Getting around Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, and as beautiful and interesting as it might be, it is also crowded and hectic!
There are NO days without traffic (emphasize the NO and keep in mind that here, traffic = pollution), so how do you get around? You have options!! From the cheap ones to the expensive ones, and from the safest to the dangerous ones, the choice is yours. Recommendations below go from safe to less safe (for my adventurous folks who want to feel like locals), and accordingly expensive to cheap.
* Notice these notions are in Italic because I really believe cheap/expensive/safe/dangerous are subjective and vary from one person to another. Nairobi is deemed to be dangerous, although I have never experienced it (because I was faking being a local, fake it till you make it... LMAO,ask me about this), please be streetwise.
CAR RENTAL
Unless, you hire a driver to drive you around, DON'T. Kenyan drive according to their own rules, and driving there requires SKILLS, patience, and habits.
Renting a car and a driver will be your most expensive option for you will have to pay for gas (think about the huge traffic), for the additional driver entrance fees to national parks, for the corrupted police officers and so on... It quickly adds up
#Tip: It might be a convenient solution for groups since expenses are divided.
There are a lot of taxis companies in Nairobi. If you find one in the streets, the key advice is to never settle for a metered course and to always bargain even if they tell you "that's not how it works here". If you don't bargain, you will find yourself paying more than you are supposed to and traffic will dig your pockets. It happens that you might not know the real price of a course, ask locals and compare their prices to what the driver proposes.
#HonestOpinion: I never had to take a cab in Nairobi since I had more interest in taking local transport. However, below is a tip that applies to other countries as well.
#Tip: If no one is around, type your itinerary on Google Maps, the 4th option on your right shows you what an Uber or Taxify course will cost you. Use those prices to bargain.
TAXIS
UBER
Uber is an "almost universal" platform, which is a quite safe alternative to get around. To enjoy their services, you will need to download the app and choose a method of payment, which varies from a country to another.
For instance, Uber Kenya allows you to pay in cash. Though I don't recommend it because of change issues, and also because unlike Uber Canada (only plausible example I can give since I live there), the price you see when requesting an Uber won't be what you will actually pay. Uber in Kenya depends on how long the ride was and how many KMS the ride covered. Thus, pay attention to roads your driver is taking.
Uber Kenya allows you to choose between "ChapChap" (generally really small cars), UberX, Boda and Uber Select.
TAXIFY (NOT TAXI5)
The #NoTaxi5 mention is important because the app actually does exist. Indeed, I was complaining about how bad it was until I discovered that I was using the wrong app...
Taxify is an Uber-like app used by many in Nairobi. It gives you more options and allows you to choose from Boda Boda/ piki drivers and actual cars. It is usually cheaper than Uber :), + what you see is what you pay.
#Tip: My code (if still valid) is ML6J7 to save 250kshs on your first ride
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
MATATUS
Mataaaaatuuuuus, I get so excited when talking about it. IN FACT, THEY ARE WAAY MORE THAN TRANSPORTATION MEANS, THEY ARE A CULTURE, a PHENOMENON!. Have you ever watched MTV's Pimp my Ride show (my 90's babies) with Xzibit and been like wooooaaaw? Wellll, even though not all of those matatus are "pimped out", some (many) are and they are incrrrredible.
The big matatus are much more interesting than the small ones! They are spacious, customized according to a theme ( shoutout to Matwana Culture), which sometimes impacts the music playlist. If you are lucky, you will board a matatu with screens all over and watch video clips during your trip, isn't that amazing?
Moreover, they have a super amazing organization when it comes to payment. In one word, I was impressed (Pretty sure, you see me coming up with the article on matatus' culture in Kenya? annnnd YOU GOT IT RIGHT), buuut let's switch to their practical aspect because they are really useful and the cheapest option.
They usually cost 20 to 50 Kshs depending on where you are going. Staying in Kileleshwa and going around town, I never had to pay more than 50 for a ride! Though, you need to be aware that while matatus save you a lot of money (mark my word), there is a huge game of patience involved... especially if you take one at the matatu main stage (the name for places matatus usually collect customers from), since they wait to be full before leaving. Therefore, you are better off boarding a full or almost full matatu.
