Karen

Considered the most exclusive suburb in Kenya. A whites only area were africans were expected to carry a pass when walking in the area even for a period after independence. Three (3) events will have a huge impact on the future of Karen as we know it:- 1. Dualing of the Western Bypass. 2. Completion of the bypass connecting Langata Road at langata Police Station to Prestige Mall. This will form a seamless connection from Westlands through Kileleshwa, Lavington, Kilimani (through Yaya) and on through Ngong Road at Prestige to terminate on Langata Road at Langata Police Station. 3. Dualing of Bomas to Karen shopping centre and onwards to Southern bypass along Dagoretti Road. Dramatized by the adventures of Lord Erroll and named after Karen Blixen, a Danish coffee farmer and author of the colonial memoir Out of Africa which was turned into an Academy Award winning movie by the same name. Her Coffee farm occupied the land where the suburb now stands, and extended upto Embul bul. Blixen’s home has since become a museum and is an International tourist attraction. Her farm’s office is now known as the Karen Coffee Garden. Other tourist attractions in the area includethe giraffe center, the exclusive giraffe manor and the ololua nature trails. Karen lies south-west of Nairobi CBD. It borders the Ngong Forest and is home to the Ngong Racecourse. Karen and Langata jointly form an area of mid to high-income residents. It is a vibrant residential suburb characterized by big mansions, many trees, tranquil atmosphere, and plush gardens. Karen is also a center for many upscale schools, clubs, restaurants and hotels in the city, offering cuisines from around the country and the world. There is a branch of the Red Cross in Karen.