Why not go for a picnic in the city

Nairobi National Park has entered into a partnership with the Sandy Vohra Foundation to open 10 new picnic sites with the focus of promoting local tourism.

The foundation was started in 2010, in memory of Sandy Vohra, the former Managing Director of the Sarova Hotels. The new picnic site, which will be accessible to the general public visiting the park, has also been named the Sandy Vohra picnic site.

According to Minal Vohra, Director of the foundation, the picnic site will offer the visitors a chance to experience the natural environment around the park as well as a recreational centre.

“Th10 picnic sites have been marked on GPS. Some areas are inaccessible at the moment, due to the terrain which is being worked on. A road plan to the picnic sites has been designed together with the KWS engineers. This will be the Green Line walking trail,” said Vohra.

“Our projects find an interest in the environment; providing education and shelter for homeless, orphaned or less fortunate children; medical-related projects to improve and to save lives; and various other causes,” she added.

Among the foundation’s projects has been the planting of 30,000 trees in a 3km stretch of the Nairobi National Park, in conjunction with Nairobi GreenLine Trust and KWS.

The Nairobi Green Line is a project that invites industries, conservationists, corporate organizations and the public to join the campaign to grow 300,000 trees from the Cheetah Gate in Athi River to the Carnivore restaurant to protect and enforce the Nairobi National Park boundary fence.

In recent years, Nairobi National Park has experienced ever-increasing human encroachment as the city expands. Its proximity to the capital has exposed the park and its ecosystem to massive environmental risks. In response to the challenges of climatic changes and global warming, the Nairobi Green Line offers participating organizations the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint by growing trees.

The new sites will add to the existing sites that will make up the list of places to picnic in the city.

With four days to kill over Easter, here are some of the other sites around the city you can visit. Mamba Village in Nairobi only 13 km from the city centre; Machakos People’s Park in the neighbouring Machakos county, only an hour away from the city.

Langata Botanical Gardens in Karen is a private site with the option of getting food from the in-house restaurant or bringing your own at Sh500 per person.

Nairobi Arboretum, City Park, Central and Uhuru Parks, all a few minutes within each other will offer the picnic facilities with the added value of kids’ activities. However, they may get a little crowded during the festivities so it may be better to look further afield.

Uhuru Gardens offers a combination of history and activities including buggies for the kids to drive around. It costs Sh200 for car entry.

Paradise Lost on Kiambu Road has boating and a tour of Mau Mau caves within the area.

Ivovoani Picnic Site, Machakos Fun Farm, Lukenya Getaway and Maanzoni Lodge all in Eastern Kenya offer hiking and picnicking as well as fun-packed activities for the family.

If you happen to be heading towards Ong’ata Rongai, ‘diaspora’, in Kajiado County, there are plenty of nyama choma bases including The Smith which offers a more restaurant appeal.

For a picnic or outdoor experience, Olotepees on the Kiserian-Isinya route or Olepolos on the Kiserian-Magadi route will be the best alternatives.

To add to the activity plan, a hike of the Ngong Hills can be part of the itinerary.

Other activities that the family can enjoy around the city include a tour of Brown’s Cheese factory in Limuru, Sheldrick Animal Trust, Giraffe Centre, Kiambethu farm in Tigoni, a tour of the National Museum and the snake park.