Annual Kisumu Impala Boat Race held at Impala park-Lake Victoria

The second edition of the annual Kisumu Impala Conservation Boat Race was successfully held at the weekend Kisumu Impala Sanctuary on Lake Victoria.The race with the theme ‘Let’s row to conserve the sitatunga’  aims to raise funds for the conservation of the endangered sitatunga antelope found in the wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria. The occasion was also used to create public awareness about investment opportunities in tourism, human wildlife conflict and display of tourism attractions in the region.
The boat race marked the peak of a three-day cultural event in Kisumu City. The three-day event included, cultural exhibition, dance troupes, tero buru procession and bull fighting, the climax being the boat racing.
The event was presided over by the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Hon Dr Noah Wekesa who was accompanied by KWS Director, Mr William Kiprono. They were hosted by the area MP Hon Shakeel Shabir.

This year’s race had attracted 180 paddlers from Mbita, Usenge, Luanda K’Otieno, Ndere and Kisumu. This comprised 10 teams for men and women with each team having seven paddlers and two reserves. This brought to a total of 20 teams.
Men paddlers from Lwanda K’Otieno beach were awarded Sh100,000 after emerging winners followed by Lwanda Kamin Oningo who were awarded Sh60,000. In the third category were Usenge who won Sh40,000.
In the female category, women paddlers from Lwanda Kamin Oningo were awarded Sh100,000 after emerging winners followed by another team from Ndere who were awarded Sh60,000. In the third category were Usenge women paddlers who won Sh40,000.
Kenya Wildlife Service in conjunction with stakeholders  launched the inaugural Kisumu Impala Conservation Boat Race in 2011.
The race seeks to raise funds to conserve the rare sitatunga antelope found in Kisumu Impala  Sanctuary by the shores of the lake by constructing a 3-km perimeter wall fence at a cost of Sh28 million.
The race on the theme “Save the Sitatunga” gave the participating stakeholders a chance to showcase their products and activities as well as highlight the potential of Kisumu and Siaya counties as tourism investment and attraction destinations.
The aim of the event is to bring together members of the local communities and corporate organizations in the Lake Victoria region for sport, fun and fundraising.

KISUMU'S SITES:JARAMOGI MAUSOLEUM

The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation has developed a one-stop community-based museum, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Museum (JOOM) and Jaramogi Mausoluem situated at Jaramogi's homestead in Bondo, Western Kenya. The museum and monument serves as a cultural centre, a historical and national monument. The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum is a one-stop community-based museum and Luo Heros Exhibition Centre  It is managed by the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in partnership with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation (JOOF).
Here one will see stuffed animals and other Luo cultural equipment and learn about famous traditional medicine men the community has ever had. The Oneko family has donated the entire homestead, a 25-acre piece of land, to the National Museums of Kenya to be used as a tourist attraction site.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, born in the second decade of this century, devoted his life to the service of this great nation Kenya and the people of Africa. As a teacher, leader, statesman and Pan-Africanist, he showed, both by his words and by the example of his life, the way forward, to truth, to peace and to justice.
He strove for excellence in all things and never compromised his principles and ideals. His commitment to integrity, and his courageous determination to stand firm in defense of what he knew was right, guided his life. His outpouring sympathy with the poor and disadvantaged in society was immeasurable. During his life time, he was a benefactor of many orphans and other disadvantaged Kenyans.
He had the highest respect for education and academic achievement. In honor of this great man, the Jaramogi Foundation continues with his life's work and espouse the universal values of social justice, respect for human rights, pursuit of peace and unity and support for people centered development.

KISUMU'S FAMOUS PEOPLE:JARAMOGI OGINGA ODINGA

 Oginga Odinga was born in Bondo,Nyanza Province. In his autobiography, Not Yet Uhuru, Odinga estimates the date of his birth to be October, 1911. Christened Obadiah Adonijah, he later renounced his Christian names and became known as Oginga Odinga. Little Odinga attended Maseno Secondary School and Alliance High School, finishing his formal education with a diploma in education from Makerere University College in 1939.

 From 1940 to 1942 Odinga taught mathematics at the Church Missionary Society School at Maseno, and from 1943 to 1946 he was headmaster of the Maseno Veterinary School.

Later in 1947, the father of seventeen moved to the business world, founding the Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation where he served as its managing director until 1962.

