough Bead Factory

Drought induced climate change and tourist reductions from the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in financial challenges for the Masai community. The Kobe Tough Bead Factory was established to provide largely single mothers, orphans and widows with livelihood assistance.  Colorful belts, bracelets, necklaces, watch bands and earrings are available for sale. In addition, visitors receive a tour of each step of bead production. 

Karen Blixen Museum

If you've seen the Oscar-winning movie "Out of Africa," you are most likely familiar with the story of Karen Blixen. Blixen lived in Kenya from 1914 to 1931 and is a well-known author. She is also known by her pen name, Isak Dinesen. The Blixen House, now a museum, was part of a 6,000 acre farm, of which 500 acres were planted with coffee shrubs. The farm was not a financial success due to poor harvests and a factory fire. The house is now operated by the National Museums of Kenya. Walking through the house, you get a better understanding of Kenyan life in the 1920s.

The house is well-worth a visit. Many of the original furniture pieces were reacquired and are now part of the house. A guided tour is available for visitors. The house grounds are beautiful and are often settings for weddings and large gatherings.     

The Actual Karen Blixen House

We recently re-watched the 1985 Academy Award winning "Out of Africa" movie, with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. The interior of Karen Blixen's "movie" house was actually filmed at a nearby house with two floors. This "movie" house was owned by the widow of Jomo Kenyatta, the first prime minister and President of Kenya. Karen Blixen's actual house has only one floor. 

Apparently, the "movie" house was abandoned and renovated by the film crew for "Out of Africa." At the time of movie filming, the actual Blixen house was in use by the Kenyan government. The "movie" house now is owned by a tour operator and is referred to as "Ngong Dairy." According to the operator's web site, visitors can book a house visit for breakfast, a picnic or afternoon tea as part of a safari tour.

Considering a Kenyan Safari?

Here are a few books/stories that you might read (even if after your trip). The first three books focus on the establishment of British East Africa.

• Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
• West with the Night by Beryl Markham
• Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
• Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway
• The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway
• The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway

If you're interested in reading about colonial influences on present day Kenya, here is an excellent article from a very different perspective.