Day 1: Nairobi – Kericho – Kisumu

Depart from the hotel After breakfast driving through the Great Rift Valley to a stop over at the View Point on the Great Rift Valley to have a glance at the breathe taking Escarpment. Arrive in the Green town of Kericho surrounded by Tea plantation for lunch, and then proceed to Kisumu city arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight at a hotel.

Day 2: Kisumu Full Day
Full day will be spent in Kisumu visiting the Museum, the Impala Club, Dunga Beach and a hike at Ramogi Hills. Lunch, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Kisumu – Luanda – Mbita
Depart Kisumu after breakfast having a stop over at

Kit-Mikayi (stone of the first wife of the Luo tribe) in Seme to learn the history and the sacred attachment of this rock to the Luo tribe.Proceed to Akala market to interact with the locals selling their wares. Proceed to Ndori then further on as you see the landscape to Luanda Beach for an onward ferry to Mbita Point. Transfer on to Lake Victoria Safari Village, the beautiful that blends the wonders of Lake Victoria to check in followed by a small hike to the hill next to the cottage to have a glance at the Islands around the Lake before settling for dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Day 4: Rusinga Full Day
Early breakfast then depart for fishing using traditional built up boats with your picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will be driven past the cause way to Rusinga Island with a visit to Tom Mboya Mausoleum. Trek to Ligongo Hills for a panoramic view of the Kavirondo Gulf before you drive back to the cottages for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Mbita – Ruma National Park – Homa Bay

Depart after breakfast and drive to the only known home of the endangered Roan Antelopes. After game drive, proceed to Homa Bay for lunch followed by a hike to Asego Hill to have a proper view of the day before proceeding to the Pier to interrupt with the travelers using the traditional boat and the traditional fishermen. Dinner and overnight at a hotel.}
 

Day 6: Homabay – Kisii – Nakuru

Depart Homabay after breakfast and visit Tabaka Soap Stone factory to amaze at the local work of different designs. Picnic lunch on the way, then drive to Lake Nakuru national Park for a game drive in search of both Black and White Rhino, Leopards, Baboons and the abundant Flamingo Birds. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Nakuru town

Day 7: Nakuru – Nairobi

After breakfast, depart for Nairobi via the Escarpment arriving early afternoon.

NOTE: This program can extend to Mara on request.

Day 1: Nairobi –Awendo
Depart from Nairobi the Capital City of Kenya to Awendo town to begin your 9 Days Cultural Safari . On the way you will see the beautiful landscape. Awendo has large Sugarcane plantation and host one of the largest Sugar Factory – Sony Sugar Factory.
Dinner and Overnight at a budget hotel

Day 2: Awendo – Gogo Falls – Thim Lich Ohinga

After an early morning breakfast, depart to Thim Lich Ohinga via Gogo Falls. Thim Lich Ohinga - the unique architectural stone structure situated in Nyanza province 181kms South of Kisumu in Migori district to pitch your tents and get ready for the wonder. The site lies on a gentle sloppy hill some 46kms North West of Migori town near Macalder’s mines. Its exact geographical location on map is at grid reference 019 474 on sheet number 129/4. Thim Lich Ohinga literally in dholuo language means “frightening dense forest or scary jungle” was occupied after the Bantus by Kabwoch Kochieng clan who drove away the Bantus then followed by Kanyamkago clan whom also subsequently were driven away by Kadem who are the present occupants of the area around Thim Lich. However, the Kanyamwa clan came also to settle here but most of them decided to move to Lambwe valley around Kakaeta in Ndhiwa. The small number remained behind around Thim Lich Ohinga.Dinner and overnight in the mobile tents or at a budget hotel nearby town.

Day 3: Thim Lich Ohinga – Macalder Mines – Thim Lich Ohinga.
After breakfast, we will drive to Macalder Mines, have a walk in the compound and get to learn how the Gold processing was been done by local people before driving back to Thim Lich Ohinga for lunch, then spend the afternoon at leisure taking your notes with an optional guided Nature walk to the villages to meet the people and get to learn much more about the rich culture and tradition of the Luo people and especially the Kadem clan at a cost. Not forgetting the panoramic view of this virgin land and its natural status.Dinner and overnight in the mobile tents.