His efforts earned him admiration and recognition among the Luo, who revered him as Ker (spiritual leader) – a position previously held by the fabled ancestral Luo chief, Ramogi Ajwang, who reigned 400 years before him. Vowing to uphold the ideals of Ramogi Ajwang, Odinga became known as Jaramogi (man of the Ramogi people).

According to Luo tradition, a Ker could not be a politician, so Odinga relinquished his position as Ker in 1957 and became the political spokesman of the Luo.

The same year he was elected member of the Legislative Council for the Central Nyanza constituency, and in 1948 he joined the Kenya African Union (KAU).

In 1960, together with Tom Mboya he formed Kenya African National Union (KANU). When Kenya became an independent Republic in 1964, he was its first Vice-President.

As Vice-President he did not agree with Jomo Kenyatta's government, and he resigned his post and quit KANU in 1966 to form the Kenya People's Union (KPU).

The friction between Odinga and Kenyatta continued, and in 1969 Odinga was arrested after the two verbally abused each other publicly at a chaotic function in Kisumu.

He was detained for two years, and was consigned to political limbo until after Kenyatta's death in August 1978.

Kenyatta's successor, Daniel arap Moi, appointed Odinga as chairman of the Cotton Lint and Seed Marketing Board. He did not last long in the post, presumably because he was still outspoken against Kenyatta's policies.

Odinga attempted to register a political party in 1982, but when the then Attorney General Charles Njonjo amended the constitution (which made Kenya a de jure single-party state), his plans were foiled.

In 1991 he co-founded and became the interim chairman of Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD). The formation of FORD triggered a chain of events that were to change Kenya's political landscape.

FORD split before the 1992 elections. On his part Odinga vied for presidency on Ford-Kenya ticket, but finished fourth with a share of 17.5% votes. However, he regained the Bondo Constituency seat after being forced out of parliamentary politics for over two decades.

Odinga died in 1994 and really the country had lost a great son, a nationalist, and a patriotic citizen.

The seventh edition of the Safaricom Kisumu Marathon

The 7th annual Kisumu marathon was ran yesterday 16th December 2012 with over 400 runners participating. It was a 10 km loop around the city which had the athletes going  round 4 times with the starting line at Equity bank, snaking through the major roads in Milimani and Nyalenda over four laps before the finish line at the Jomo Kenyatta sports ground.The 2nd oldest full marathon in the country had been postponed for about two weeks due to lack of sponsorships because of  the unpopularity of marathons in the region. Safaricom came to its rescue by sponsoring the marathon to the tune of 1.5 million with the men’s and women’s winners in the 42-kilometre race  each earned Sh200,000 with the first home runner across the line pocketing Sh10,000 extra. The race is usually characterized by its high humidity and heat perfect for a marathon race.
Daniel Kipkorir Kilimo won the men's title  clocking two hours, 14 minutes and 26 and former Amsterdam Marathon champion Magdalene Chenjor (2:31:32) took the first place in the women’s race.

There was also a five-kilometre race exclusively for Kisumu area runners with the men’s and women’s winners getting Sh7,000 and the cash awards, like in the marathon, going down to the 10th-place finisher.
There are future plans to elevate the race to jack pot status  with winners expected to pocket 1.5 million and  for it to be used as a try out event for international marathons and more races will be included to attract more participants like the kids, youth and veterans races.

