Strictly speaking, Nairobi, Mombasa and Eldoret are the only cities in Kenya that receive international travelers in Kenya who arrive by air. They are the only towns with international airports. However, “touristically speaking”, only Nairobi and Mombasa receive tourists. The city of Eldoret will come later. That means that most tourists and other wildlife safari enthusiasts enter Kenya and start their safaris from Nairobi or Mombasa. Kisumu is not mentioned.

However, with a large number of international travelers having activities in and around Kisumu, it has become necessary to look at Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city, as a potential safari base. Many of Kenya’s popular wildlife safari parks and cultural safari sites are also accessible from the city of Kisumu.

Safaris to the Masai Mara Reserve

Masai Mara, the world famous game reserve, is only 260 kilometers from Kisumu. You can enjoy the splendor and beauty of the Masai Mara if you have at least 2 nights free from your busy schedule. You then return to Kisumu or are dropped off in Nairobi if your safari is the last element of your visit to Kenya and you intend to fly from Nairobi.

Safaris to Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria

From Kisumu and surrounding areas such as Rongo and Migori, you can also visit the Rift Valley and enjoy the great scenery, wildlife, and culture. Approximately 4 hours of driving takes you to Lake Baringo. This is a 130 square kilometer freshwater lake found in the semi-desert district of Baringo. You can enjoy a boat trip on this lake and get a chance to see some great wildlife including crocodiles and hippos. Fishing is also possible on Lake Baringo. There is also a snake park in Baringo from where you can get up close to the reptiles.

Further down, you can visit Lake Bogoria, located on the Ngendelel escarpment, and marvel at the hot springs. You can boil corn or eggs in these springs. There is plenty of bird life and wildlife including the great Kudu.

Lake Nakuru Lake Safaris

Another interesting site that can be accessed from Kisumu and its surroundings is Lake Nakuru National Park. Just 200 km from Kisumu, it is home to millions of pink flamingos, fish-eating pelicans and more than 450 species of birds. It is also a good place to see game such as black rhino, lion, antelope, buffalo, and antelope. It is one of the best places to see the leopard, as well as the endangered Rothschild giraffe.

Safaris to the Serengeti, Tanzania

Visiting the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is also an option for Kisumu visitors. A 1 hour drive to the Sirare border post followed by another 2 hour drive to the town of Musoma and then drive to Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is the oldest and most popular park in Tanzania. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for the annual migration when 6 million hooves, not only wildebeest but also zebras and gazelles, march as one in search of fresh grass. And when the migration isn’t taking place, the Serengeti offers a stunning sight of game: large herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impla, and gazelle.

Visit to the barracks of Obama’s roots

Barrack Obama is the President of the United States. Can you say more? Still, it was said that Barack Obama’s presidency would bring many tourists from the US and possibly other countries to visit Kogelo. Kogelo is THE town where Barrack Obama’s father, Barrack Obama Sr., came from. Barrack’s father is buried in the town and some of his relatives, including the president’s paternal step-grandmother, Sarah Onyango Obama, still live in the town . He may wish to visit the village of Kogelo.

It is a rural town where most of the residents still live modestly through small-scale agriculture. The village has one elementary school, Senator Obama Elementary School, and one secondary school, Senator Obama High School. Barrack Obama Snr donated the land for both schools.