10 Things to Do in Kisumu That You Shouldn't Miss

April 8, 2018 Brain Ambrose

Kisumu, officially known as Kisumu City (and formerly Port Florence), is a Kenyan inland port city on Lake Victoria and the capital city of Kisumu County, Kenya. At an elevation of 1,131 m (3,711 ft), the city-county has a population of 968,879, while the metropolitan region comprising the city and its suburbs and satellite towns of Maseno, Kondele and Ahero was estimated at over 1 million in early 2017. It is the third largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa. Kisumu is the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province, the headquarters of Kisumu County and the proposed headquarters of the Lake Region Economic Block, which is a conglomeration of 13 counties in Western Kenya. It is the largest city in western Kenya and the second most important city after Kampala in the greater Lake Victoria basin.
Restaurants in Kisumu

1. Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

Harambee Rd, Kisumu 40100, Kenya +254 57 2501535
Excellent
26%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
24%
Poor
6%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 170 reviews

Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

Reviewed By Lucy K

Beautiful facility. They have kept the park as natural as possible, retaining the streams and vegetation. Lots of impalas and zebras among others. My son was excited to see the lions, total highlight.
The park entry rates are very fair. A must visit when in Kisumu

2. Kisumu museum

Kisumu, Kenya +254 710 803386
Excellent
23%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
34%
Poor
12%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 73 reviews

Kisumu museum

Reviewed By nabiebayoh - Kisumu, Kenya

The Kisumu museum show cases the culture of the luo people. Houses within a homestead are spatially located based on their inhabitants (notably the heirachy of the wives). Visit the homestead and probe the musuem staff for more information. There is a snake house and a snake garden; in the snake house there is a collection of pythons, vipers, and the black mamba etc - make sure you stay long enough to see the inside of the mouth of the mamba! A collection of tortoises outdoors, and a crocodile pen. The aquarium showing different types of Freshwater fish is worth a stop-by. Visit the main museum building where artifacts are displayed including tools used by different ethnic groups in the past.This place also host weddings usually at weekends, so you maybe lucky to see a wedding part with all the glamour!!

3. Dunga Bay

Harambee Road, Kisumu 40100, Kenya +254 720 650869
Excellent
30%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
9%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 42 reviews

Dunga Bay

Reviewed By SamWaweru - Nairobi, Kenya

I visited Dunga beach with friends in January 2017. We had not made prior arrangements but on our arrival, Jimmy one of the local guides met us and took us around the area. After introduction, we took a one hour boat ride in Lake Victoria and seeing the new way of fish farming inside the Lake was an eye opening experience. We also learned more about eco tourism while on the papyrus board walk your exploring the wetlands.

4. Thimlich Ohinga Pre-Historic site

Kisumu 00200, Kenya
Excellent
58%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 14 reviews

Thimlich Ohinga Pre-Historic site

Reviewed By Solomon_Juma - Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

I liked the arrangement of stones that formed the boundary walls of the early men that have remained intact for over 500 years, without the mortar. Their watch tower and the buffer stones in addition to the escape gate commonly referred to as rot/roth in Luo. The twin gates are a strategically placed to separate entry points of men and livestock.

5. Kit Mikayi

Near Kisumu-Bondo Road, Kisumu 40100, Kenya
Excellent
30%
Good
47%
Satisfactory
23%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 13 reviews

Kit Mikayi

Reviewed By Tassaduqhussain51 - Multan, Pakistan

Kit Mikai- A Mysterious Rock Formation
Kit Mikayi is a Mysterious rock formation located in a village about 30 km from Kisumu, 3rd largest city of Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa. Various local traditions are ascribed to this bundle of 5-6 huge stones placed on each other through some natural phenomenon like earth quack, floods or some great upheaval. It appears to be a “tourist trap’ in true tradition of the Tourist Industry. Kit Mikayi means “Stone of the First Wife”. Thus a tribal myth has been assigned to the formation and a Kenyan tribe started worshipping the stones placed on each other. There are many other similar strange stone formations around this site scattered in an area of 150 sq. km which lead to the conclusion of some natural accident thousands of years ago. There is nothing special at this site except few stones placed on each other. The entry fee is only 200 shilling. But the journey to the site is not worth the amusement.

6. Ndere Island National Park

Kisumu, Kenya +254 20 600800
Excellent
27%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
27%
Poor
4%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 22 reviews

Ndere Island National Park

Reviewed By Holly H - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Take your water bottles and good sun protection...hiking this island is hot and if you don't hike much, strenuous! That said, it offers beautiful unspoiled vistas and some wildlife. Not for those in poor health or with young children.

7. St. Theresa Cathedral

Kisumu 40100, Kenya
Excellent
51%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 6 reviews

St. Theresa Cathedral

Reviewed By collins952 - Kisumu, Kenya

standing tall towards the sky, the st. teresas Cathedral is an epic building that shows the love that the ancient missionaries had for the kenyan flock. the design is superb with floral and religious designs of yore that purifies the body. the picture of christ on the cross and mother mary stands in elegance towards the striking sun facing the rather so wide open air market, kibuye in kisumu...

8. Masai Craft Market

Omino Cres Rd, Kisumu 40100, Kenya
Excellent
0%
Good
67%
Satisfactory
33%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 6 reviews

Masai Craft Market

Reviewed By Katherine S

The masai market in Kisumu is a much smaller version of the one in Nairobi, which (as you would expect) means there is less selection. That being said, this is a great place to pick up some locally made crafts. In particular, there is a good selection of soap stone products (mined in nearby Kisii) and you can watch craftspeople craving the stone as you stroll the little shops. Two pieces of advice:
1. Walk all the way to the back, start with the shops back there, and then move back to the front. Most of the shops are selling the same things but the ones at the back tend to be cheaper as less people make it back there because they're distracted by / buy from the shops near the front.
2. If you're claustrophobic, don't enter the small shops, just view the crafts while remaining outside. There tends to be one entrance to each shop and the aisles are tiny. The owners and shop attendants use this to their advantage and will block your exit unless you finally cave in and buy something. If you really insist you're not buying something they'll let you leave but the whole situation gets a little awkward...

9. The West End Shopping Mall, Kisumu

Achieng Aneko Road, Kisumu 40100, Kenya +254 733 630260
Excellent
26%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
33%
Poor
6%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 15 reviews

The West End Shopping Mall, Kisumu

The West End Shopping Mall is a beautifully decorated shopping mall in the center of Kisumu. It houses the Nairobi Java House which is Kenya's premier family style restaurant, Woolworths - the South African clothing store, TACC - the Tile and Carpet Centre, one of the largest City Walks in Kenya and Uchumi - Kenya's people's supermarket. Also home to the Samsung showroom, Healthy U, the Wine Shop, Opulent, Mamas Toto, DHL, Optica, Simba Telecom among others. The first class mall is connected to the Acacia Premier Hotel expected to open its doors to the public in the first quarter of 2015

Reviewed By foreveyman - Rotterdam

In the city-ceter of Kisumu you will find the shopping mall. Included: a.o. Kenya-airways, samsung shop, wineshop, Java house, Uchumi supermarket and entrance to the new Acacia hotel. The place is very clean and is visited by many tourists/expats.

10. Mega City

Kisumu-Nairobi Road, Kisumu 40100, Kenya +254 57 2021333
Excellent
0%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
100%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3 based on 2 reviews

Mega City

Reviewed By RazSunshine - Milton Keynes

Good place to take the kids to enjoy indoor activities such as Bumper cars; tea cup rides; Arcade; soft play Area for little kids Cafes around for quick bites

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