KISUMU'S SITES:LUANDA MAGERE'S ROCK-SIDHO

 A site in Sidho with a stone is still revered as the spot where Luanda Magere died and people come from far and wide to conduct rituals and prayers at the site. The site is about 12km from the Awasi-Chemelil road, 1.5Km before you reach the Kopere - Songhor junction.  Visitors brave the rough terrain and often muddy impassable narrow pathways to catch a glimpse of the mythical legend.
A brownish rock shaped like a curved back of a human being, which has partly been sunk into the ground, is quite visible at the quiet site where Magere is said to have died. It is believed to be Magere’s body.
The rock is regarded as a shrine, leafy indigenous trees provide shade to the revered site and residents believe it comes with numerous good tidings. From the rock, the villagers believe they can get solutions to drought, family problems and political crisis.
The site is popular with many people who come to consult the spirit of the man who is said to have been a great warrior. This rock is accepted as concrete evidence that Magere lived. The site is kept alive by traditional war weapons, including a spear and shield, believed to belong to Magere. The artifacts are placed under an indigenous tree next to the rock. On another branch of the same tree hangs a traditional smoking pipe, which Magere is believed to have been smoking in times of war pitting the Luo against the Nandi and Kipsigis.
Apart from the war regalia and the pipe, a clay pot, covered with a calabash, containing drinking water drawn from a stream near River Nyando, about 100 metres away, is also placed at the site but nobody knows who fetches the water. A framed-picture of the Legio Maria spiritual leader, Melkio Ondetto, also graces the site.
Pregnant women are not allowed to step on the site of the rock. If they do, they will miscarry, the villagers say.
Residents claim that they still come across skeletons belonging to those killed in the wars that were fought at the turn of the 18th Century.
There are residents who claim that Magere appears to them in dreams and tells them to prepare for planting well ahead of bumper harvests.
Rainfall and fertility of this area is testimony that it is a revered and sacred place. It is here that they pray for rain, wisdom and strength.
Hunters sharpen spears and pangas on the stone. They believe that they will not go back home empty-handed from their hunting excursions after sharpening spears on the rock.
There are different species of snakes within the sugar plantations that surround the site. But the residents say the snakes are friendly because of the presence of Magere’s spirits. White butterflies, believed to signify and symbolize hope, strength and posterity , fly around the site.

THE LEGEND OF LUANDA MAGERE

Of all the famous Luo legends, that of Luanda Magere stands out as the most recent and, perhaps, most tangible
Among the Kenya Luo ethnic community, the story is told of a legendary hero called Luanda Magere.
"Luanda" means "rock".  "Magere" could variously mean "the one that builds" or "the one on which I shall build" (if the root word is taken to be "gero", i.e. to "build"), or "the fierce one" (if the root word is taken to be "ger", i.e. "fierce"). So the name "Luanda Magere" could variously mean "the rock that builds", "the rock on which I shall build" or "the fierce rock".
Folklore of the Luo speaks of a mighty warrior known as Luanda Magere. He belonged to the Sidho clan in Kano, and he was believed to have once walked the shores of Lake Victoria. The Sidho clan occupies the present sugar belt at the foot of the Nandi escarpment. He was possessed of unearthly powers, and his flesh was made of stone. Arrows, spears and clubs simply deflected from his body, making him invincible during warfare. He was famously known for his capability to tear an entire army apart.
The Luo traditional enemies at the time were the Nandi. The Nandi's like fighting at night but Luanda Magere with his group liked daytime. The Nandi's were very good fighters at night compared to daytime. While people were fighting, Luanda Magere was to be seen at home smoking tobacco. But when his people were under Nandi threat, he could be seen asking for his spear and shield. When he went to the battlefield he could kill so many Nandi’s all at ago and eventually forcing them to retreat to their homes.
Luanda Magere was so powerful such that the Nandis used to be so much afraid of him. When they went to war and found out that Luanda Magere was also in the battlefield, they would retreat back to their Nandi country. Magere would go to the Nandi people and take their cattle and other items without resistance. This he did in daytime. Those who may have attempted to resist were being killed on the spot as they could not kill him. This was because Luanda Magere was made out of hard stones called 'Luanda'.
When these enemies were trying to spear him, their spears only bent as they could not penetrate through him. This is when they started to worry of what substance Magere was made out of. They tried all they could do to kill him but they couldn't succeed. After some time, they concluded that he was God's creation and therefore could do nothing about it.
 The Nandi were tired of being defeated at war by the Luo. One of the Nandi’s thought it wise that they give him one of their beautiful daughters to marry. Eventually they found one beautiful lady and told him that they have accepted defeat and the only price they could pay was to offer him their beautiful daughter in marriage so that he could stop raiding their homes during daytime to take their cows. Given that cows were sacred to the Nandi’s, anyone who could come and take their cows was seen as sacred.
The girl's role was to find out how to defeat him. They therefore picked the most beautiful Nandi girl and sent her to him. Though the Luo elders advised him not to take the girl, Luanda Magere did not heed their advice. Luanda Magere's eventual downfall came at the hands of his wife. Now it happened that whenever Luanda was sick, his first wife would care for him. One day he fell ill when his first wife was away. He therefore called his Nandi wife to bring him some medicine. Luanda instructed her to cut his shadow with a knife and instill the medicine. She was surprised when she saw his shadow bleed.
That night, she crept out of Luanda's home and ran back to her people. She was received with joy when she told them her husband's weakness: that his shadow was made of flesh and was vulnerable to attack. The news quickly spread. The Nandi knew that the Luo would not expect them to attack as Luanda had married one of them making them kinsmen. They then attacked the Luo in the middle of the night. The Luo fought fiercely and Luanda killed so many Nandi warriors that they decided to retreat. As he was running, one Nandi warrior remembered that Luanda's strength was in his shadow. He stood at a hill and threw his spear at Luanda's shadow. Luanda Magere fell down and died.
 Magere disappeared from the battlefield after he was stabbed, the Kano people for who Luanda Magere fought went home wailing terribly as their hero had been killed. When he died, there was a strong wind everywhere and over the whole of Kano and Nandi, there was a thick cloud covering on the sky. The area suffered a two-year drought before he appeared in a dream saying where he was.
He appeared to old men in a dream directing them to where he was. However, at first they could not reach him as he was in a bush a few metres from River Nyando, where nobody could find him. It rained heavily for three consecutive days after Magere’s body (the rock) was discovered and the community offered sacrifices to pay their respects.

