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Set on the sloping shore of Lake Victoria’s Winam Gulf, Kisumu might be the third-largest city in Kenya, but its relaxed atmosphere is a world away from that of Nairobi and Mombasa. Until 1977 the port was one of the busiest in Kenya, but decline set in with the collapse of the East African Community (EAC; the common market between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) and the port sat virtually idle for two decades. Since the revival of the EAC in 2000, Kisumu has begun to thrive again, and though it was declared a city during its centenary celebrations in 2001, it still doesn't feel like one and remains a pleasant and laid-back place with a number of interesting sights and activities nearby.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kisumu.
National Park
Gazetted as a national park in 1986, this 4.2-sq-km island has never seen tourism take off. It is forested and very beautiful, housing a variety of bird species, plus occasionally sighted hippos, impalas (introduced) and spotted crocodiles, a lesser-known cousin of the larger Nile crocodiles.
Market
Kisumu’s main market is one of Kenya’s most animated markets and certainly one of its largest – it spills out onto the surrounding roads. If you’re curious, or just looking for essentials such as suits or wigs, it’s worth a stroll around.
Museum
The town museum is fairly old fashioned, but includes a lot of information. It's best enjoyed with a guide, who can give you more background on the three sections. The first covers western Kenya’s three principal linguistic groups: Luo, Bantu and Kalenjin. The second is a traditional Luo homestead. The last section is a small and rather sad aquarium displaying creatures from the lake and a reptile house holding examples of all the local snakes you don’t want to meet.
Zoo
On the road to Dunga, this 1-sq-km sanctuary is home to a small impala herd and provides important grazing grounds for local hippos. In addition to the impala, there are cages of other Kenyan antelope and monkeys, but frankly it's an awful lot of money to pay for what is essentially a small zoo. It's difficult to see the purpose of the sanctuary – there are no endangered or protected species here.