Kisumu

Kenya

Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya; located on a bay on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria at an altitude of 1,131 m (3,711 ft). It is the headquarters of Kisumu County and after Kampala, the second largest city in the Lake Victoria basin.

The city was founded by the British as "Port Florence" in 1901 as a stop on the railway between Mombasa and Uganda. A year later, the city was renamed Kisumu, from a Luo word meaning "market, trading place".

In 2006, Kisumu was designated one of Africa's 11 'Millenium Cities' by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

Kisumu enjoys a tropical savanna climate. The lowest temperatures (about 12°C at night and 17°C to 19°C by day) occur in August and September. The highest daytime temperatures can reach 37°C in the warm season (December to April).

The rain season is from March to May. A secondary rain season occurs in November and December. The dryest month is January.

  • Kibuye Market. This is the second largest open air market in Kenya, and one of the oldest. It is on Jomo Kenyatta Highway, north-east of the city center, about 1.5 km from the long distance bus stop. The market is active day and night every day.
  • Kisumu Museum, Nairobi Rd.
  • Impala sanctuary.
  • Town Clock, Oginga Odinga Rd.
  • Dunga Beach, A simmering fishing village with welcoming residents. Ideal for boat cruise, hippo viewing, bird watching, and fresh tilapia in local restaurants.
  • Kiboko point.

Kibuye Market. This is the second largest open air market in Kenya, and one of the oldest. It is on Jomo Kenyatta Highway, north-east of the city center, about 1.5 km from the long distance bus stop. The market is active day and night every day.

Kisumu Museum, Nairobi Rd.

Impala sanctuary.

Town Clock, Oginga Odinga Rd.

Dunga Beach, A simmering fishing village with welcoming residents. Ideal for boat cruise, hippo viewing, bird watching, and fresh tilapia in local restaurants.

Kiboko point.

  • The Equator. Kisumu is a few kilometers south of the Equator and you can easily reach the equator by car. Drive north on A1 towards Kakamega and you'll cross the Equator near the village of Mutet, or drive on B1 towards Busia to the small town Maseno.
  • Kit Mikayi rocks.

The Equator. Kisumu is a few kilometers south of the Equator and you can easily reach the equator by car. Drive north on A1 towards [[Kakamega]] and you'll cross the Equator near the village of Mutet, or drive on B1 towards [[Busia]] to the small town Maseno.

Kit Mikayi rocks.

  • Fishing. Kisumu is a very good starting spot for fishing expeditions on the lake.Get to Dunga fishing village contact local guide +254 715604993
  • Golf. There is a golf course in the Nyanza Club, near the lake, close to the airport. The club has a swimming pool and a tennis court.
  • Learn, Ochieng Ave. The national library has books in English, Swahili and Luo.
  • Dunga Papyrus Boardwalk, 3954 (3 kilometers, +254 715604993. The papyrus boardwalk offers lake museum with luo cultural artifacts. the place is ideal for birding especially endemic species e.g. papyrus gonolek, carruthers cisticola

    It offers space for photo shoots, camping and parties/occasions.

Fishing. Kisumu is a very good starting spot for fishing expeditions on the lake.Get to Dunga fishing village contact local guide +254 715604993

Golf. There is a golf course in the Nyanza Club, near the lake, close to the airport. The club has a swimming pool and a tennis court.

Learn, Ochieng Ave. The national library has books in English, Swahili and Luo.

Dunga Papyrus Boardwalk, 3954 (3 kilometers, +254 715604993. The papyrus boardwalk offers lake museum with luo cultural artifacts. the place is ideal for birding especially endemic species e.g. papyrus gonolek, carruthers cisticola

It offers space for photo shoots, camping and parties/occasions.

Many local crafts can make good souvenirs.

  • Musical instruments such as nyatiti and orutu, typical of the Luo's musical culture.
  • Soapstone objects. The historical center of soapstone crafts is in Kisii, about 100 km south of Kisumu.
  • Objects woven from sisal (such as kiondo handbags), papyrus or water hyacinth. Loincloths: vikoi (singular kikoi) for men, kanha for women.Batik (paintings on textile).
  • Household wood items.
  • Kibuye Market.
  • Kisumu Craft Stalls. Soapstone objects.
  • Kisumu Main Market. This market specializes in textile (kikoi, kanga, batik).
  • Pendeza Weaving, +254 735 229904, +254 734 587253 (mobile). Another textile market.

Most banks in town offer currency exchange between Kenyan Shillings and major international currencies. You may have a harder time buying or selling Ugandan shillings, despite the proximity to the border.

DTB's branch in the West End shopping center offers currency exchange and other banking services and is open 7 days a week. A passport is required.

  • Ecobank, United Mall Joma Kenyatta Highway. 24 hours. Has a Mastercard/Visa card ATM. no fee.
  • Equity Bank. 24 hours. Has a Mastercard/Visa card ATM. no fee.

Ecobank, United Mall Joma Kenyatta Highway. 24 hours. Has a Mastercard/Visa card ATM. no fee.

Equity Bank. 24 hours. Has a Mastercard/Visa card ATM. no fee.

