The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary spans about 38 ha. It was created to provide a home for threatened Impalas within Kisumu city and its environs. It also provides a safe grazing area for hippos from the lake.
The sanctuary consists of two portions, separated by private developers. KWS is coming up with ideas on how best to utilize Impala for conservation. Located just a Kilometre from Kisumu CBD, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary lies close to Hippo Point and features 3km of nature trails and a selection of picnic sites.
This walking sanctuary is a holding area for animals which require special protection in this densely populated area.
The Sanctuary’s focus is herds of impalas and zebras which roam freely in the sanctuary. This is where it derives its fitting slogan: A Lakeshore Walk With Impalas...
Within the sanctuary is an animal orphanage that contains a collection of caged lions, leopard, cheetahs, baboons, hyena, jackals, bush duikers, bush buck and buffaloes.
The sanctuary also provides important open grazing for the local hippo population while the threatened sitatunga antelope exist in the nearby swamps and can be seen early in the morning.
With over 115 bird species recorded, the sanctuary is a delight to birdwatchers especially in the morning and late afternoon. There is a new public campsite in the sanctuary, State Lodge Campsite, which has modern amenities.
There are also several picnic sites within the sanctuary that offer excellent venues for weddings, corporate events and functions.
The Sundowner tower which faces the Railway trail is a perfect area for sundowners on the shores of the second largest fresh water lake in the world.
A new gate (Sunset Gate) connecting the sanctuary with Sunset Hotel has been opened to ease access by the guests from the Hotel.
A shady and peaceful place, with its abundance of birdlife and picnic areas beside the lake the Sanctuary provides an ideal refuge away from Kisumu’s busy town centre. The Sanctuary is open all year round.
The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary was gazetted in October 1992, after which a holding facility for captive animals in the Western Conservation Area (WCA) was developed within the sanctuary to enhance tourism.
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For more information on Kenya's Parks and Reserves visit Kenya Wildlife Services website
The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary - A Lakeshore Walk With Impalas
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Cradle of Mankind, Turkana
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http://www.magicalkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=360
Kenya’s North is desert country- hot, parched and broken by volcanic activity, where ancient blackened lava flows and endless thorn trees stretch from horizon to horizon.
Getting to Turkana overland is no mean feat. While it is possible to fly
to the Lake in a Chartered aircraft (and indeed flying is recommended
for the furthest Northern reaches) it must be said that flying to
Turkana some what distills the adventure.
This is place where the journey is very much part of the destination-
and it is only by taking the long difficult road that a real sense of
remoteness is gained. However, the flight itself is quite an experience,
taking in wonderful vistas across the Suguta Valley and providing a
birds eye view of the Lake itself.
Most visitors make the longtrip from Nairobi over a 2 or 3-day period,
stopping en route at Maralal, Samburu, or Marsabit. The trip winds
through some beautiful country, and travelers invariably encounter
Rendille camel trains, and pass by tiny villages and nomadic encampments
along the way.
The history and cultures of the North- the Samburu, Pokot, Gabbra, Borana and many more are written upon the soil of this trackless land- and travelling through this area is a great education in itself. Both the East and West shores of the Lake each offer unique areas of interest.
At the South East tip of the Lake, reached via South Horr, the tiny oasis of Loiyangalani (“the place of the trees”) attracts many travelers to its palm groves, where a constant wind offers relief from the searing heat.
There is a well-maintained campsite and basic lodge here. Many safari
companies and operators offer truck trips to this area- sometimes
combined with a Camel safari further south.
Cradle of Mankind
For over 100 years, the National Museums of Kenya’s has been protecting,
preserving, and promoting Kenya’s Historical, Natural, Cultural
heritage and recently its Contemporary Art through Museums, Antiques and
Monuments.
Kenya is endowed with the richest pre-historic fossil heritage dating
over 100 Million years ago, back into the dinosaur age. The Lake Turkana
eco-system is amongst Kenya’s six World Heritage Sites. The lake is the
world’s largest desert as well as alkaline lake containing the largest
Nile crocodile population.
The National Museums of Kenya holds the world’s largest collection of
human pre-history, the longest and most complete record spanning over 27
Million years. You can also find records of fauna and plant species
related to the evolution theory e.g. elephants, crocodiles- displayed
in-situ at the Cradle of Mankind site.
In addition to fossil records, the existence of a long record of
technological evolution with tools as old as 2.3 million years old also
exists. The study of human evolution still continues to-date through the
tireless efforts of Kenyan scientists at the National Museums of Kenya.
A Kenyan; Mr. Kamoya Kimeu, made our most famous
discovery, the Turkana Boy dated 1.6Million years. This was a young boy
of 9 – 12 years old, 1.6 meters tall, and is the only almost complete
skeleton of a human related fossil ever found in the world.
Make your pilgrim trip to the Cradle of Mankind and discover the land
where our ancestors once trod. Take a journey through the most
spectacular scenery in Kenya while experiencing the rich cultures of
minority communities like the almost extinct El Molo.
Loiyangalani
Loiyangalani is a good base for exploring- either by boat to South Island National Park, or by climbing nearby Mount Kulal- a challenging climb which needs to be undertaken with care.
El Molo Bay is home to Kenya’s smallest tribe, the El Molo whose numbers
have dwindled through intermarriage and linguistic and cultural
absorption into the Turkana and Samburu communities.
One of the last true hunter-gatherer communities, the El Molo are centered on this small bay, which is also a good place to spot crocodiles and birdlife.
One of the last true hunter-gatherer communities, the El Molo are centered on this small bay, which is also a good place to spot crocodiles and birdlife.
Outside influence has been slow to reach this distant frontier, and the
El Molo, Turkana and other communities along the Lakeshores still live
lives dictated by tradition, myth and custom.
