I just got back from Nairobi visiting family, and will add some more specific info to HCE's great overview.
Exchanging Money
If you are using USD or Euros, you are going to want to use big bills since those get a more favorable exchange rate when you get into the country. $50 and $100 bills are preferred. You’ll find the best exchange rates are Forex facilities and they are dotted all over the city. Use a bank like Standard Chartered to withdraw money from ATMs as another option. For those that don’t have it, I would recommend a company like Charles Schwab for a checking account/ATM card, since they do not charge foreign transaction fees and also refund all ATM fees. Also, get the newest bills possible before you exchange to shillings. Also, make sure you get the newest US bills that you can before you hop on the plane.
Getting There
Visa: A visa is required to enter the country unless you are part of a select few countries which you can read here. For those that do not meet the aforementioned criteria, you can purchase a visa on arrival at one of the 4 international airports in the country. However, this is due to expire on August 31st, so you will need a prearranged visa after that date, which you can get at a Kenyan embassy or consulate. The cost of a one-time visa is 50 dollars or 40 euros. Dollars or euros is the preferred currency when you buy on arrival. Dual citizenship is also available for those with Europeans and Americans with Kenyan parents. For Americans, flying out of Chicago and Washington DC will see significantly lower fares, while Europeans will want to fly out of London if possible.
Getting Around the City
Getting around Nairobi is not overly convenient, and when coupled with the fact that it has some of the worst traffic jams in Africa (which is really saying something), it can become a downright logistical nightmare. During the time intervals of 7-10 AM, 1-2 PM and 4-7 PM, traffic is essentially gridlocked, and you will witness some of the most reckless drivers in the world. A major cause of the traffic jams is thought to be because of the implementation of roundabouts during British colonial times. The city population has exploded since the colonial era ended, so the setup is quite antiquated considering the scope of the drivers involved. The government has started to remove the roundabouts, so there has seen improvement in those areas, but overall the situation is dreadful.
With that said the options are as follows:
- Taxi-Taxi’s are the most convenient option, but can add up although if you post up in the CBD or Westlands neighborhoods you are not farther than a 5-6 dollar ride than most major attractions. Uber is available here also which is a very nice if you purchased a data plan or use T-Mobile’s free roaming feature. A good development here is that Uber is available, so you can use that for airport transfers to your hotel, as well as to get around on demand. The taxi kiosk at Jomo Kenyatta airport has a list of licensed taxis that are safe to use, so you can rest assured with those. The cost is gonna be around 20-40 dollars. You may be able to organize transport from your airport to the hotel as well.
- Matatu- Matatus(minibuses featuring 14-18 seats) used to be infamous for their crazy drivers and dubious safety records, which forced the government to make sweeping reforms to clean up the sector. For those itching for a unique experience or to save change on transport this can be a good option. They are a lot safer than they used to be these days and one of the most available methods of transport. Also, ask about the rate before you board, as it varies from bus to bus. I prefer taxi’s since there is a lot of riff raff like crazy preachers. They are also a bit cramped for a taller guy like myself, so I passed on using them on this trip having had prior experience with them.
- Piki piki-Motorbikes that are useful in traffic jams since thy can get around the chaos. Thse also require balls of steel to ride, since a lot of times you won’t even get a safety helmet and they are wizzing around in very tight areas. Very quick method though comparatively.
Buses- Buses are the better option than matatus in my opinion. This pertains especially to the purple Double M bus, which are clean and have the fares listed prominently on the bus. You also won’t have to deal with the riff raff of matatus, since the service is much more professional.
Getting around the country.
Fly540- This is a low budget airline, that flies to all major areas around the country and also to some other countries like Sudan and Zanzibar (Tanzania). This is recommended if you want to circumvent the shitty roads in the rural parts of the country. The service is solidly rated and with good staff. Think Spirit or RyanAir.
For those that prefer the scenic route,
EasyCoach, is one of the best rated bus services for city to city travel. You can book online as well. The Guardian Coach is also another great option for traveling city to city.
Lastly, you can use the train which is pretty affordable at around 65 bucks one way. You can book such travel via this
link for example.
