VIDEO: Nairobi ranked third best 2017 travel destination
Nairobi has been ranked the third most desirable city to visit in 2017 and described as “Africa’s youngest, fastest-growing metropolis and the beating heart of the continent’s largest economy”.
The administrative capital is the only African city in a which includes Paris, Isfahan, Bristol, Antwerp, Medellín, Atlanta, Osaka, Guadalajara and Palma.
British travel publisher Rough Guides, which carried out the ranking, has released a two-minute time lapse video of the city’s skyline.
Nairobi- A Timelapse Portrait from xixo collective on Vimeo.
Citing the world-famous Nairobi National Park, the guide recommends forays into the city’s dynamic urban landscape, restaurants in their dozens, art projects and a growing fashion scene.
The guide that has been published since 1982 mentions these as alternatives to the traditional trips to curio shops, coffee houses and museums. A host of thrift and boutiques are also highlighted.
“Skip Nairobi now and you’re missing out, big time,” the guide concludes.
The ranking comes days into the new year when tourist numbers are traditionally high following the December holiday period.
But a number of Western nations including the United Kingdom, where the travel guide is based, still have travel advisories for several areas in the country, Nairobi included.
Advisories by the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand describe the Eastleigh suburb as a high-risk area and advise against all but essential travel. Other areas include Kibera, Mathare, Kasarani and Buru Buru .
Kenya has been the target of terrorist attacks dating back to the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy and the 2013 attack on Westgate shopping mall that left about 65 dead.
VIDEO: Nairobi ranked third best 2017 travel destination
