Nairobi
Africa's silicon valley - with plenty of monkeys and coffee.
Kenya's capital serves as one of East Africa's economic and cultural hubs.
Founded in the late 19th century as a colonial railway settlement, today the city offers a unique blend of historical landmarks and a gateway to Kenya's vast natural wonders.
If you're seeking to experience modern life in a bustling African city, I don't think there are many better options on the continent. If that isn't something that explicitly interests you, then it's not worth the visit.
If you're seeking to experience modern life in a bustling African city, I don't think there are many better options on the continent. If that isn't something that explicitly interests you, then it's not worth the visit.
If you're seeking to experience modern life in a bustling African city, I don't think there are many better options on the continent. If that isn't something that explicitly interests you, then it's not worth the visit.
If you're seeking to experience modern life in a bustling African city, I don't think there are many better options on the continent. If that isn't something that explicitly interests you, then it's not worth the visit.
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Summary
A friend's upcoming wedding in Cape Town provided a great reason to head down to Africa for a prolonged period. Flying in and out of Cape Town however felt like it could give something of an incomplete picture of the continent.
After much research, Nairobi looked to provide a good mix of adventure whilst being a seemingly reliable place to work from.
Accommodation
The city has a great range of accommodation options from numerous hi-spec new build apartments to garden style bungalows - whatever you are looking for you should be able to find.
Places to work
Nairobi has an enormous selection of great quality coworking options, with offices dotted across the city.
Given how bad the traffic is in the city and how early it get's dark in the evenings, picking one in close proximity to your accomodation definitely helps.
Value
If arriving from Europe, you are likely to find food and drink in regular restaurants and bars are all of great value in the city.
More refined options are available with prices closer to what you would expect in Europe. Taxis are an inevitable part of life in the city, but even with a tip included, they are inexpensive.
Working hours
Kenya follows East Africa Time (EAT), placing it 1 hour ahead of Central European Time (CET) during the summer months of the year. Throughout winter this extends to 2 hours.
🇪🇺 Consider working European hours from Asia?
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Where to stay
Whilst researching where to stay on this trip, I struggled to make any sense of the cities layout. I'd plan in advance where you intend to work from and pick an area that will be conducive to a hassle free commute.
Ngara Road
Lavington
Westlands
CBD
Where to work
Ikigai - Riverside
I visited 5 different coworking spaces in Nairobi before settling on this particular branch of Ikigai. Around a 30 minute walk from the centre of Westlands, the space covers the third and fourth floor of the Merchant Square development with each floor consisting of permanent offices and spaces for hot desking. Each floor has an outdoor balcony and as a monthly member you get 24/7 access to the space as well as access to the other 4 locations across the city.
The onsite cafe 'Roasted Truth' did some of the best coffee I had on the entire trip, with lunch options provided by a rotating kitchen operator. The immediate area is something of a peaceful oasis compared to the hectic nature of Westlands & the CBD, with grocery shops available within a 10 minute walk.
Plenty of phone boots and meeting rooms should you need them and the staff make it a pleasure to visit everyday.
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Remote work visa
If staying for a prolonged period, you may want to consider a dedicated visa for this destination.
This country is actively working on a visa support for remote workers.
Check your government website for details of how to obtain a tourist visa.
Citizen Remote is a great source of up to date knowledge for everything to do with remote work visas.
Safety
- Be ultra cautious in the CBD.Travel in a group if you can, it is a hectic, intense environment where pick pocketing is common. Plan a rough route of where you are going before hand to avoid getting your phone out every few moments.
- Download Uber, Bolt and InDrive. All are great options for getting across town.
- Keep your headphones in your pocket. Parklands, Westlands & Lavington all felt safe to walk around during the day time, but you would still be best advised to be fully aware of your surroundings.
- Street lighting can be inconsistent or non existent. I kept any walks after dark to an absolute minimum.
- Be aware of beggars near the Sarit centre.This is less problematic during the week where it is busier, but you are more isolated on a quieter Sunday.
