Fun Facts about Kenya. It will increase your appetite to know more and to visit the country

1. A few facts to make you a bit acquainted
with Kenya
The birth place of my son –
Baraka
Baraka means Blessing in
Swahili, which he truly is

2. The Equator
Divides Kenya in
TWO

3. A Great Place to Observe
the CORIOLIS EFFECT

4. Mt Kenya –
The
Highest
Point in
Africa @
5200
Meters

5. Yes, Mt Kenya has a lot of
snow at the summit

6. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cool Cool Cool Cool Short
Rains
Short
Rains
Warm Warm Warm Long
Rains
Long
Rains
20 degrees MAX
8 degrees MIN
27 degrees MAX
14 degrees MIN
Moderate Weather across the Year
Nairobi can be quite chill !!
Mercurial Weather….Changes from pleasant to cold within a
few hours in the Day

7. The Classic Movie
starring Meryl Streep
and Robert Redford was
set in Kenya
Story of Karen Blixen
(From Denmark)

8. Makes for a nice
Saturday Out

9. Joy Adamson – Of the movie
“Born Free” Fame
With Elsa

11. Robert Baden Powell
and PAXTU in Nyeri
(Paxtu was where he lived the last
3 years of his life)

12. Rite of Passage/Coming of
Age
Maasai Boys need to kill a
Lion when they are 13
years old

13. Masai……. Circle and Jump High Chakacha of the Coast…… Heavy waist movements
Unique Qualities of the various Kenyan Dances

14. Kilimi Dance of Kamba…..Shoulder
Movements
Mwomboko Dance of Central…..Hand
and Feet Movements
Isukuti Dance of West…..Full body
Movements
Unique Qualities of the various Kenyan Dances

15. On the way north of Nairobi……… The Rift Valley View Point
Bulk in Kenya…….. Craters and Lakes …..around it

16. A Region of Great Beauty
Great Bird Diversity
Most important site for the
Lesser Flamingo (4 million)
Great White Pelican
3 Alkaline Lakes – Bogoria/
Nakuru/ Elementaita – listed
among the UNESCO world
Heritage sites

19. Wildebeest Migration –
Best time to Visit is Mid
July to Early August

20. Hunting is illegal in Kenya
since 1977
Best countries for Legal
Hunting – Zimbabwe,
Namibia, South Africa

21. Undertaker Bird
- Marabou
Stork, very
common in Kenya

22. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
and Elephant Orphanage
# 1 on Tripadvisor for Nairobi
You can adopt a baby elephant
too !

23. Kenya has won 61
medals at the
Olympics in Long
Distance
The decathlon
running shoe is
named for the tribe
famous for producing
long distance runners
- KALENJINS

24. Where all the runners
come from – Iten in Rift
Valley (2600 m)

25. Kibera – The Largest
slum in East Africa
5 km from City Center
in Nairobi
Half Million residents

26. Most Kenyans are well Dressed
….especially in Nairobi

27. Second Hand clothes are huge in Kenya
100,000 Tonnes
80%
Below is the largest 2nd hand clothes mkt - GIKOMBA

28. Football is the
biggest sport in
Kenya
The most awaited
derby of the year is
GOR Vs AFC

30. Matatus are Nairobi’s public transport
Known for their Graffiti art

31. These are the more common Matatu’s
Notorious for flaying traffic rules

32. Ugali – made of Maize Flour – is the most common staple
food

33. Sukuma Wiki – (Collard Greens)– is another common staple
food

34. Githeri
Made of Corn and Beans
Maharagwe
Beans
Irio
Made of Potato and Peas
Some of the other popular vegetarian dishes in Kenya

35. Nyama Choma – Most Popular Meat Preparation in kenya

36. Tilapia – from Lake Victoria region – is Kenya’s most
popular Fish

37. Carnivore – Most famous meat restaurant – for
tourists/locals

38. High influence of India on Kenyan Cuisine

39. Karoga – Kenyan Indians contribution to the culinary map of
Kenya…..The customers cook their own food at a Karoga

40. Kenyans prefer their Beer WARM !!

41. MURATINA is the local Kenyan Brew – made from the fruit
on the right (The Sausage Fruit Tree)

42. Kenyan Indians – Big contributors to business landscape in
Kenya
Atul Shah – Nakumatt
Largest Retailer in
Kenya
Vimal Shah – Bidco
Food, Oil, Soaps
Naushad Merali – Sameer
Group

43. Daily Newspaper is
Rs 40
Monthly package for
premium TV is over
Rs 5000
It’s expensive !

44. You need patience on Nairobi Roads
Most roads are single lane !

45. Rs 40,000
Craze for human hair in Kenya !
$ 450 Million industry in India
The temple at Tirupati in India earns $ 150 million selling
the hair which is cut at the temple

46. No one uses motorcycles for personal transport
It’s used as a commercial vehicle – Boda Boda

47. 98% of cars in Kenya are second hand – imported from
Japan

48. High levels of Bias based on the tribe you come from
10 major tribes (43 overall)

49. Late party scene – till almost 5 am in the morning in Nairobi

50. The coastal town of Malindi is practically – Little Italy
Over 60 hotels owned by Italians

51. All major construction in Kenya is Chinese dominated
You get very authentic Chinese food in Nairobi

52. Sport Betting is the latest craze in Kenya
A big spurt in Smartphone penetration is due to the betting craze…. 8 Betting
companies operate here

53. Mobile Banking /M Payments are over 10 years old in Kenya
45% of the country’s GDP passes through mobile banking
IT IS CALLED MPESA

54. Nairobi is only capital city in the world which has a full
fledged National Park in its midst

55. Sometimes to Lions get outside the park and onto the Roads
!!!

56. The deep south coast has Wasini Island and Funzi Island –
with great marine life and Dolphin watching

57. And some fantastic
snorkeling
opportunities

58. The Kenyan Coast is home to some of the best white sand beaches –
Diani / Galu/ Tiwi / Shanzu Beaches

59. DO PLAN A VISIT HERE
SOMETIME !!