Kisumu

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.

Understand
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).

Climate
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.

By plane

 * is served by daily flights from Nairobi and Mombasa.
 * Kenya Airways has daily flights to the capital Nairobi,Kenya Airways. The flight lasts about 45 minutes and takes you above lakes Naivasha and Nakuru.
 * Jambojet is a low-cost airline that has flights from Kisumu to Nairobi.
 * Fly540 also operates direct flights from Nairobi.

The airport is about 3.5 km from the city. A few taxis and matatu minibuses do the journey between the airport and the city. In 2023, a matatu cost about Ksh 100 and a taxi cost Ksh 500-1000. Some hotels and car rental companies can arrange pickups. Jambojet has a bus to and from Kisumu airport.

By boat
There are no ferries linking Kisumu with other cities on Lake Victoria.

By train
Passenger services from the capital Nairobi via Nakuru resumed in 2021 one time per week.



By bus & minivan

 * Easy Coach: Buses arrive at United Mall and Bank Road Behide the KPLC office, the ticket office is also located there. Easy Coach has 7 trips per day from Nairobi (Ksh 1400, 8 hours). Easy Coach also has two buses a day from Jinja and Kampala (Ksh 1500, 5/7 hours). There are also three departures daily from Mbale.
 * Modern Coast Express (Gumbi Road Kisumu bus park) has buses six times a day from Nairobi (from Ksh 1000). Modern Coast also have three buses a day from Kampala (Ksh 1600) with a stop in Busia. Note that Modern Coach has more than one bus stop in town; travelers are encouraged to confirm the exact location in advance, and allow extra time in case of last-minute changes.
 * In Nairobi, some buses depart from the Country Bus Station near Wakulima Market, between Pumwani Road and Landheis Road. Easy Bus departs from their own bus station on Haile Selassie Avenue in Nairobi, near Nairobi Train Station.
 * Prestige Shuttle has 11-seat vans from Nairobi via Nakuru from 7AM-5PM (Ksh 1000, 6 hours).
 * The Guardian Coach has service from Nairobi.
 * There are also minivans from Kisii, Kericho, and Eldoret.

By car
Make sure to have an international driving licence. You can obtain one from the Road Transport Office in Nairobi. Travelling by day is recommended as the roads can be unsafe at night. You may encounter police stops.


 * From Nairobi, the distance is about 380 km. Take Chimoro Road towards Gitaru, then turn onto A104 (Waiyaki Way) past Naivasha and Nakuru. About 30 km past Nakuru, turn left onto B1 towards Kisumu. The trip can take from 5 to 12 hours depending on whether you want to stop and observe Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Kericho.
 * from Kisumu to the Uganda border at Busia is 119 km.
 * from Kisumu to Jinja Uganda is 237 km.
 * from Kisumu to Nakuru is 197 km.
 * from Kisumu to Kisii is 120 km.
 * from Kisumu to Kitale is 158 km.
 * from Kisuma to Kericho is 90 km.

Get around
Despite being Kenya's third-largest city the traffic in Kisumu isn't all that bad. You can use the notorious boda boda (bicycle taxi), pikipiki (motorcycle taxis), matatus, buses, or you can rent a car.

In Kisumu

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

Do

 * MV Kipepeo, Kisumu, Kenya.jpg

Buy
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.

Currency exchange
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.

Eat
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.

Drink
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.

Sleep
Kisumu has a number of guest houses, hotels, motels, hostels, all dependent on your needs and budget. It is common for hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation to be called a guest house in Kisumu Kenya. They are the most common and best value places to stay — hotels seem to ramp up their prices just because they are a hotel — beware.

Stay safe
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.

Telephone
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.

Go next

 * Kakamega Rainforest: the last remains of tropical rainforest in Kenya
 * Jinja, Uganda
 * Mwanza, Tanzania
 * Nairobi