1. Have breakfast with Giraffes
Yes, I said it! A dash of giraffe slobber is an out of this world experience if part of your breakfast which is offered at the Giraffe Manor due to the large windows of the sunroom, which are left wide open, allowing some guests to pop their heads in, rather than take a seat. The manor is home to a herd of Rothschild’s giraffe. Situated about 20 kilometers from Nairobi city, the manor is a 1930s boutique hotel, set in 12 acres of private land, with a view of the Ngong hills.
2. Foster an elephant or adopt a Rhino in one of the private conservancies
Poaching has seemingly become an epidemic in Kenya, and such wildlife protections have found ways to protect the animals. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephants and rhinos with the aim of returning them to the wild. Visitors to the elephant orphanage come face to face with the infant survivors of the illegal ivory trade at the trust’s Nairobi nursery.
The babies play around in their daily mud bath between 11 a.m. and noon, with the entrance fee being from KES 500. If you’ve fallen in love with an elephant or rhino you can foster one, starting from US$50 a year. Lewa conservancy also have an almost similar programme, dubbed as adopt a rhino.
3. Go on a snake trek tour
You must be thinking Snakes?! Kenya is home to more than 100 snake species and snake safari are slowly becoming famous with the tours to spot them in forests, riverbeds, rocky cliffs and mangroves. The snake tours also feature their own type of of the Big Five, a safari centre to track pythons, boomslangs, puff adders, cobras and mambas. Some of Kenya’s top reptile experts lead the trip, the aim of which is to improve awareness and education about snakes and their role in the eco-system.
4. Eat in a cave
Thought to be around 120,000 to 180,000 years old, Ali Barbour’s cave restaurant in Diani gives you the ultimate experience to a dinner! You can spot stars while sitting at a table 10 meters below ground in this open-air coral cave. In wet weather times, sliding covers are placed over the holes in the roof to ensure a romantic dinner.
Though a sea food specialized restaurant, they also serve international cuisine with main courses starting from around KES 900, the catch of the day going from about KES 1,500 with the lobster thermidore being among the highly priced item on the menu, going for about KES 4,300.
5. Visit a Cheese factory
Though Kenya and cheese are not things that commonly go together, Kenya is home to the award winning Brown’s Cheese factory! Situated in Limuru, a 30 minutes drive out of Nairobi, Brown’s Cheese factory’s product has won many accolades, including the South African Dairy Championship and awards from the East Africa Cheese Festival.
The factory tour shows how the cheese is made, after which guests can settle down to a cheese platter, followed by a three-course lunch complete with homemade chutneys, bread and home-grown salad. They also offer cheese-making classes for kids! An afternoon at the farm costs from about KES 3,500 per person and includes up to three glasses of wine or beer. Kids under five are free, 5-11 years rate is KES 500 and 12-plus years rate is KES 1,500, with visiting hours being from 12:30-4 p.m.