Family fun bucket list

Great memories are made up of loved ones, new adventures and companionship. Wondering what fun can be had with family and friends before end of year? Try these five ideas.

1. ZIP LINING OR FOOT GOLF AT THE FOREST

The forest is the perfect place for some wholesome bonding and family-oriented activities. Barely 45 minutes from Nairobi, the center is near Limuru, in the Kereita Forest.   

Book in advance to ensure that you all get the best out of trip, and more importantly, secure discounts for the adventures you would like to participate in. Besides zip lining and foot golf, experience archery, fly fishing, horse riding and cycling.

PS: The minimum age for the activities is nine. Also, the centre does not handle cash, so have mobile money or your bank card ready. They do not allow outside food and drinks but have a well-stocked bar and a restaurant. 

2. THE BROWN CHEESE EXPERIENCE

The Brown Cheese Farm lies just half an hour’s drive out of Nairobi among the beautiful tea plantations of Tigoni. 

Let the children run around the farm experiencing the varieties of cheese and a tour of the factory learning the processes. This is usually followed by delicious lunches with food sourced from their kitchen garden.

This is a wonderful opportunity for families to sample excellently prepared cheese and learn something new. The cheese tasting is accompanied with a variety of homemade bread, jams, chutneys and salads that are all homegrown using bio dynamic and organic farming methods. Bookings for this intimate experience are done online, Thursday through Saturday and farm visits are by appointment only.

3. ULTIMATE SEA EXPERIENCE

Kenya is one of the finest destinations for water sports of all kinds. And while numerous coastal resorts offer some of them, visit  Raydon Water Sports in the South Coast for an authentic water world adventure. They are arguably the leading motorised water sports adventure provider, being the first company to introduce fly boards and jet packs in Kenya. Experience banana rides, jet skiing, fly boarding, snorkeling and deep sea diving near the coral reefs.

You can also book a dhow trip to Wasini Island and enjoy some dolphin-watching. The children will immerse themselves in a rich cultural experience since ancient Swahili villages lie around the coastal scrub.

Explore Shimoni Caves, thought to have held slaves before the voyage to Arabia, and stop by Wasini Village for some tasty seafood.

PS: Teenage children will get the most out of this experience. 

  4. NGONG HILLS HIKE

Another fun and family friendly activity to engage in is a hike up Ngong Hills. The Ngong hills are about 22 km from Nairobi’s CBD thus making it a popular weekend destination for visitors from Nairobi and beyond.  

Ngong hills is a gazetted forest reserve and the hiking trails begin at Ngong town and traverses to the southern end.

It takes about 4-5 hours to traverse all the seven steeps, depending on your fitness level. The hills may take a toll on you, but there are magnificent views all around making the trek worthwhile. Once you complete this climb, then you can graduate to tougher climbs including the Aberdares and Mt Kenya.

PS: Entry fee is Sh 200 and if feeling a little jittery, you can hire an armed guard at about Sh 500. 

5. CAMPING IN A NATIONAL PARK

Most Kenyans turn their noses up at the idea of camping. There’s no denying that it’s absolutely not a five-star spa resort holiday, but it’s different in the best ways possible. Not only is it affordable, but also the children will get to experience something they will remember for ages. 

There is no better place to camp than in our parks.   Nairobi National Park, just a short drive from Nairobi’s central business district has three campsites from where you can  savour wide open grass plains and a backdrop of the city scrapers as you sleep beneath the stars amongst a wide variety of wildlife. Any national park around you will have camping facilities.