Matatu Mini van used to transport passengers from Narok to Nairobi
The main mode of transportation among Kenyans is the Matatu, a Nissan minibus. You buy a ticket (300KSh), either on the Matatu or from a booth next to where it is parked. Then you sit and wait for the matatu to fill. There is no schedule. The road leading from Narok to Nairobi is very rough. The Journey to Nairobi is only two and half hours away from Narok but because the road is very rough it can take up to four hours. You will read in all your tourist books about how dangerous the Matatu’s are, but the reality is that there have been major changes to the public transportation system in Kenya since February of 2004. Today all Matatu’s are required to have functional seatbelts, take only 12 passengers at a time, and have a speed governor installed that prevents the vehicle from traveling faster than 80kmph. Since these reforms, the accident rate has decreased 60% and the roads are much safer than they used to be. However, the risk of injury from a car accident is still relatively high, so don't take road travel lightly. From Narok it is possible to travel directly to Nakuru (4 miserable hours, KSh 350), Naivasha (3 miserable hours, KSh 300), and Kisii (3 hours, about KSh 300). There are larger buses, which are slightly less expensive and have more legroom, but take longer to fill up. There is supposed to be a schedule for buses, but this remains a mystery to all volunteers who have been here so far. To get around in town it is possible to take a cab. A cab to Nairobi will cost you between Ksh 500 and KSh 5500, or to the airport for KSh 6000. Most people choose to use taxis to get to Nairobi when they are leaving..
