The city of Eldoret sits at a lofty 2100 metres above sea level on a massif above the Great Rift Valley. It is one of Kenya’s largest cities, as well as its fastest growing, and is the sister city to Minneapolis in the United States. Eldoret’s high altitude has made it an ideal training ground for long distance running, and its athletes have made a name for themselves in some of the world’s most prestigious athletic events, including the Olympics. While you are in town, be sure to visit the sprawling and colourful floral and fresh produce markets, and take a tasting tour of one of the local cheese factories. The Kerio Valley, roughly 30 kilometres from the city, is home to the remains of an ancient irrigation system believed to have been created by the Sirikwa people between the 12th and 15th centuries.
Situated in the northern Rift Valley between Mount Elgon and the Cherangany Hills, the high-lying Kenyan town of Kitale has long been an agricultural centre. It serves as the capital and largest town of Trans-Nzoia County. It is home to several fascinating museums, including the Kitale Museum and Treasures of Africa, exhibiting a captivating array of archaeological relics. The surrounding area is dotted with acacia trees, vast maize fields, and fruit trees. Dubbed ‘the bread basket of Kenya’, it produces wheat, maize, and an array of dairy products. Visitors can look forward to a variety of wonderful attractions and activities, including browsing the vibrant local market where farmers flock to sell their local produce and immersing themselves in and learning about the local cultures, including the Nandi, Pokot, Marakwet, Sabaot, and Sengwer people.
Resting on the shores of the magnificent Lake Victoria, the laidback port city of Kisumu is the third largest city in Kenya. This city features wide streets, fine colonial architecture and boasts great viewpoints over the lake at Hippo point and Dunga Hill Camp. It is home to the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, which shelters herds of free roaming impalas and zebras as well as an animal orphanage caring for lions, cheetahs, leopards, baboons, duikers, hyena and buffaloes. Visitors to the city can look forward to an array of wonderful attractions including: the Kisumu Museum, which displays local cultural artifacts and the nearby Ruma National Park, which protects the only indigenous population of rare roan antelopes within Kenya and features sheer cliffs, diverse wildlife and many species of bird.