In Nairobi, the matatu stage in town is called Odeon, that's where they will drop you and where you will also transfer if needed.
So how do they work? Pretty simple. You just need to make sure you take the correct matatu, prepare your money to pay and if you don't know where to get off, ask either the driver, the associate or your neighbor (better the driver because some people don't know).
If they tell you that you need to connect, don't worry, connections are pretty easy
#Tip Have small bills (50-100-200) or coins, and always ask for your change back.. they sometimes "forget" when they realize you are not from there and assume you might not know the real price.
# If you are in a hurry or want to get somewhere faster, never and I repeat ever board an empty matatu! or don't even take one at all.
# If you really want to take a matatu and be somewhere on time, allow yourself two hours for commuting because of Nairobi traffic and matatus' slowness.
# Constantly keep asking the associate to not forget to show you where to get off but be wise doing that since people around might notice that you are not from around and take advantage of you... it's Nairobi, people don't play
Protect your belongings, keep an eye on them
#HonestOpinion, For safety freaks, matatus can be a lot of stress.. drivers barely respect roads rules, no belts inside, in remote areas they sometimes overload the car, and all of this can seem bothering for some, but I loved using matatus and never had anything bad happening to me
Photo courtesy by Matwana
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
Photo courtesy by Isaac Biosse
PIKI PIKI or BODA BODA
In Nairobi, they are called boda-boda. However, I'm more comfortable calling them piki-piki because I stayed in Kisumu longer than in Nairobi. There, we used to call them such because boda-boda actually describes bike rides (really cheap rides usually only found in small cities or remote areas).
Since there are no bike rides in Nairobi, people call them boda-boda, but even if you say piki-piki, they will understand you.
So what are they? They are fast motorbike rides offered for a somewhat reasonable price. You need to bargain and fix the price before the ride starts, and don't be moved by the "this is too far, you should add more money" they might throw at you during the ride. You can retort back with "I go there every day, I know my way, that's the usual price", and that's it. In Nairobi, there are some areas where they have been banned (e.g. downtown CBD) so it might be more difficult to find one, and even if you find one they are always on the look for policemen.
Although somewhat safe in remote areas, they are strictly not advised in big cities such as Nairobi for drivers are known to drive carelessly with no helmets, and are also apparently associated with robbery... Yet, because I'm "me", they were my favorite transportation mean. This, because I got used to them in a safer and less busy environment (Kisumu) but also because they are quicker, cheaper in a way and I love the riiiide .. minus the pollution! When I wasn't in a matatu I was on a piki, they were my go to when I needed to be somewhere real quick and with all the traffic in Nairobi, they might also become your best friend.
However, I'm not gonna lie to you, #HonestOpinion every time I was taking a boda-boda in Nairobi I was doing my last prayer!
#Tip: While on the road, You Choose your piki driver, they won't stop for you. So choose wisely, trust your guts and go for those who have an helmet. If you are worried, ask him for a helmet (most drivers generally have two of them). Let him know that it is your first time, that you are not used to it so that he drives carefully. Pole Pole (pronounced polé) means slowly in Swahili and might become your favorite word while on a piki.
If you are still hesitating, I know a good Nairobi piki driver: Rogers. He is very friendly and would be happy to help you. If interested let me know.
A local also told me about safer piki piki apps such as SafeBoda, with which the passenger is given a reflector jacket and helmet. Never used it but you might want to check it out
+ADDITIONAL INFO: TUK-TUKS
In other parts of Kenya, you will find tuk-tuks, properly known as "auto rickshaw". They are a funny little combination of car and motorbike on three wheels
#HonestOpinion I personally don't like to use them because they are noisy and I find them slow (though, in some places like Diani you don't really have many options)
So, all in all
Always bargain for piki-piki, tuk-tuks, and taxis.
1.
Ask locals, ask around. Use your Swahili basics.
2.
#UBER, If you are scared, send the plate number to someone who knows your whereabouts and whom can check on you every 15 mins.
3.
#UBER, if you have data, keep an eye on the map so that you follow the road and know where you are going.
4.
Use Taxify when possible, it is cheaper than Uber and piki-pikis in real life.
5.
Don't take a matatu if you are in a hurry!
6.
Take care of your belongings, be cautious.
7.