WESTERN DELIGHTS

Kisumu and its 'pull factors'

It is a well known fact that Kenyans barely take leisure travel seriously. I was guilty of the same until the time I enrolled at Utalii for a diploma in Travel and Tourism Management. Like majority of my countrymen, I envisioned a visit to upcountry as the epitome of being away from home. The good thing is that the perception especially of domestic tourism is changing, albeit at snail's pace. The government is doing the best it can with sensitization campaigns geared towards this especially through 

KTB’s 'Tembea Kenya' campaign. The media too is doing well with KTN’s Nature Diaries a good example.

In the course I study, we visit all the Kenyan tourist circuits and the last one is amazingly very rich, the youngest of all the circuits and sadly the least promoted and visited. Welcome to the Western Kenya Tourist Circuit.

Some of the attractions in Western Circuit

As its name states, this is the vast region west to our beautiful republic and should not be confused with Western-the administrative province. It spans from the golden shores of the biggest freshwater lake in Africa; Victoria to the high altitude slopes of Iten that Kenya’s world beaters in athletics mostly hail from and train at. Northwards it stretches to the agriculturally rich Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya’s ‘food basket’ with its undulating slopes carpeted by maize and wheat plantations. This gives way to the spectacular Cherangani hills that wind down in a surreal spiral of evergreen forests and crystal clear streams of water.

Kitale and its nearby attractions

Westwards to the town of Kapenguria lies the iconic Mt. Elgon that is rich in flora and fauna of all kinds, spectacular caves and salt licks that elephants utilize as you watch from a safe distance. One can also climb to the summit of its three peaks using both Kenyan and Ugandan routes as it sits right at the border. One can then head into Nyanza province and attractions are diverse and plenty; ranging from the homestead of the grandmother of the most powerful man globally, US president, Barrack Obama in Kogelo, Siaya County. This can be complimented by crossing the famous Yala River as it powerfully roars towards Lake Victoria and just before reaching Kisumu, Kenya’s 3^rd largest city; one can marvel and even pray at the astonishing rock formations famously known as Kit Mikaye.

The city of Kisumu is not only rich in fresh fish from the lake, but also plays host to one of the most rich sanctuaries in the land, the Kisumu Impala sanctuary that houses all the Big 5 apart from the elephant among other attractions. One can then pop into the Kisumu National Museum and get a chance to experience a Luo traditional homestead, aquariums of different kinds, snakes from around the continent among other cultural and historical artefacts.

In Kakamega one can view the exquisite rock formations that is the crying stone and the natural rain forest; the only one of its kind in the country while other attractions in the region include the  Saiwa Swamp, tea plantations in Kericho and the Kapenguria museum.

Infrastructure improving in this 'virgin territory'

Words are not enough but for an experience of a lifetime, visit the Western circuit and Tembea Kenya!