Kisumu- a beautiful Kenyan destination

Kisumu  is a port town situated in Western Kenya. Having a population of around 300K , it's the third largest city of Kenya and the biggest city of Western Kenya. It took me about 3 1/2 hrs. to reach Kisumu from Nakuru by road. From Nairobi it could be about  5 hrs. by road. This city was founded in the year 1901 , as the main inland terminal of the Uganda railway. The word Kisumu is derived from a word 'sumo' which means a place of barter trade.  The way to Kisumu from Nakuru was really ideal for car transport , with lots of greenery around, local restaurants and stops where local vendors were selling farm fresh vegetables. The journey was a comfortable one.
                                                                                                                

Kisumu town

The most commonly available modes of transport in Kisumu town is the  boda boda or a motorized vehicle. This is the most economic means of travel.  The places of interest in Kisumu includes- the Kibuyu market,  Kisumu Museum , Impala sanctuary , bird sanctuary , Hippo point , Kit Mikaye rock and Ndere Island National Park. This town was identified by the British explorers in the early 1898 as an alternative railway terminus and port for the Uganda  railway.

Kit Mikaye  rock

The famous Kit Makayi Rock is situated on the Kisumu Bondo road towards Bondo. The word mit Mikayi means 'stones of the first wife' in Luo langauge. Local stories say that it is the depiction of weeping of the first wife 'Miyaki' , whose husband took a second one. This rock site is popularly called the 'weeping rock' and is a very famous place of pilgrimage for the adherents of Legio Mara sect.





The importance of Kisumu lies in the fact that it's a port town and a trade route between Southampton and Cape town. The famous lake Victoria is the fishing ground and the bread earning basket of fishermen. The most easily available fish is the Tilapia.   Kisumu has got amazing accomodations ,  4 star hotels with all sort of  amenities are present here. Starting from 5,000 -15, 000 KSH per  person /night , Kisumu has got good accomodations and arrangements for visitors.

Shore line of Kisumu

Sunset in Kisumu

After the East African break up in the 1980's  and the late 1990's Kisumu port was practically dormant with little or no merchandising passing through it.

With lot of diversities in demographies , Kenya seems to be a combination of business, natural beauty , wild life , tourism centre. The strong British dominance is still felt over here and the development done by the British dwellers over here in the pre-independence era , and the attempt to improvise Kenya from all angles really deserve mention.