Day 4: Thim Lich Ohinga – Sori – Nyamgondho site – Sindo – Mbita
Depart Thim Lich Ohinga and drive up on to the highway dirt road to Sori, a stop over at the mythical stone which disappeared with no trace. Then to the right further to Karungu then to Gwasi, turn left at Kiabuya shopping centre then drive and meander over to the vintage hill to have a glance at the most scenic panoramic view of Kiwa Island which is the most busiest Island and very rich in fishing activities and the peninsular almost 2km inside the lake. Pass through Nyandiwa shopping centre, then turn left to reach Nyandiwa beach where we will stop and leave the car. Walk to the legendary site of Adikinyi Nyamgondho (connoting the time and the type of fishing in dholuo) the wife of Julu son of Ombare. Listen to the legendary story from the locals. After the amazing story, Drive further, still along the Lake through Gingo shopping centre which is known for its Dagaa (smallest type of fish in Lake Victoria} We reach Mbita early evening, check in at a budget hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: Mbita – Rusinga Full day
After breakfast, depart from your accommodation with your picnic lunch and drive past the course way to enter the famous Rusinga Island. Rusinga is an austerely pretty island with high crags dominating the desolate goat-grazed landscape. A single dirt road is running around this scenary Rusinga Island. Ecologically, the island is in very dire straits: almost all its trees have been cut down for cooking fuel or been converted into lucrative charcoal. Drive towards left from the junction to see Ligongo Hill site where Dr. Mary and Louis Leakey found the skull of Proconsul Africanus which is believed to be approximately 18 million years old and was a man earliest ancestor and so was taken to National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi where you can view it when time allows, further drive to Tom Mboya’s mausoleum which lies on family land at Kamasengere on the north side of the island, about 7km by the dirt road from Mbita, or roughly 5km directly across the island. The mausoleum (open most days to visitors) contains various mementoes and gifts Mboya received during his life time. Tom Mboya, civil rights champion, trade unionist and charismatic young Luo politician who was gunned down in Nairobi in 1969, sparking off a crisis that led to over forty deaths in widespread rioting and demonstrations.Drive further to go around the Island with its beautiful scenary.

Day 6: Mbita – Takawiri - Mfangano – Mbita
After breakfast, with your picnic lunch, ewe take traditional boat ride past the two smallest Islands of Lake Victoria to reach the beautiful Island of Takawiri with very white sands. You will get to know how they survive and live with the traditional fishing style. We ride further to Mfangano Island where we have the geometric rock paintings at Mawanga cave and Kwitone in the Island. It is believed that the rock art pre-dates the migration of both Nilotes and Bantus and is thought to be the work of ancestral Twa, a forager-hunter people who may have been originally related to the pygmies of Eastern Congo.The paintings are thought to have been made between 1000 and 4000yrs ago and may have been used for rain making purposes.After disembarking, we will have 5 minutes walk from the boat to Mawanga. Although they were painted as part of a vanished mythology, the cave, the paintings and the surrounding area retain powers in the traditions of the Abasuba. The Wasamo clans, who lived around the cave, were the rain makers of the Abasuba, and the elders agree that the paintings have been used for rain making ceremonies, with the red paintings representing the moon and the white ones representing the sun. After getting to learn the wonders of the two rock, we ride back to Mbita, picnic lunch en-route,Note: You can donate towards the upkeep of Abasuba community peace Museum in Mfangano to continue with their good work of maintaining the rock arts.

Day 7: Mbita – Kit Mikayi – Kisumu.
After an early breakfast, depart from the hotel at 06:30am to the ferry which departs at 07:00am to Lwanda K’Otieno . Between Mbita and Lwanda, you will have a chance to see fishermen at work in their boats closer to the ferry. After disembarking drive to Seme to reach Kenya’s most dramatic archaeological site, a vast granite rock tower called Kit Mikayi. The rock is situated in Kisumu district, Maseno division, East – Seme – location, Kit – Mikayi sub-location, Kangeso village, Kadol clan.The rock which is about 70 to 80 ft tall is located 30kms Far East of Kisumu city and 1km from Kisumu - Bondo road. The mythical story behind Kit Mikayi will be told by the local guides as they know from generations.Drive further to Kisumu to check in at a hotel or a guest house for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 8: Kisumu – Lwanda Magere site (Kano Sidho) – Kericho
After breakfast, drive to Awasi junction, divert on your left hand side and then drive to the site where one of the great Luo sons was laid to rest. Magere was staying in Kano in a clan called Sidho, however, he was not a true Kano man, he was from Kombe clan which was not Luo but “Mwa”. The mythical story about Magere is that will be told by the locals living around the site One day, while the first

After this fascinating and moving story, we will drive back to Awasi junction, turn left and drive through the beautiful panoramic view of Nandi hills, Muhoroni sugar e.t.c. to reach Kericho early evening , check in at the hotel. Kericho is a Tea country which has placed Kenya to be the world third largest Tea producer after India and Sri Lanka. There are beautiful rolling hills carpeted in neat, bright green tea bushes as far as you can see. The climate here is perfect for Tea with rain falling almost every afternoon. Kericho was named after Ole Kericho, a Maasai Chief who was killed in the battle by the Gusii in the 19th Century. Optional tea plantation tour can be organized at an extra cost.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel. 

