Narok Coffee House
Narok Coffee House
Two Digital Gypsies Rating – 2.5 Stars
It’s interesting to me how perceptions and expectations can change just by where you are at in the world. If the Narok Coffee House were here in the States I would consider it a marginally good place to have a coffee and something to eat, and I would probably not frequent the business. During our month-long stay in Kenya, most of which was in mostly the Maasai community, we looked forward to the chance to stop at the coffee-house for a coffee and some food to eat. That’s because in Narok it offers one of the few non-chaotic places to eat and currently offers the only public restrooms available for use in a town of 40,000 people.
The Narok Coffee House is located on the outskirts of Narok town and has a courtyard with outdoor seating that offers some respite from the intense and often pushy tourist salespeople and shop owners located in town. Plus the coffee-house has running water and flushing toilets which is a big deal if you have spent much time in Kenya. It gets an extra star in my rating for this reason. If you do decide to go into town and buy gas or other supplies, you’ll be instantly recognizable to the aggressive salespeople and shop owners I mentioned earlier. Luckily for us our guide David grew up in the Maasai community and was able to keep the over zealous salespeople at bay. When I asked David where all these people go to the bathroom he said, “Behind a tree, down by the river, or out behind a building.”
If you’re in Kenya on safari and go to the Maasai Mara National Reserve, chances are your safari operator will be stopping at the Narok Coffee House for some food and a chance to use the public restrooms. By the time you reach the Maasai Mara you’ll be glad they stopped.