  • Naivas Supermarket, Jomo Kenyatta Rd. 8AM-9PM.
  • West End Shopping Mall, Got Huma Rd. 9AM-8PM.
  • United Mall, Jomo Kenyatta Highway. 9AM-8PM. Has a Tuskys Supermarket. Easy Coach departs from here going to Uganda and Nairobi.
  • Choppies Supermarkets, Oginga Odinga Road. 8AM-8PM. Five branches in Kisumu. Owned by Choppies supermarkets Botswana.
  • Khetias Supermarket. 8AM-9PM. lower prices.
  • Lake Basin Shopping Mall, Kisumu-Vihiga Road. 9AM-8PM. Biggest shopping mall in Kisumu. Five floors, 140 stores, and a car park for 335 cars.

Naivas Supermarket, Jomo Kenyatta Rd. 8AM-9PM.

West End Shopping Mall, Got Huma Rd. 9AM-8PM.

United Mall, Jomo Kenyatta Highway. 9AM-8PM. Has a Tuskys Supermarket. Easy Coach departs from here going to [[Uganda]] and [[Nairobi]].

Choppies Supermarkets, Oginga Odinga Road. 8AM-8PM. Five branches in Kisumu. Owned by Choppies supermarkets Botswana.

Khetias Supermarket. 8AM-9PM. lower prices.

Lake Basin Shopping Mall, Kisumu-Vihiga Road. 9AM-8PM. Biggest shopping mall in Kisumu. Five floors, 140 stores, and a car park for 335 cars.

Kibuye Market.

Kisumu Craft Stalls. Soapstone objects.

Kisumu Main Market. This market specializes in textile (kikoi, kanga, batik).

Pendeza Weaving, +254 735 229904, +254 734 587253 (mobile). Another textile market.

Aside from the town centre there are a number of places to eat and drink in the evenings in the Kondele region on Kibos Road and on Jomo Kenyatta Highway with guest houses close by.

  • Florence Restaurant, Jomo Kenyatta Highway, +254 57 2022211. Local and international cuisine. One of the best classical restaurants.
  • Lakeside Meeting Point, Oginga Odinga Rd. Local and international cuisine from fresh produce.
  • Mon Ami, Mega Plaza on Oginga Odinga Rd. Italian and international cuisine.
  • Hussein Pan House, Accra St. Indian cuisine.
  • Oriental Restaurant, Al-Imran Plaza. Chinese cuisine.
  • Kimwa Cafe, Ogada St. Local cuisine from fresh ingredients.
  • Kisumu Yacht Club. Local and international cuisine. You must have a member card from the club (temporary cards are available).

Florence Restaurant, Jomo Kenyatta Highway, +254 57 2022211. Local and international cuisine. One of the best classical restaurants.

Lakeside Meeting Point, Oginga Odinga Rd. Local and international cuisine from fresh produce.

Mon Ami, Mega Plaza on Oginga Odinga Rd. Italian and international cuisine.

Hussein Pan House, Accra St. Indian cuisine.

Oriental Restaurant, Al-Imran Plaza. Chinese cuisine.

Kimwa Cafe, Ogada St. Local cuisine from fresh ingredients.

Kisumu Yacht Club. Local and international cuisine. You must have a member card from the club (temporary cards are available).

Aside from the town centre there are a number of places to eat and drink in the evenings in the Kondele region on Kibos Road and on Jomo Kenyatta Highway with guest houses close by.

Kisumu is less stressful than Nairobi or Mombasa. However pickpockets are common, especially around Kibuye Market. If you are driving, you should lock the car doors.

All public buildings (airport, post office, banks, shopping centers, etc.) are watched by security guards wearing a blue uniform. Private estates are generally guarded as well.

Kisumu police :

  • Phone: (20 is the national prefix for police forces)
    * +254 20 465767 (provincial headquarters);
    * +254 20 333151 (Kisumu division)
  • There are police stations all over the city and policemen are clearly visible. The headquarters are located on Nairobi Road near the long distance bus terminal.

  • Aguch Kisumo Public Information Resource Center, +254 57 2021060, +254 723 201779. 07:00-21:00. Ksh 0.50 per minute.
  • Bhavniks Cyber, Mega Plaza, ground floor, +254 57 23395. 08:30-20:30. Ksh 1 per minute.
  • Noble Service Enterprises, Mega Plaza, ground floor, +254 57 2022994, +254 722 370473. 08:00-19:00. Ksh 1 per minute (minimum Ksh 5).

Aguch Kisumo Public Information Resource Center, +254 57 2021060, +254 723 201779. 07:00-21:00. Ksh 0.50 per minute.

Bhavniks Cyber, Mega Plaza, ground floor, +254 57 23395. 08:30-20:30. Ksh 1 per minute.

Noble Service Enterprises, Mega Plaza, ground floor, +254 57 2022994, +254 722 370473. 08:00-19:00. Ksh 1 per minute (minimum Ksh 5).

All cybercafes have phone booths. The rates to phone abroad are very high in Kenya. It is usually cheaper to buy a Kenyan SIM card in a cybercafe or from a phone vendor.

The main cellphone operators are Safaricom, Airtel and telkom . Safaricom has slightly higher prices but has faster Internet.

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