Panorama Kenya adventure safaris and Tanzania budget tours

Best Of Kenya Sacred Shrines and Pre-Historic Destinations

Safari Highlights:
-A visit to Ramogi Hills:

The Luo tribe believe that the father of the Luo community, (Ramogi) settled on the hills after a long and tiresome journey from Uganda. This region is now a sacred forest and a big rock that lies here is believed to have been a cow that turned into a rock.The hills which are located in Bondo district give visitors a good view of the Western Rift that includes Lake Kanyaboli and the Yala swamp.

-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mouselium:
Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga was a Luo Chieftain who became a prominent figure in Kenya's struggle for independence during the colonial period. He later served as Kenya's first Vice-President, and thereafter as opposition leader when their agreement with the first president failed.
-Tom Mboya Mouselium:
Thomas Joseph Odhiambo "Tom" Mboya (15 August 1930 – 5 July 1969), was a Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyatta's government. He was founder of the Nairobi People's Congress Party, a key figure in the formation of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development at the time of his death. Mboya was assassinated on 5 July 1969 in Nairobi.

-Proconsul Excavation in Rusinga:
Mary Leakey discovered the first complete skull of Proconsul, then considered a "stem hominoid", in 1948. Excavation of the fossil was completed by Louis' native assistant, Heselon Mukiri

-Proconsul Excavation in Mfangano Island:
A partial skeleton attributed to Proconsul nyanzae was found here. This mix of features implies a pattern of posture and locomotion that is unlike that of any extant primate. Many aspects of the Proconsul nyanzae locomotor skeleton may represent the primitive catarrhine condition.
-A visit to Mfangano rock art, initiated by Tara, including Kwitone, Kakiimba and Mawanga:
Mfangano Island is known for its ancient rock art, possibly 2,000 years old and thought to have been created by early forager-hunters, the Twa people. The Twa people, also known as Batwa or pygmies, have been described as the forgotten tribe who live in the Great Lakes region of Africa.
-A visit to Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare in Gwasi:
The story of a very poor fisherman whose nets caught a miraculous lady of the lake who gave him fortunes and went away back to the lake with all the wealth when Nyamgondho went against their agreement.

Day 1: Lake Nakuru - Kisumu City.
A mid morning start for Kericho, the tea growing center of Kenya, stopping at the Kericho Tea Hotel for lunch and an afternoon tour of the tea plantations. An evening drive for Lake Victoria and the its main port of Kisumu City. Dinner and an overnight stay at the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu or similar.

Day 2 - 3 : Kisumu City - Got Ramogi
The day is spent visiting the various attractions of this Lakeside City including the local museum which is rich in cultural and archeological artifacts, Kit Mikaye ( the rock that has a story to tell that is steeped in the mythology of the Luo people), continue to Usenge on the shores of Lake Victoria via the Late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's mouseleum.

Visit Got Ramogi - Hill (the home of the grand grand father of the luo comunity when the luo tribe first settled on lake victoria).
Ramogi was a luo leader and worrior during migration and settlement,as the luo’s traveled from southern sudan along river Nile in to Uganda. From Uganda the luo’s entered Kenyan through the western part across lake Victoria and settled on a hill near the lake which was later named Ramogi hills.
At the peak of this hill, there are shrines where annual prayers are conducted. Holy waters also come from a pool at the peak,and it is belived the holy water heals people.

There are 12 historic sites on and around the hill. One site—Ramogi refers to where worriors could diverge to different direction.It is also a point of sacrifice for leaders.
The hill offers beautifull sceneries of River yala and it’s features before entering lake Victoria, lake kanyaboli (an ox-bow lake), yala swamp, now hosting dominion farms, lake sare just before pouring it’s water into lake Victoria.
 
The swamp provides breeding and hiding grounds for hippos, sitatunga, rare species of fish like mumi, ningu ,mud fish which are soon getting extinct. Dinner and overnight in Bondo budget hotel.

Day 4 - 5 : Bondo - Luanda Kotieno- Mbita - Mfangano islands.

 Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, is a sight to behold. It has sandy beaches and is dotted with about many small islands. The lake is an endless expanse of blue, stretching as far as the eye can see and beyond
into Tanzania and Uganda. The islands are GREAT tourist sites, each with unique features, including amazing rock paintings in Mfangano island: (Kwitone, Kakiimba and Mawanga) and unbelievable mythical sites at Gwasi, the legendary Nyamgondho wuod Ombare.

After an early visit to the shores of Lake Victoria to see the swarming market as fishermen and other traders sell their wares we travel to Luanda kotieno beach ready to board the ferry to mbita Point, a major center for insect study that hosts the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology(ICIPE), this is a 45 minute ride on lake victoria gulf.

The day is spent at mbita with a boat ride to Takawiri or Mfangano Islands in lake victoria and a drive cross the causeway to Rusinga Island famous as a bird watchers' island and also home to the late Tom Mboya a prominent Kenyan politician who was assassinated in 1969 and whose remains were interred in a Memorial Mausoleum on the island.

There is also the Mary Leakey archeological site. Although the site is not developed, plans are under way to return the excavated fossil and construct a proper archeological site. The Rusinga Island Club is built right on the beach and can accommodate 18 visitors. It offers lots of activities including, fishing, sport fishing, sight
seeing and water skiing. Dinner and overnight in Rusinga island.

Day 6: Rusinga Island - Ndere National Park:
Morning breakfast then visit Ndere Island Game Park via Kaloka beach,gazetted National Park inside Lake Victoria.Antelopes and crocodiles are in plenty. This Island is 10 minutes on boat from Kaloka beach.

Day 7 - 10: Mfangano Island
The Mfangano camp is situated on the un-spoilt island of that name in Lake Victoria and occupies an entire secluded bay on the island's western shores. A boat ride across the lake brings one to Mfangano Island.

This is basically a fishing village.
Visits to Mfangano Island on Lake Victoria provide a unique opportunity to see the colorful engravings and paintings on stones, which are the oldest surviving record of human communication as well as some of the earliest known cultural and historical records.

With its long history of human settlement and migration, Kenya has a rich history of rock art, ranging over several thousand years with a variety of styles and themes. However, until now it has not been possible for visitors to view rock art in Kenya. This is now possible in Mfangano with wonderful rock art spots in Kakiimba, Kwitone and Mawanga.Dinner and overnight in Mfangano island.

Day 11 - 12: Mfangano - Mbita - Nairobi,
After breakfast in Mfangano, depart for Mbita via boat ride, and proceed straight to Gwasi Magunga, for the wonderful mythical site of Nyamgondho wuod Ombare. Here, the foot prints of the lady of the lake together with her cattle, children and hens still exist.

Return to Mbita for an overnight in a budget hotel as you take it easy interracting with the locals.

Day 13: Mbita - Kisumu:

Departing for Nairobi via the Mbita ferry and Kisumu.

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