Spent most of a week in Ongata Rongai right outside Nairobi … theres one asphalt road through it, the rest are dirt tracks in all directions.
From Ongata Rongai, a town right outside Nairobi. It may look like a bit of a dump, but its super vibrant & charming on the ground. Blacksmiths, furniture builders and all sorts of other creations are being done on the roadside and sold right there by the road. Small christian congregations are everywhere – fully equipped with neon signs & preachers jumping into the streets with microphones. Loitering people are wandering about. Small restaurants and bars seem to be bustling with activity night and day.
Overall, Ongata Rongai is certainly not a place to go to for luxury treats and orderly relaxation … to the contrary, its a chaos of activities and often anarchy seems to rule, but it has a very charming addiction and welcoming atmosphere too. You can be spellbound just sitting in a roadside bar with a cheap meal watching all the activities and people passing by or try a shopping trip through the mainstreets for excellent deals on everything under the sun
Ongata Rongai is an entirely different experience from anything you will meet in the western world or indeed in a luxury downtown Nairobi hotel – its bustling, charming and vibrant … try it and enjoy 🙂
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