In many places here, life continues unchanged as it has for centuries.
Sibiloi National Park
For the more adventurous, the long road North leads to Sibiloi,a 1600 square km National Park recently accorded World Heritage Status. This park is a real surprise after a long desert journey- there is plenty of open green, grassland- and plenty of game. Zebra, Topi, Giraffe, Ostrich, Hippo and the occasional Lion and Cheetah have all been sighted in the park.Koobi Fora Museum
Situated along the Eastern shores of Lake Turkana is Koobi Fora Site and
Museum, a World Heritage Site also popularly known as the Cradle of
Mankind. On site are mainly extinct fossils like the crocodile, giraffe
and tortoise at least four times larger than today’s.
You can also relax at the Koobi Fora camp overlooking the lake away from
city life, enjoy spectacular sunsets and teeming wildlife. Koobi Fora
is a very important site for Hominid Fossils, famous internationally
since Richard Leakey’s discovery of ‘1470’ a 2 million year old skull of
Homo Habilis.
As interest in visiting this area increases, there is promise of improved visitor facilities and safari options in this area.
Western Turkana
Western Turkana is more accessible, via the road North from Kitale to Lodwar and onward to Ferguson’s Gulf and the village of Kalokol. There is a basic lodge here- originally a fishing lodge for those looking to catch prized Nile Perch.
About 60 kms further North is beautiful Eliye Springs, home to spring
fed oases, large crocodile populations, and many small Turkana villages.
There are a few simple lodgings available here.
Just a little further North, the all new Lobolo Camp treads the fine line between roughing it and the more comfortable “easy” tented camps in Kenya’s more accessible Parks and Reserves.
Just a little further North, the all new Lobolo Camp treads the fine line between roughing it and the more comfortable “easy” tented camps in Kenya’s more accessible Parks and Reserves.
The first permanent tented camp in Turkana, Lobolo is nestled among
100acres of lush forest, watered by a series of fresh water springs. The
camp has 6 spacious, spotless tents with spring water showers and
specially raised beds to take advantage of cool breezes, and provide
views of the sunset over the Lake.
A central mess tent serves up remarkably first class meals, with flame
grilled brochettes, fresh salad, and excellent local Nile Perch.
With excellent boats and guides- trips around the Lake, specialized fishing trips for Nile Perch and many others are possible. Lobolo caters for those who still want to enjoy the adventure of travelling to this wild frontier, but still appreciate the value of a comfortable bed, a cool shower in the evening, and the occasional unexpected luxury- such as delicious hot samosas with soy sauce served by the campfire.
Overnight fly camps on Central Island National Park can also be arranged. The island is a great place to spend a day exploring. Although only five square kilometers in area, the hills neatly conceal three separate volcanic crater lakes.
With excellent boats and guides- trips around the Lake, specialized fishing trips for Nile Perch and many others are possible. Lobolo caters for those who still want to enjoy the adventure of travelling to this wild frontier, but still appreciate the value of a comfortable bed, a cool shower in the evening, and the occasional unexpected luxury- such as delicious hot samosas with soy sauce served by the campfire.
Overnight fly camps on Central Island National Park can also be arranged. The island is a great place to spend a day exploring. Although only five square kilometers in area, the hills neatly conceal three separate volcanic crater lakes.
A hike around the crater rims is an ideal way to spend the morning or afternoon.
Each lake has its own unique ecology- and flamingo, crocodiles and
plenty of water birds can be seen as you follow the narrow ridges across
the islands spine. One of these small lakes is home to an ancient
species of Tilapia- a small fresh water fish - whose existence suggests
that the Lake may have once been fed by the Nile.
The outer slopes of this up thrust volcanic cone are breeding colonies for many water birds, and a slow drift in a canoe around the island makes for great bird watching- with plenty of nesting pelican, cormorant, heron and gulls- and hunting raptors including African Fish Eagles, Osprey and even Marsh Harriers, and local rarities such as Skimmers.
The delicate ecological balance of this region is threatened by increasing human population pressure, but the development of tourism- and its economic benefit- may just be the vital ingredient for the preservation for future generations of intrepid travellers.
For those who reach these outer limits today, there is no better way to spend a night than stretched out by a campfire on Central Island, listening to the soft lap of water on the shore as the sunset gives way to a stunning stars cape overhead.
Source
http://www.magicalkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=360
The Greate Wildebeest Migration
The Great Wildebeest
Migration
Millions of wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra and Thomson’s gazelle migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti
to the Masai Mara in Kenya each year. The herds make the trip with food and water in their mind. On the offset of rain and the herd push forward.During this period,
they become prey to predators.
As a matter of fact,it is estimated that around 20,000 zebra and 200,000 wildebeest perish in the trek,
mainly smaller ones. This may be attributed to the fact that when it comes start running the wildebeest just keep on running never minding that the young ones are being left behind. This is just one of many wildlife encounters to witness when you visit to East Africa
Serengeti is usually the place where the migration starts. It usually starts around February when more than 300,000 calves are born.This is because Serengeti's soil and grass is rich in nutrients thus give's their calves the best milk.The reason why they prefer Serengeti is because of the shorter grass which means predators can't hide in them as opposed to the taller grass in the maasai mara.
Drying up of Serengeti starts on April thus grass is gone and the herds go west as they follow Grumeti River. When Grumeti River runs low this is often by June and the herd starts their journey back to Maasai Mara.
When they reach Maasai Mara they start crossings so if one wants to see the migration is the best month will be August,but it requires patience as it a wait we see kind of a situation an if luck is on your side you might see four crossing in a day with crocodiles trying to feed as much as they can on the wildebeest.
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