38 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | MAY 2018
THE ITINERARY KENYAROBERT MUCKLEY//MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGESNAVIGATING NAIROBI IN 36 HOURS
KENYA'S CAPITAL PACKS IN QUITE A PUNCH. FROM PETTING PACHYDERMS AND FEEDING GIRAFFES TO
BUYING MAASAI TREASURES AT POP-UP BAZAARS, THERE'S PLENTY TO DO BY GEETIKA SASAN BHANDARI
DAY 1
FEED ROTHSCHILD GIRAFFES
9 a.m. Go anywhere in East Africa and animal-spotting invariably
creeps into your itinerary. In Nairobi, The Giraffe Centre offers
this thrill. The origin of this conservation centre is as fascinating
as the Rothschild species of giraffes it nestles and nurtures. It
all started in 1979 when Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of
British descent, along with his wife Betty, founded The Africa Fund
for Endangered Wildlife. The empathetic couple was moved by the
sorry state of the Rothschild Giraffe (a sub-species found only in
the grasslands of East Africa), of which only 130 were left on the
18,000-acre Soy Ranch. Since the ranch was being subdivided
to resettle squatters, they brought two young giraffes, Daisy and
Marlon, to their home in Lang'ata, a suburb 25 kilometres from the
city centre. The couple then started a breeding programme and
resettled some more giraffes. Thanks to their efforts, there are
now over 300 Rothschild giraffes across various Kenyan national
parks. But The Giraffe Centre is where you can get up-close with
them, even feed them corn and molasses pellets, as they stick out
their grey, speckled tongues to lick the treats off your palm. To
look right into the gorgeous hazelnut eyes of these long-necked
beauties, climb up to the feeding platform. A good way to end your
trip here is inside the Daisy Zoovenir Shop. My family ended up
buying fridge magnets and story books on Kenya, and browsing
through decorated pencils, salad spoons, wooden letter openers,
and beaded jewellery (giraffecentre.org).