Where to Stay/ The Hoods
Westlands is traditionally Nairobi’s social and entertainment center for expatriates and wealthy Kenyans, a lively cluster of shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs a couple miles to the north of the central business district. One of the city’s largest modern shopping plazas, the four-story Sarit Centre, is here, competing with two smaller centers nearby. There are dozens of restaurants, three late-night western-style bars, two nightclubs and a casino. This is undoubtedly where you want to post up as all the best places are concentrated here or very close by. This areas features a very diverse crowd and you’ll find a wide variety of neighborhood. The only issue is that some of the hotels have a policy where you have to pay around $40 to bring a girl up in addition to have her sign in and show ID, if you bring her after a certain time. Any guests you bring up have to be registered regardless of the hotel I believe by law though, so that’s something to inquire about before you book. with that being said, some good hotels are:
La Maison Royale- Great value for the price with very nice modern décor. At night the surrounding area gets dark and a little unsettling for some, so I would not recommend walking from here to the nightlife areas dolo, once the sun goes down. There is some security, but better to just take an Uber to avoid any issues. Rooms start at $80 bucks for a single, so this is a great value.
Hotel Kempinski- For all the suave,suited down types, this is your place. President Obama stayed here recently and it’s one of the places where important figures and delegates stay when they come to Nairobi. This’ll set you back a cool $250 a night. Probably the best hotel in the city.
Sankara- Another great hotel with a sick rooftop bar, that is for a more mature/corporate crowd. It is located right next to one of the better malls in Kenya and also literally down the street from a lot of the most happening bars and clubs in Nairobi. You’ll need around $150 to stay here per night.
Some cheaper options also include PrideInn Hotel, Nanchang Hotel, Sirona and Progressive Park Hotel. All are significantly cheaper than 100 dollars and offer the same logistical benefits of Sankara or La Maison Royale.
Kilimani/Hurlingham/Kileleshwa- A good alternative to staying in Westlands, since a lot of the Airbnb settlements are located here and not in Westlands. Kilimani borders Westlands, so taking a taxi will be cheap, while also allowing you to circumvent the coockblocking hotel rules that I mentioned earlier. There are a lot of good restaurants in the area as well as great potential for daygamers since there are three malls close by- the smart Yaya Centre on Argwings Kodhek Road, the older and scruffier Adams’ Arcade on Ngong Road and the sleek Junction, also on Ngong Road – as well as to several large supermarkets including Nakumatt Prestige on Ngong Road, which is open 24-hours a day. These are middle and upper middle class hoods.
City Center(CBD)-City center is a decent option snce theres quite a few bars here and nightlife options. To me Westlands has the superior nighlife options, which appeal to all budgets, but city center is a nice change of pace that has some good spots in its own right. I’m not very sure about the lodging options here, but spend more time here if your budget is smaller.
Girls
Pros:
Incredible bodies with plump fat asses. If you’re an ass man, you’ll be in heaven
They are very sexual and make no qualms about it
Will approach you if they like what they see. Not shy about speaking up
Great dancers. Twerking, slow wine they’ve got it all down pat
Wide variety. Yellow bones, dark girls, Ethiopian girls, Chinese Girls, Somali Girls, Arab girls and of course a wide variety of Black African girls
Don’t have a lot of hangups with regards to being DTF
Very interested in foreigners
Good conversationalists
Cons:
Vast majority won’t grow their hair out. Lots of chicks wearing weaves and wigs in conjunction with using damaging hair products, instead of embracing and improving their natural hair(like a lot of Black girls are starting to do in the states). It’s a myth that sub-Saharan African girls can’t grow long hair, as you see many tribes with it, what is missing is the discipline to do so.
Can be a bit headstrong. The combination of Nairobi’s improved economic prospects and the inroads of feminism have changed some attitudes for the worst. Most of the local guys I talked to find Rwandan and Ugandan girls a bit more easy going than Kenyan chicks. For a foreigner staying for a week, this is lesson an issue, but something to beware of. I recall my boy telling me that more than a couple times girls have taken him home, then after the deed was done, basically expressing that it was only sex and they wanted nothing to do with him after. This really only applies to middle class and rich city girls(career driven). Not as bad as American girls in the aggregate, but American culture is very popular here so the effects aren't surprising.