Note: You can donate towards the maintenance of this wonderful site and the upkeep of its Curator.

Day 9: Kericho – Nairobi
After breakfast, take your picnic lunch boxes with you, depart to Nairobi through the Tea plantations and the tropical Molo forest into Great Rift valley with a view of Mt Longonot dotted in Mau Escarpment arriving in Nairobi in the evening to end your trip.

Day 1: Nairobi – Kericho
Depart Nairobi early in the morning for a trip through Great Rift Valley with a stopover at the view point to have a glance at Mt Longonot and the breathe taking escarpment to reach Kericho town for lunch. Kericho is a Tea country which has placed Kenya to be the world third largest Tea producer after India and Sri Lanka. There are beautiful rolling hills carpeted in neat, bright green tea bushes as far as you can see. The climate here is perfect for Tea with rain falling almost every afternoon. You can arrange tea plantation excursion at a cost.
Dinner and an overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Kericho – Kisumu – Kit Mikayi
After an early breakfast, depart from Kericho via Kisumu city to  Kit Mikayi. Kenya’s most dramatic archaeological site, a vast granite rock tower.The rock is situated in Kisumu district, Maseno division, East – Seme – location, Kit – Mikayi sub-location, Kangeso village, Kadol clan. The rock which is about 70 to 80 ft tall is located 30kms Far East of Kisumu city and 1km from of Kisumu Bondo road. The mythological story is told by the villagers. Picnic lunch enroute. Dinner and overnight stay at a guest house or hotel.

Day 3: Kisumu – Ndori – Lwanda Kotieno – Mbita
After breakfast, you will be driven to Impala Sanctuary which lies close to Hippo point and features 3kms of Nature trails and a selection of picnic sites. The sanctuary is a holding area for animals which require special attention in this densely populated area. The sanctuary’s focus is a small herd of Impalas, while the animal orphanage contains a collection of caged Leopard, Baboon, Hyena, Jackal and Ostrich. The sanctuary also provides important open grazing for the local Hippo population while the threatened rare Sitatunga antelope is believed to exist in the nearby swamp. A shady and peaceful place, with its abundance of Bird life, the sanctuary is a tranquil place to take a refuge away from busy Kisumu’s  city centre. Drive further to Lwanda Kotieno road, take ferry a cross to Mbita for dinner and an overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 4: Mbita – Rusinga full day.
After breakfast, enjoy a boat ride and fish for lunch. Enjoy the conversation with the local traditional fishermen using the traditional built up boats and traditional methods of fishing at the fishing beach points. Return back to the accommodation for early lunch. After lunch, leave accommodation and drive past the course way to Rusinga Island. Rusinga is an austerely pretty island with high crags dominating the desolate goat-grazed landscape. A single dirt road is running around its circumference. Life here is difficult, drought commonplace, and high winds a frequent torment. The occasional heavy rain either washes away the soil or sinks into the porous rock, emerging lower down where it creates swamps. Ecologically, the island is in very dire straits: almost all its trees have been cut down for cooking fuel or been converted into lucrative charcoal. These conditions make farming highly unpredictable and most people rely on some fishing to make ends meet. Drive around the Island visiting Tom Mboya  mausoleum (open most days to visitors) it contains various mementoes and gifts Mboya received during his life. Tom Mboya, civil rights champion, trade unionist and charismatic young Luo politician who was gunned down in Nairobi in 1969, sparking off a crisis that led to over forty deaths in widespread rioting and demonstrations.
Drive back to the accommodation for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Mbita – Sindo – Ruma National Park
After breakfast, we drive to Sindo, then to Ruma National Park.. Drive to Nyati camp or Kamato or Oribi Guesthouse to check in, followed by lunch then proceed for a game drive. Ruma National park lies in Western Kenya, close to the shores of Africa’s largest inland Lake, Lake Victoria. The park is considered the last retreat and the sanctuary of the endangered and threatened Roan antelope which is considered one of the Africa’s rarest Antelopes. This park was established as Lambwe Valley game reserve in 1966 to protect its indigenous population of rare Roan antelope which exist nowhere else in Kenya. It acquired national park status in 1993 and renamed Ruma National Park on the request of the local community in honor of one of the most powerful Kenya’s wizards, the much-feared Gor Mahia who was living high on a hill which now forms part of the Kanyamwa Escarpment, from where he could watch over all people because his magic was so powerful that he controlled not only South Nyanza, but far beyond. The classic image of East Africa is realized in Ruma National Park, a land of rolling Savannah dotted with picturesque Acacias and backed by dramatic hills. Compact in size, the park is easily traversed by only two major routes and offers a unique mosaic of reverie woodland, golden Savannah and magnificent Escarpments. Well away from the beaten tourist track and relatively infrequently visited, it is also a park that excels in tranquility and the solitary enjoyment of the wilderness.

