Amboseli Cultural Experience

The Amboseli, a corruption of the Maasai word “Empusel” which means "salty dust” is also known to be the place of a swamp that goes by a similar name and sometimes dries up and yet gives wildlife the much-needed drinking waters in this Nyika-like land. Around this region the Masai dwell looking after their cattle, which are revered, and the wealth of individuals in the village is quantified by the number of sheep, goats and cows he has.

The Maasai stay in mud thatched houses in clusters that are called Manyattas. For over 400 hundred years the Maasai of the Amboseli region have been living peacefully with wildlife. However at the turn of the 19th century British, the colonial powers designated the area an official game reserve. Later on, after independence, the reserve was converted into a park with the local people being prohibited from any human activity in the area. Despite the infusion of hunters and other travelers from outside the country having come and interacted with these people over the past ten decades the culture of the Maasai has not changed much.

Our trip for five days in this land seeks to find out the day to day activities of the Maasai, witness some of the initiation ceremonies, interact with both the ordinary villagers and their leaders and discover the hardships they face in their communities. Learn about the human-wildlife conflict and the steps that are being taken to minimize this conflict. Discover something about the Maasai marriages and their value systems. For these five days you stay in basic huts pitched in designated areas in the village that are guarded throughout the day and night by Maasai Morans (Warriors).

Some Places of Cultural Interest in Western Kenya

KIT- MIKAYE: According to the Luo legend, these famous rocks form the place where Mikaye (the mother of Luo tribe) sheltered herself after a long journey down the Nile. The local people still believe that Mikaye can be spotted around this place to this today.

LWANDA MAGERE STONE: Lwanda was a Luo warrior, it is believed that during his time he turn into a stone and that he could fight and nobody could kill him. At one time war broke between Luo and Kipsigis tribes, Lwanda - which means the rock - killed very many people during this war. After peace was negotiated Lwanda was given a woman from the kipsigis tribe whom he married. This woman learned and knew the secret of Lwanda’s life (His shadow was his true self). One day when Lwanda fall sick the woman was told by Lwanda to treat his own shadow. The war broke out again and the woman went back to tell her people the secret of Lwanda. On the day he died he killed so many people before they finally tried what what their daughter had told them, finally one of the warriors threw his spear and threw it at the shadow of Lwanda who fell down and died but not before killing the person who had pierced him. He turned into a stone which can still be seen today. The people around this place believe that this is a true story.

RAMOGI HILLS: Ramogi (the father of Luo tribe) settled here after long journey from Uganda with his people. You can visit this home, which is now a forest. There is a stone which is believed was previously a bull which turn into a rock.

CRYING ROCKS: This is a place of ceremony. Climb the rocks and get the history of these rocks from local people. Situated on the western part of Kenya in Kakamega district, Khayega.

VTTK - 333 Lake Victoria Cultural Holiday

Day 1 Nairobi – Kisumu
Leave Nairobi in the morning for lunch at Kericho, the main town in the tea growing plantations of Western Kenya. Walk in the tea plantations then drive via Lwanda Magere (the Luo warrior who was killed and turned into a stone – learn something about this warrior whose tale resembles the biblical story of Samson) continue to Kisumu for dinner and overnight. As we take our evening meal get to hear some folklore of the city of Kisumu and the nearby Lake Victoria, which the local people call Lolwe.

Day 2 Kisumu – Ndere Island – Kogelo Village – Bondo
After breakfast drive to Kaloka beach, take a boat to Ndere Island National Park to see some game and bird life. Row the boat back to Kaloka beach. Drive via Kit- Mikaye (This rock is where Mikaye the mother of Luo tribe sheltered herself after along journey down the Nile). Partake of picnic lunch around these primeval rocks. Drive to Kogelo Village home to the father of US President Barack Obama and learn something of the history of the people of this clan that gave the USA a legacy in the first black president. We have dinner and an overnight stay at Bondo, where we possibly listen to the sound of local traditional dances.

Day 3 Bondo – Usenge – Mageta Island
We leave for the lakeside town of Usenge to watch fishermen bring in their catch. We interact with them as we haggle over the prices of fish before we proceed to Mageta Island by motorboat. On the island of Mageta we visit a herbalist, and talk to the local fish mongers where we learn how these people settled on this previously uninhabited island. On this day we also learn of the history of Mageta and how the British used it as a detention camp or prison for the Mau Mau during the fight for Kenya’s independence. Bush dinner to the sound of folk music as we watch the sun set. Overnight in a tented camp in one of the local leaders homesteads.

Day 4 Mageta Island – Ramogi Hills – Kakamega
Depart the island after breakfast for Usenge then proceed to Ramogi Hills where we can either hike up the hill to the shrines at the top or interact with the local people that live at the foot of the hill. The hill offers some of the most panoramic views of Lake Victoria and the islands that extend way into Uganda and Tanzania. At the top of the hill is a Luo Seer who will explain the relevance of the hill in the Luo religious beliefs. Continue past the hill to Siaya Town for lunch before proceeding past peasant farms to Khayega to learn of the crying stones and the folklore associated with these rocks. Dinner and overnight in Kakamega.

Day 5 Kakamega
Visit the Kakamega Forest after an early breakfast and check on some local shrines within the forest - one of the last remaining portions of an original equatorial forest that once stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean along the entire equator. There are unique orchids and butterfly species in this forest as well as several endangered species of birds. In the afternoon interact with the local villagers and learn of their beliefs and lifestyles before retiring to your accommodation for an overnight stay. Arrangements can be made for folk dancers to entertain you on this evening under the open skies.

Day 6 Kakamega – Kisumu – Nairobi
Depart the Western Town of Kakamega after breakfast for the lakeside city of Kisumu. Visit the local museum, which has remains of early man plus other artifacts that can only be found here. After an early lunch leave this city for Nairobi, traversing the Great Rift Valley before arriving at the Kenyan capital in the evening.