Lots of butterfaces(crazy bodies below average faces). Daygame is not tremendously fruitful here in terms of quality as you won’t see a ton above 7 during the day. All the bad chicks come out at night though, so if you’re a nightlife guy, you can take solace in that. In terms of face (Black Africans) I would rank Nigerian, Ghanaian, Angolan, South African, and Ivorian women ahead of Kenyans. There are still stunners for sure though.
As far as the competition, Kenyan men generally speaking are poor dressers and not smooth when I comes to game. I regularly, saw dudes flat out grab chicks and caveman their way in the number or grind session. Following the basic tenets espoused here for dressing will set you apart drastically, in addition to being much smoother with your mouthpiece. Gym culture is practically non-existent as well, so if you are jacked and tall, you will enjoy a major advantage. Girls were regularly commenting on my height. The dudes are generally cool as fuck though, so if you are solo make sure to engage a couple and shoot the shit.
Nightlife
Kenyans are very gregarious people and like to party in groups, so the downside is at a lot of the venues you go to groups will seem rather cliquey. I went out solo a couple nights, since I never do so at home and it’s not common for folks to do so like you might find in the states. Try to find a wingman if at all possible, since chicks often roll in 3s or more. However, if a chick really likes you she’ll tell her friends and they’ll leave you to do whatever with no protest in my experience. There’s so many options that it can seem overwhelming at first, but the good news is that popularity for clubs here aren’t very transient so the spots that are hot have been that way quite a while. Besides a Monday, it’s not hard to find places that are active or in some cases packed even on a Tuesday or Wednesday. It helps that venues often don’t close until 4 or later, so early last call isn’t an issue. The music was also pretty good as it featured rap, reggae and East/West African pop music. Ironically, Kenyans don’t like Kenyan music much, so you hear pretty much anything but that in clubs. The Congolese also enjoy quite a bit of popularity here, with what is affectionately called Lingala(the language in which they sing in). Nightlife is considered tops if not the best in all of Africa, and was a very welcome change from the typical North American duds I'm used to.
Some spots of note are below (not exhaustive):
Tuesdays
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K1 Club(Parklands/Westlands)- a pretty big venue that serves as a karaoke/live band venue earlier in that night, then transforms into a club after 11 or so. If you don’t hit any other spot in Nairobi you must go to this one, as it captures the essence of Nairobi nightlife in a nutshell. The talent here is also the best of any other place that I went featuring every shade and ethnicity you can think of. This is also a good spot since you can isolate chicks in the attached poolhouse since the club area gets pretty loud. Gets insanely hype and full, so it makes for a great atmosphere. As one of my family members remarked when she heard I had been here, "Ah, you have finally experienced Nairobi". All this on a Tuesday no less.
Wednesdays
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Galileo Lounge (Westlands)- from 8-12 this is the spot to be for a Wednesday. Features some good talent here as well, with a split of Ethiopian chicks and Kenyan chicks.
Bacchus Lounge- According to some locals people filter here from Galileo after 12, but I didn’t check it out on that particular day.
Caramel Lounge- This is a spot for ballers, as it features some of the highest prices in the city for a bar. Wednesday is a ladies night as well, so a lot of single higher class ladies come here to chill with their girls. There will be women from all ethnicities here.
Thursday
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Havana Restaurant(Westlands)- a cool laid back spot that mixes locals and expats very well. It is also located near spots like Aqua Blu, Bacchus Lounge, and Hypnotica.
Friday
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Xo Millionaires Club(City Center)- a club that tries to model itself after something in Vegas, with bottle service and everything that comes with that. You’ll find Nigerians, Ethiopians and Kenyans in here for the most part. Cover was 1000 shillings or 10 bucks and that included a free drink. It also features a stage for gogo dancers, some of who are bad as fuck It’s easy to game them since they walk around the club freely. This is actually the only time I paid cover.
Ebony Lounge(Westlands)- This is another spot worth noting for 25 and ups. Serves as a good move once Millionaires club starts to die down a bit, as it goes into the wee hours of the morning.
Mercury Lounge(Westlands)- a laid back area to get your night started. This is better for groups or cats that like a more upscale environment.
Juniper Kitchen- Good for brunch on Sundays and also gets very popular after work Fridays. Very mixed crowd here and another must-hit if you get the time.
Saturday
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Skyluxx Lounge(Westlands)- This is the spot to hit for the 18-24 cohort, so if you are a high energy club type of guy, you’ll do well here. You are mostly going to see Black girls here, with a smattering of Indians here and there. It also gets really crowded, so get there early.
