Nairobi Tourist Traps

When you come to Nairobi you will be shocked to see how locals pay, and how you, yourselves have to pay.

There are big supermarkets that sell everything we find in Europe, but they are overpriced.

I know this well, because we used to stay with locals, and we realized that when we were with our friends and had to enter a safari or park, and we had to pay 6 or 7 times more the amount they had to pay as locals!

It is very different if you visit an Asian country (Thailand) for instance. There, you pay what the rest of the locals pay.

Unique Suggestions: If you are there already, try buying local products at least.

I asked our friend why don't they take us to buy local products from the local markets and the answer was that these local supermarkets' products are sold with expired dates!

Of course I could not believe this nonsense, it is just because the time they are with you, they wish to enjoy a better quality and they show you only the European big markets.
I double crossed this, and I was disappointed with these people because what they told me was not the truth.

Fun Alternatives: This cannot stand for sure, otherwise these people might easily get sick.

If you are on a Mission trip and you are visiting an Orphanage, a School in Need or even people, avoid giving money.

Unique Suggestions: Instead go and buy for them food like flour or maize, rice, soap, copy-books pens and pencils.
Buy candies for both teachers and students!
The teachers are also poor people who will be delighted if you remember to include them also!

Fun Alternatives: If you are to visit a school, carry with you some T-shirts and balls.
They will surely appreciate it.

Don't trust people over the net who might invite you and let you spend time with them and help you visit people who need help.
They might have every intension to help you, be the best people on earth, but the standard of living is so different in this country that you might have some very bad surprises!

Unique Suggestions: Ask questions, about the place they live. Most of the locals live in really small rooms.
(1.5 X 3 metres) just a room and they call it a house.
They might have the very best intetion of having you stay with them, because this is the way they are used to, but how about arriving and realizing that you will share this small room which serves as a bedroom and sitting room, with the rest of their family?
They will simply smile happily and with honesty, but ignorance of what you might expect you will be shocked to hear that you are welcome to stay for as long as you wish with them!!

Fun Alternatives: At least if you are planning to stay with a local, book the first two days at a hotel, go and see the place your friend lives and decide what to do!

I have never seen in my life such small houses - rooms actually!

If you want to purchase anything, ....from fruit to buying maize for the poor be sure to have a trustworthy local with you.

You will be surprised how prices change when you go and buy on yourselves.
I have never in my life seen this thing happening in any of the 32 countries I have visited!

I was staying with locals, and wanted some green pepers and onions. I told my friends that I want to buy myself so everyone remained in the car.
I got a small plastic net and put 8 very small onions half the size of an egg each, and 4 small peppers (capsicums).
I had 100 sh with me and expected change. I am told I have to pay 120 for all.

Unique Suggestions: I return to the car and ask my local friend how much I am supposed to pay, and he smiles telling me that they ask more because I am not native. I should have paid about 60 sh. he said.

Fun Alternatives: I return and take out of the bag some vegies.
I see that the woman counts 10 shillings for each small onion and each peper.
Angrilly I tell her that it is ridiculous, and said very politely " No thank you, I won't buy anything" and left.

Then I sent a local to buy and bought what I wanted to buy from the same kiosk for just 50 sh!

How unfair this is!

You can easily fall into a trap and book your safari trips with an unreliable agent.
Be sure to read other travellers' comments on reliable sites like VT, TravelPod,and TripAdvisor.

Don't be easily convinced that you will have the time of your life especially when you get a safari on a budget price!

There are many small and unreliable companies. Everyone wants to become a tourist agent arranging safaris.
It can spoil your whole trip, a trip you have been planning and dreaming for years!

Unique Suggestions: When back, write your impressions and let people know about the unreliable company.

Fun Alternatives: Try to find an alternative, try to get at least part of the money you have given back prettending that something very serious has come up and you have to leave! Don't go on to the second safari if you see the first one is not worth it.

Planet Safari Adventure is a safari company in Nairobi. When I arrived Nairobi airport the company persuaded me to take a three days Masai Mara safari. They offered me a free night in hotel included in the price. It wasn't a hotel, but rest rooms for the safari company's town office. The rooms are mostly used for the kenyan staff and drivers who lives outside the city. The office is at the 9th floor in the Sonalux House, which is a bit dilapidated as you can see in the picture. But I don't mind about that. The worst thing was all the mosquitos. I have never experienced so many mosquitos before, and the place had no mosquito net. It was a sleepless night with many mosquito bites.

Fun Alternatives: I would gladly have paid another hotel room instead of this room for free.

There are few opportunities for locals to make a few extra dollars so they look for any way to make ends meet. One of these ways is to try and become your tour guide of the city. This can be rather annoying (and potentially dangerous depending where they take you) though is a good way to see the city.

Unique Suggestions: If approached make sure you have a chat about expectations. Many will drop you and look for someone else while others will advise that they are looking for a few extra dollars to help feed their family. On my trip I was approached by several and ended up taking a very long walk with David. He was a Zimbabwe national living in Nairobi with siblings and looking for a few extra dollars to help out. I got a tour of much of Nairobi - parts I should not have gone into! - and ended up with a stack of photos that I would never had captued and sights that I would never have seen.

One thing I noted about Kenya (and Tanzania) was the different prices for tourists and how much greater they are than for locals. While I agree in principle I did wonder a couple of times at the extent of the difference. An example is the Nairobi Museum which is KS100 for locals and KS800 for tourists (approx $US13).