10 Things I didn´t know about Kenya
Travelling has a lot of benefits. Besides meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and trying new food – it will also help you to broaden your mind and you might even learn a local language. During my 10 day road trip in Kenya I learned many things that I didn´t know before. I put together a list of 10 Kenya facts that I found super interesting.
1.
Nairobi National Park is the only National Park in the world that is in a city. Besides that, it is the oldest National Park in Kenya and home to 4 out of the BIG 5. We spent about 3 hours in the park and my tour guide Kevin managed to find Lions, lots of Buffalo’s and Rhinos.
2.
Almost 50 % of Kenya’s energy is generated by Geothermal energy that is released due to volcanic activation.
3.
In Kenya a huge percentage of bills are paid via M-pesa. M-pesa is an app on your phone where you upload money and can pay easily with your phone. M-pesa started off in Kenya and spread to other countries.
4.
Kenya has a massive flower farming industry and is one of the biggest exporters of cut flowers in the world.
5.
Swahili, one of the official languages in Kenya, is a mixture of Arabic, Portuguese and other local languages. Swahili is spoken in a few other countries which include Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
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6.
Nairobi, Kenya´s capital is one of the most developed cities I have come across in Africa so far. The city is home to multinational companies and many embassies from countries all over the world. Besides that, it is home to the United Nations Environmental Programme and home to many other international organisations. This is one reason why you can find a massive community of expats in Nairobi.
7.
Kenya is home to the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest slums in the world. Kibera is within Nairobi and going on a Nairobi tour that includes Kibera should be one thing to do once you are in Nairobi.
8.
A big percentage of the best marathon runners are Kenyans.
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9.
The area around Nairobi and down to Masai Mara is Masai area. The Masai subsist on their own livestock (goats, sheep, cattle (cows and bulls)). The Masai have always used their land for grazing and pasture and have always coexisted with the wild animals. This is why you find the best game viewing options in the National Parks like the ones located in the Masai areas which includes Nairobi National Park, Amboseli National Park and Masai Mara.
10. Swahili Words
Many words that are used all over the world are originally Swahili words. Let me give you a few examples:
- Safari = journey
- Jenga = build
- Hakuna Matata = no worries
- Simba = Lion
Have you been to Kenya? What was one Kenya fact you didn´t know? Let me know in the comments!
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It stands March 2018
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