Things to do near
Kilimani
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Big Event Venues
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Nairobi Central (2.8 km from Kilimani) Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) is a multi-storied facility located in Nairobi’s central business district. It has hosted numerous international conferences, seminars, exhibitions and special events. The centre is conveniently within walking distance of several five star hotels.
Animal Parks
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Nairobi (6.9 km from Kilimani) Visit the unique Nairobi National Park – the planet’s only protected reserve neighbouring a capital city. Here wildlife can often be seen against an urban backdrop of skyscrapers.
Situated only 7 km from Nairobi city centre, the park is home to black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, buffaloes, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, elands and diverse birdlife.
Interesting attractions include the Ivory Burning Site Monument, Nairobi Safari Walk, the Orphanage and walking trails at the hippo pools.
Shopping Malls
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Nairobi (7.5 km from Kilimani) Galleria Shopping Mall offers 3 floors of shopping, dining, and other lifestyle services. Along with ample parking bays, a Food Zone and a colourful kid's play area; Galleria provides a convenient and entertaining shopping experience.
Animal Parks
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Nairobi (11.9 km from Kilimani) Founded in 1979, the Giraffe Center in Nairobi has a mission to be the leading wildlife conservation education organization for the youth in Kenya.
Part of this non-profit organization is the highly successful giraffe breeding program. Here on this 120 acre land, giraffes are bred and then released back into the wild once they reach the age of 2 years. Since the beginning of the project, the Giraffe Center has bred over 50 giraffes, with most of them released back in the wild.
The facility also houses the education center, where students and locals are offered free education in the importance of nature conservation and environmental issues.
Visitors are more than welcome to visit the center, interact with giraffes and learn more more about conservation efforts. The center also houses a gift shop and tea room.
Galleries and Museums
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Langata (12.1 km from Kilimani) Karen Blixen Museum is the original Kenyan home of Danish author Karen Blixen; author of the book 'Out of Africa', which was made into a Academy-nominated film in 1985 of the same name.
Following Karen Blixen's departure from Kenya in 1931, the estate has changed ownership several times, until it was purchased by the Danish government in 1964 and given to the Kenyan government as an independence gift. The estate was initially used as the principal's residence for the College of Nutrition, but following the autobiographic movie 'Out of Africa' in 1985, it was turned into a museum the following year.
The museum helps put Blixen's movie into context, and much of the movie scenes were filmed here on location. There are a few items that still feature inside the home from Blixen's period in Africa, with some rooms restored to their former state.
The museum is open daily from 9:30 to 18:00. Admission is Ksh 800 and Ksh 400 for children under 16 (prices are less for residents).
Nature Reserves
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Naivasha (71.3 km from Kilimani) Situated on Lake Naivasha, Crescent Island Park is considered one of the most beautiful parks in Kenya. Naivasha’s best-kept secret is home to abundant birdlife, with impressive numbers of pelicans, cormorants and fish eagles. There are more animals per acre than any other Kenyan park; attracting documentary crews to film the herds of wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra and gazelle.
Hippos graze all over the island at night, then sleep under acacia trees or rest in the water by day. Giraffe born on the Island return to give birth, and sometimes three generations can be seen at the same time. Hyenas come to hunt at night but are not resident on the island. Pythons are occasionally seen with their prey. Groups of buffalo come and go but they are always monitored.
From the top of the hill there is a 360-degree view across Lake Naivasha from Longonot to Hell’s Gate, to the Mau Escarpment to Eburu and onto the Aberdares. Don’t miss walking along the ridge in the ‘golden hour’ before sunset to watch the animals grazing against the backdrop of shimmering water – this is what Africa is all about.
Crescent Island Park is private, secure and patrolled by guides who accompany anyone keen to go on guided walks. Surrounded by water, the island is actually a peninsula that is accessible by boat as well as by road. The trip from Nairobi takes under two hours on a tarred road.
Galleries and Museums
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Nyeri (98.7 km from Kilimani) Lord Baden-Powell was a writer, founder of the Scout Movement, Chief Scout and lieutenant-general in the British Army. He is buried at St. Paul's Cemetery and his grave is one of Kenya's National Monuments
His gravestone bears a circle with a dot in the centre "ʘ", which is the trail sign for "going home", or "I have gone home". When his wife Olave died, her ashes were sent to Kenya and interred beside her husband.
Galleries and Museums
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Nyeri (98.7 km from Kilimani) Paxtu Cottage was the former home of the Scout Movement founder, Lord Baden-Powell. Today the cottage is integrated into the Outspan Hotel buildings and serves as a small Scouting Museum. Baden-Powell died in 1941 and his grave at St. Paul's Cemetery in Nyeri has been declared a national monument.