Off-work
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Take a safari in Nairobi National Park
Without doubt the most convenient safari in the world? Less than a 20 minute drive from the centre of Nairobi, the park is home to 4 of the big 5. No elephants, but plenty of zebras, rhinos and the occasional lion. I booked an early morning tour with a guide named Legendre who I would 100% recommend.
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Spend the afternoon at the Organic Farmers Market
Hidden away in the residential suburb of Karen, this lively farmers market has a wide range of local and international street foods on offer with live music and drinks.
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Run or cycle in Karura Forest
An urban forest only 10 minutes from the hub of Westlands, Karura is an ideal place to go running over the weekend. Plenty of well marked trails as well as designated areas for biking. Be sure to check out The River Cafe for a refuel.
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Hike in the Ngong Hills
An hours drive from the centre of Nairobi, they are a formation of 7 hills continuous hill tops, an ideal day trip for hiking or trail running. Get a taxi to the south gate and walk back north to the town of Ngong. There are security concerns in the area, so you are best advised to travel with a group or guard.
Explore the CBD
One of the most intense urban environments I can recall being in. A frantic, rowdy and intoxicating hub of activity. Head down on Saturday, leave your valuables at home, keep your phone in your pocket and embrace the madness.
Duration & season
To make the most of a trip to Kenya, plan around the two rainy seasons when your ability to explore the outdoors may be limited. These generally occur from mid-March to May, and towards the end of the year from October to December.
During my stay in September, there were only a few instances of rain, while most days remained pleasantly warm yet persistently cloudy.
Food & drink
People
One of the last highlights from the trip was the distinct warmth and friendliness of the Kenyan people. The widespread use of English makes it easy to get around and some well rehearsed phrases in Swahili will always get a positive reception.
The city boasts a sizeable expat community, particularly noticeable at venues like the NSK. Most individuals I came across were employed by NGOs, while a few remote workers also favoured it as their home base. Due to it's strong regional reputation with the tech industry, it also draws talent and entrepreneurs from neighbouring countries in East Africa
Exercise
Karura Forest
Ngong Hills
Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary
Verdict
Positives
- Super friendly people.Kenyan's are incredibly welcoming with lots of positive interactions throughout the day.
- Lots of western standard amenities.Street food markets, high end restaurants, craft beer bars and malls are all at a standard you would expect elsewhere.
- Fantastic coffee.Even though coffee has generally been more exported than consumed domestically, there is a burgeoning speciality coffee scene in Nairobi.
- Great value.If you are bringing $,€ or £, they will generally go a long way.
- A national and regional hub for tech.People are drawn to Nairobi from all over the region making it an easy place to meet entrepreneurs.
Negatives
- It get's dark early year round.There isn't a tonne of street lighting either, so you ideally don't want to be walking anywhere too far after 18:00.
- The traffic can be abysmal.Nairobi's streets weren't designed for the influx of cars that are now in the city. A 10 minute drive can take an hour between 16:00-20:00 making any form of motorised commute unnecessarily painful.
- Road infrastructure is poor.Aside from the main roads and in some nicer neighbourhoods, the quality can deteriorate rapidly. Pavements can disappear at a moments notice.
Tips
- Get an M-PESA account and local sim card.Most places do accept card, but if you are staying any longer than one week, M-PESA has universal applicability and the preferred method by locals.
- Don't be alarmed if taxi drivers ask you for directions.Sometimes infuriating, occasionally hilarious, there appears to be some distrust in the Uber map (which is in fact always correct). It doesn't harm to have a rough idea of where you are heading to.
- Kenyan's are early risers.If you want to be part of the natural rhythm of the city,
- Sundays are quiet.The roads have a fraction of the amount of traffic on the roads, making it easy to get from A-B.
- Get a yellow fever vaccine.If you stay in Kenya more than a couple of weeks, your onwards destination may require a yellow fever vaccine. Plan ahead. (I didn't)
- Book train tickets a couple of weeks in advance.I missed out on visiting Mombasa as booked the dates too too late.
- Allow for plenty of time to get into Jomo Kenyatta Airport security.Bags need to be checked before even arriving in the terminal building which can be up to an hour in busy periods.
- Top up on sun cream.Even at comparatively low temperatures, the UV levels are super high.
Planning a trip?
More destinations in Japan
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