A visit to Karura Forest is a special place.
It costs 600 shillings to get in ($6.00USD) and I bought a laminated map for 200 shillings.($2.00 USD) I am really glad I did because I would have been afraid I was lost.
For most of the time I saw no one. The silence is peaceful, but a little scary as there are signs about being on the alert for wild animals.
I made my way to the waterfalls
and then to the caves.
You do not venture inside the caves. They have a sign saying that the bats are roosting and not to disturb them. However, there is a sign that says an archaelogical dig found evidence of cave men living there long ago!! There were lots of steps, so I got a good workout.
I made it to a restaurant in the forest- a true oasis with beautiful modern bathrooms and an upscale menu. I asked why all the people were dining there in suits etc.
The waitress said they come from nearby offices. I learned that many embassies surround the forest.I was very glad to get a bottle of cold water!!
It is definitely worth your time to visit. On another day, I went to the Nairobi Arborteum. It is was just 50 shillings to get in (50 cents USD) and there were no maps. While it was marked with paths,
I was still afraid of getting hopelessly lost and missing my ride back. However, people were helpful and they got me back to the gate. There were fascinating trees of all kinds!!
I discovered an area where they were setting up for a wedding. Looked like a very beautiful setting.
As I was leaving I noticed this sign saying the Arborteum is a "corruption free zone".
That's says a lot about Kenya and its system. I was told that many times police stop vehicles on the roads and threaten to arrest them unless they pay a bribe. I never experienced this,but I heard it from a person who did.
For more information, please see:http://www.friendsofkarura.org/ and
http://www.naturekenya.org/content/nairobi-arboretum
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