Kevins Kibera Slum Tours

Kevin’s Kibera slum tour is not for the faint-hearted, but it’s an experience I won’t forget. This is a real community, not Disneyland or a luxury hotel. The paths can be dusty or slippery, with bamboo and wooden rails, rubbish, smells and the odd sharp piece of metal overhead. Take care, watch your step and mind your head. I felt safe throughout. Our guides were well known and loved by the community, and they looked after us carefully. The children were the highlight: happy, welcoming and full of life. We visited several classrooms, spoke with teachers and helpers, and saw how community effort and outside support are helping them learn. The teachers volunteer, and the rooms and resources are very basic. We also saw smoke in the kitchen as food was being prepared for the children. It’s an eye-opener, and you can see how much support they need to build a future and have the same opportunities as anyone else. We were welcomed into a family’s home and got a glimpse of how simply people live. Life isn’t perfect here, but people do their best with the cards they’ve been dealt, just as we all do. Please take the tour if you can. Meet the children, listen to the community and support their future. I promise it will be worth every shilling. The pickup and drop off are very convenient and safe to do this tour. I prefer this rather than meeting in kibera alone where I do not know anyone. Guided from door to door. Excellent tour. Take it and you will not regret it 😀

+12

We were picked up right at our hotel by Kevin and after picking up another couple we went directly to Kibera. Kevin explained what we would be doing and gave us the history behind the location and how him and his brother Ishmael began their tours. After parking in a central location we went to two schools and did a home visit at Ismael's house. It was a very humbling tour. Seeing how people here live their daily lives and not only survive but smile with what's been given them. The children at the schools were adorable snd so excited to see us. We brought some school supplies and they were graciously received. So glad we decided to take this tour and help support (through Kevin) the work that is being done in the community to bring food, shelter and education to the most vulnerable.

It was a brilliant, insightful visit and Kevin is very nice. As he says, you call it slum we call it home.

Kevin gave us a wonderful and very insightful tour of Kibera. He told us about the history and origins of the community and gave us a genuine insight into everyday life in Kibera. We were particularly impressed by the school and orphanage that have been established, which we think is a wonderful initiative. Kevin’s brother, who still lives in Kibera, also warmly welcomed us into his home, where we had the opportunity to meet his family and see what everyday housing in Kibera looks like. The tour gave us a much deeper understanding of the Kibera community and the people who live there. We were very impressed by Kevin’s knowledge, openness and the way he shared his personal connection to Kibera. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to learn more about Kibera beyond what you see from the outside.

Was a very humbling experience but so worth the visit. Learned a lot about life in Kibera and met some wonderful people. Would highly recommend a visit when in Nairobi

I'm conflicted on which adjectives to use to describe this excursion since the proceeds may be going to a good cause, so I'll detail the excursion as I experienced it in a party of 3: We were greeted by a professional guide named Ismael and then taken by Uber to the slums. We then spent the next hours navigating slippery and hazardous walkways and steps. They were slick and hazardous due to runoff, sewage, and dilapidation. Some pathways were poorly lit, requiring the use of our cellphone lights. Additionally, some of the corrugated metals used to construct the homes were frayed, carrying with them a severe risk of getting cut as we passed by. I would have liked the guide's professionalism to extend to this portion of the excursion to ensure we all were navigating safely and to be mindful of any hanging sharp edges. We spent time visiting classrooms where we were greeted with rehearsed welcomes and asked seemingly prepared questions. Some of the classrooms were poorly ventilated as we stood amongst the children and audible coughs. Our party was split on this experience; I wanted it to end 30 minutes into it while my brother was totally engaged. At the end, however, I was happy that I did not end the excursion prematurely because the man who operated the bone workshop was very lively and a pleasure to be around. What Tripadvisor should have included in this excursion post is that hiking footwear (or something similar) is recommended, high tolerance for foul aromas, mosquito repellent due to standing water, not recommended for individuals with respiratory issues (i. e., asthma), and high potential for slips, trips, and falls.

Excellent tour from Ishmael, it was a truly eye opening experience and the best way to meet the wonderful citizens of Kibera who were incredibly welcoming and kind. Highlights are the school visit - the children will ask you hard questions about your own country, and are grateful for what they have. I would wholeheartedly recommend.

I can absolutely recommend this tour with Kevin. From the beginning, he was professional, reliable and very friendly. One thing to keep in mind is Nairobi traffic – it can be extremely unpredictable, especially during rush hour. Our tour started a little later because of traffic, but this was absolutely no problem. Nothing was shortened or rushed. I saw everything that was planned, had plenty of time at every stop and felt very well looked after throughout the entire tour. What impressed me most was that this did not feel like somebody simply guiding tourists through Kibera. Kevin grew up here, still has family in the community and seems to know people everywhere. You quickly realize how important the word “community” is to him. We visited kindergarten classes, a school, local projects and workshops, walked through different parts of Kibera and I was even invited into his brother’s home, where I had tea and shared breakfast with the family. These personal encounters made the tour particularly memorable. Before booking, I had actually thought quite a lot about whether visiting Kibera as a tourist could feel inappropriate or voyeuristic. After doing the tour, I am very glad I went. Kevin and his brother treated the people we met with respect, and at no point did I feel that poverty was being presented as an attraction. Instead, I learned a lot about everyday life, the challenges people face and, above all, what they manage to build with extremely limited resources. Kevin also supports projects within the community, which was another important aspect for me. So if your pickup is a little late: don’t panic. Nairobi traffic is Nairobi traffic. :-) Kevin is reliable, takes excellent care of you, gives you all the time you need and makes sure you get the complete experience. For me, this was not only a tour of Kibera, but one of those travel experiences that stays with you afterwards. Highly recommended.

+4

Lonely Planet and other misguided publications say "don't do slum tours." They are wrong and Kevin and his brother will show you why. You have to take their tour to understand what daily life is like for the residents of Kibera, Africa's biggest slum. With Kevin's tour, you will see what this neighborhood is really like. You will be welcomed. You will learn a lot. You will have a chance to donate to his worthy charity. You will meet wonderful children and very friendly people. I came away feeling hopeful--not sad--because there are many bright and capable people living in Kibera. By booking this tour, you can help Kevin and his brother give people a chance in this neighborhood. Yes, book the tour!

Fantastic tour by Kevin. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about his community and highlighting the needs of that community and their collective spirit.