Western Kenya Culture and Community Safari - 9 Days

Western Kenya Culture and Community Safari, Kisumu Cultural Safaris, Lake Victoria Cultural Tours, Africa Cultural Tours, East Africa Community Tours, Adventure Travel in Africa, Special Interest Safaris.

Day 1 Nairobi – Nakuru – Kericho
Leave Nairobi early in the morning after breakfast and drive through the Great Rift Valley and have a stop-over at the View Point to have a glance at the breathtaking Escarpment. Proceed to Lake Nakuru for a game drive in this home of millions of Flamingos, the Pelican Birds and the White Rhino. Early lunch in Lake Nakuru Lodge, then proceed to the evergreen Town of Kericho to have the spectacular view of the Tea Plantation. Have some time to interact with tea pickers and learn much more about the laborers. Dinner and overnight at a Kericho Hotel.

Day 2 Kericho – Kano Plains (Lwanda Magere Site) – Kisumu
After breakfast, depart from Kericho to the plains of Kano and visit the grave of the legendary fallen hero of the Luo tribe. You will be briefed on the history of Lwanda Magere whom, according to history, turned into a stone after he was shot by a spear from a member of the Kalenjin tribe whom they were at war with. You can give your donation to the staff to maintain the grave and there welfare. Proceed further passing through the Rice Plantations arriving in Kisumu City late evening, picnic lunch en route, dinner and overnight at a hotel.

Day 3 Kisumu Full Day
You will spend a full day in Kisumu visiting Dunga Beach which is famous all over Nyanza for the sale of Fish. You will have an opportunity to interact with the local fishermen and get to know the culture around the fishing beaches. Proceed to the Museum where you will get to see different artifacts of the various tribes that occupy Western Kenya especially the Luo. Lunch in the hotel. After lunch proceed to Kit Mikayi (the stone of the first wife who is believed to be the mother of the Luo who rested here after a very long journey in search of the source of the Nile). Time allows you can have a hike at Riat Hills to get a glimpse of the Greater Kisumu City. Dinner in the hotel, after dinner, optional visit to a Discotheque or visit a live band and have a feel of Kisumu-by-night or retire after dinner to your bed preparing for the next day’s itinerary.

Day 4 Kisumu – Kendu bay – Homabay.
Leave after breakfast departing from Kisumu City and drive to Kendu bay experiencing the typical African rough roads to reach Kendu bay and proceed straight to Simbi Nyaima for a mythological story about this magical Lake followed by a visit to Orian’g market to view the amazing pottery work by the Orian’g Women Group. Have an early lunch in Kendu bay, then drive to Kanjira and Kanam Hot springs this will give you an opportunity of interacting with groups of men and women whose work is to transport the Soda Ash using Donkeys to the Town of Kisii for sale. This is their source of livelihood. If you have an egg, you can boil it within 5 minutes at the hot springs. Proceed to Homabay for dinner and overnight at a hotel.

Day 5 Homabay – Ruma National Park – Mbita Point
After breakfast, drive through Lambwe Valley reaching this park which hosts the largest number of Roan Antelopes in Africa to enjoy a game drive, picnic lunch, then transfer to Mbita Point for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Mbita Point Full Day
Have a full day in Mbita visiting the site at Ligongo Hills where Dr. Mary Leakey discovered the skull of early man - Proconsul Africanus. This archaeological finding is kept in the Kenya National Museum in Nairobi. The hill also acts as the Vantage Point to see on rotation how water has gone round the Island. Visit the Tom Mboya Mausoleum, built in memory of the vibrant Politician by similar name that was gunned down in 1963 which evoked demonstrations all over the Country. Tom Mboya was interred at his ancestral home in Kamasengre Village in Rusinga Island. Enjoy the mythological story of Nyama gi Ware the stones which are believed to have been bulls fighting from these different Clans. Get a ride around the Island back to Mbita in the evening, picnic lunch en route, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 Mbita Point Full Day.
We begin this day by visiting a local Catholic Church early in the morning after breakfast the rest of the day is dedicated to less fortunate individuals in the society e.g. Women groups organized by the widows as a result of HIV/ AIDS scourge, Orphaned children whose parents died of AIDS related diseases, Tom Mboya Memorial Hospital and the development projects which are being financed by voluntary groups etc Visit one or two local homes and get to know the real picture of how the common rural families are going over there usual choruses economically, socially and politically. Join fishermen pulling fish to the shore in the evening and get to learn how Luos as a tribe depends entirely on Fish as the source of their livelihood. Dinner and overnight in Mbita Hotel.

Day 8 Mbita Point Full Day.
After breakfast a visit to a local primary school which is in dire need of teaching equipments occupies the morning. Enjoy lunch at the hotel after which proceed for a traditional boat rally competition followed by optional activities e.g. a walk to Gembe Hills which is on the vicinity of your accommodation and has quite a number of Birds with a very tranquil surrounding or just relax around the hotel enjoying the serene of the facility. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Mbita – Kisumu – Nairobi
Early morning breakfast, then to the ferry to cross over from Mbita to Lwanda for an onward safari to Kisumu for early lunch, then proceed to Nairobi arriving late in the evening with a transfer either to a hotel of your choice or to the airport.

NB: This itinerary can be extended to Maasai Mara or Uganda on request. Under this itinerary, we organize the following on request:

Home stay for those who want to participate in day to day natural activities of the community.
Voluntary teaching practices in the rural schools.
Voluntary community development work.
Foster parenting.
Student exchange program.