Hypnotica(Westlands)- Besides K1 Club, this is probably the best spot in the city at the moment in terms of popularity. However, it is not that great for a solo player, because the venue is mostly made up of tables of people mingling within their social respective groups. There’s a lot of mixed groups though, so if you comfortable in that setting then you may find success here. Otherwise, I would recommend just stepping in to check out the atmosphere then bouncing to one of the many venues in the surrounding area.
Black Diamond(Westlands)- a hugely popular club with expats and also known as pro central. I didn’t get a chance to go here, but it may be worth checking out since it commonly pops up as one of the best clubs to go to in the city.
Buddha Bar(Westlands)- Another upscale type bar. You’ll see a lot of Whites and Indians here, it’s a cool atmosphere to get your night started.
Besides these suggestions ask cab drivers about some popular spots for the night, since they often are well versed on where the traffic is. Check out these two sites as well since they breakdown the major events in the city:
http://www.kenyabuzz.com/
http://whats-on-nairobi.com/#
Online Game
The quality during online game leaves a lot to be desired for the most part. I tied three sites:
Afrointroductions- The quality on this site is fairly low and you need to pay money about 35 bucks to send messages to girls. If you’re trying to cover all the bases, and capture low hanging fruit than it may be worth the investment since if you dig hard enough thres some cute girls , but if your confident with your day and night game, online is largely unnecessary.
Tinder- The quality of tinder is fairly good and features the best talent of any of the online sites I used. I would say to just rock with Tinder since it’s very low investment and features a lot of good looking girls, especially foreign chicks working for NGOs and the like.
Badoo- Waste of time pretty much.
Daygame
The area between Moi Avenue and City –Hall Way- There are multiple universities in this area including University of Nairobi and Kenya Methodist University, north of the Global roundabout. You’ll see a lot of young, decent looking chicks in this area. Also, check out the Nairobi Java House in this area, which is a local coffee shop chain.
The area surrounding the Kenyatta Convention Center- This is another good area during lunch time and immediately after work as you catch chicks in their business attire mulling around. The top of the Kenyatta Convention Center is also a good date spot, where you can get amazing views of the city. Take a girl up there for lunch.
Village Market/Galleria Mall/Yaya Centre/Westgate/Sarit Center- best malls in Kenya at the moment
Miscellaneous things
American culture and all its fixing are very popular here. You'll hear all the latest songs and the younger people will all be well versed in the happenings of American pop culture and TV
Nairobi is the tech and business hub of East Africa, so there’s a lot of development going on here. The startup tech scene is burgeoning and some call it Africa’s version of Silicon Valley. There's a ton of multinationals here as well. The video below explains it:
Smartphone penetration is very high here
Kenyans speak some of the best if not the best English in Africa, since it is mandatory to learn it from the 1st grade. As a result, any Swahili is really a bonus. They talk remarkably similar to Britons, right down to the "isn't it(innit)" at the end of their sentences.
Porsches, Range Rovers, Mercedes, BMWs of all makes and models are surprisingly very common on the streets
If you get invited into a Kenyans home, expect generous hospitality, which sometimes borders on being a bit of an annoyance. It’s customary to offer visitors food and drink, even if they are strangers.
Must do things:
- Go to the top of Kenyatta Convention Center
- Eat nyama-choma(beef) and down the local beer Tusker, while shooting the shit with your newfound Kenyan homies
- Ride a matatu once, to remind you why it’s a shitty idea
- Go to the National Museum and National Archives if you like history
- Hit Le Palanka, for a sophisticated take on African cuisine, Also try Abyssinia, an amazing Ethiopian restaurant.
- Visit the Snake Pit at the National Musuem
- Party on Electric Avenue in Westlands
- Head to rift valley and take in the scenery
- For the beer buffs, hit the Brew Bistro, the best brewer in the country
Verdict
Nairobi has developed a ton since I was last there in 2006, and its appeal to any budget and endless things to do make it a great destination to hit. There’s prettier girls in other countries of Africa, but the diversity in chicks, friendliness of the people and bustling nightlife make me recommend it highly. However, expect pay the equivalent of US prices for most things due to the high influx of foreign expats, NGOs, and multinationals.