Lying on the flat floor of the seasonally watered Lambwe river valley, the park is bordered to the South East by the breath taking Kanyamwa Escarpment and to the North by the dramatic Volcanic plugs of the beautiful Ruri hills. A long, narrow corridor of land contained on a first-shipped peninsular extending into Lake Victoria, the parks terrain comprises largely black cotton clay soil, scenic rolling grassland and open woodland thickets dominated by species of Acacia and Balanites. Apart from the Roan antelope which has a sanctuary here, we have also plenty of Africa Buffalo (the only native African cow) it is believed that Ruma National Park was the origin of almost all the animals found in Maasai Mara which were driven away by the Luo community, who are farmers and animal hunters by nature, through Migori, Lolgorien and into Maasai Mara. To prove this, keenly you could check the African Buffalo in Ruma National park with the normal Buffalos you can see in Maasai Mara are quiet different and more so, the Buffalos in Ruma National park are very Wild and have wide horns with very hard and big forehead which were protecting them from the bullets, arrows and spears of the hunters hence they remained behind. The park also act as a home to the common waterbuck, the Aardvark, the honey badger, the solitary nocturnal African civet, Serval, Genet, Topi, Impala, Vervet Monkey, Olive Baboon and at night you can hear the sound of the secretive Leopard and the common sound of the spotted Hyena which will give you the memorable sound of African bush. Return to Nyati campsite or Kamato or Oribi Guesthouse for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Ruma – Nyamgondho site – Thim Lich Ohinga
Enjoy after breakfast morning game drive in the park, and then depart with your picnic lunches through Magunga shopping centre with a stopover at the vintage hills between Magunga and Nyandiwa to have a better view of the rich in fish curved away Kiwa Island. The beauty of how water has entered the inland is so amazing that will take you with wonder. Drive further to the mythological site of Nyamgondho to get the story from the locals. We move towards Sori to have a glance at the mythical stone which disappeared with no trace and further move to Kadem then to  Lwanda Magwar and pass through the traditional Luo villages and reach Thim Lich Ohinga,  the unique architectural stone structure situated in Nyanza province 181kms South of Kisumu in Migori County.The site lies on a gentle sloppy hill some 46kms North West of Migori town near Macalder’s mines. Its exact geographical location on map is at grid reference 019 474 on sheet number 129/4. The Ohinga is believed to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in East Africa and only compared to Great Zimbabwe ruins and the modified Great Wall of China in terms of architectural achievements. A dry stone enclosure of zigzagging walls some 150m in diameter and 1.0 to 4.2m in height built on lose stones and blocks without any dressing or mortar. Archaeological record of material found within the site goes beyond 500yrs ago. Since the present inhabitants of the area arrived probably some 3 centuries ago, it seems most likely that Bantus who initially occupied this region prior to the arrival of Luos first built the stone structures. Abundant rocks on the hilly areas provided them with building materials to meet their security requirement to drive away the wild animals and protect them from the warring tribes around that area.

Thim Lich Ohinga literally in dholuo dialect means “frightening dense forest or scary jungle” was occupied after the Bantus by Kabwoch Kochieng clan who drove away the Bantus then followed by Kanyamkago clan whom also subsequently were driven away by Kadem who are the present occupants of the area around Thim Lich. However, the Kanyamwa clan came also to settle here but most of them decided to move to Lambwe valley around Kakaeta in Ndhiwa. The small number remained behind around Thim Lich Ohinga. You will be taken through by the curator. Dinner and overnight at the tents or a hotel.

Day 7: Thim Lich Ohinga – Rapogi – Awendo
After breakfast, we leave Thim Lich to Awendo through Rapogi. Awendo is a Sugar belt  town and every activity in life revolves around sugarcane growing and sugar making. We will check in at a hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Awendo – Tabaka Soapstone factory – Simbi Nyaima
After breakfast depart to Simbi via Tabaka united community project Centre, the manufacturers of soapstone carvings in Kenya, they make variety of quality items like candle holders, flower holders, sculptures, figures, coasters, plates, bowls, boxes, animal designs etc. Proceed further to Simbi to get the mythical story.  Dinner and overnight at a budget hotel in Kendubay.

Day 9: Kendubay – Orian’g Market - Kisumu
Drive from Kendubay to Orian’g Market for the famous clay pottery of all styles, types and sizes by Orian’g women group which is a self help group. Proceed to Kisumu, picnic lunch enroute with stopovers to places of interest and arrive in Kisumu in the evening to check in at your campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Kisumu – Lwanda Magere site – Nairobi
After breakfast, drive to Awasi to see the site of Luanda Magere and get the legendary story from the local curator. After this fascinating story, continue back to Nairobi picnic lunch en-route arriving in evening to end your cultural Safari