KISUMU'S TOURS AND TRAVEL:EASY TOURS AND TRAVELS

Mission Statement
To provide efficient and reliable Tour and Travel services to our esteemed clients. 
Vision
To be a world class Tour and Travel service provider inKenya by 2030. 
Corporate Values
We shall at all times treat our customers with honesty, fairness and respect and remaining focused to the following core values:

• Professionalism in service delivery
• Impartiality in client handling
• Accountability in all business issues
• Effectiveness in our services
• Integrity within ourselves and while handling our clients
• Discipline and self restraint
• Firmness in enforcement of fairness
• Respect for the rule of law

SERVICES

• Car Rentals

 Offer some of the best services within western region in car rental for both individual and corporate clients. These services vary from both chauffeur and self drive rentals.
They not only have at their disposal the latest range of saloon executive cars but they also pride in a wide range of off road( 4×4)cars, they a’so have safari customized vans that are well maintained  and of quality standards at absolutely pocket friendly rates!

 VEHICLES
Easy Tours and Travels have a comprehensive fleet of motor vehicles for hire. Each vehicle in this modern fleet is comprehensively insured and most of the cars are replaced after a period of two years ensuring that breakdowns do not occur and, if so, then on very rare occasions. In cases where there is a breakdown or where for one reason or the other the client is unable to use the vehicle s/he hired or rented then the company sets in motion its apparatus to ensure that a replacement is made earliest possible, with the least inconvenience to the client(s).
An African adventure involves many exciting days of wildlife viewing in a real contrasting terrain.  They pay utmost importance to the quality and comfort of your transport. Their safari vehicles are custom – built with pop-up roofs for better game viewing in a real contrasting terrain.  They pay utmost importance to the quality and comfort of your transport. Their 9 seater vans only carry a maximum of 7 pax to guarantee everyone a window seat.  All vehicles are fitted with the necessary equipments ranging from Radio communication, mobile phone, a cooler box, reference books etc.
Below are some of the vehicles available for hire. Please note that their terms and conditions of hire apply and that they can arrange the hire of motor vehicles for you in any of the major towns in Kenya.

Saloon/ (Toyota, Nissan)

Toyota Challenger with a driver

Toyota Rav 4 (Wheel Drive)

Toyota Voxy 7 seater with a driver

Mitsubishi Pajero (Wheel Drive) with a driver

Prado (Luxury Wheel Drive) with a driver

Toyota Land Cruiser (Wheel Drive) with a driver

Toyota Hiace – Van with a driver

• Staff

Their staff is the foundation of their strength and success. They will provide them with the tools and support to achieve excellence in customer satisfaction. Their sales and marketing staff have professional qualifications and several years of experience in local and international travel from reputable companies. The Directors are very highly qualified dignified persons with a wealth of experiences locally and internationally

• Tours and wildlife safaris:

They give you the opportunity to relate with your outdoor environment in a way like never before!
While you get to be led by their expert tour guides; they have designed itineraries that will leave you baffled and rejuvenated during our long safaris across the whole region and Kenyans a whole while you watch Kenyans nature’s best.
From, Kisumu county and Lake Victoria, the Mara, the Abarderes ranges,Lake Nakuru national park, Amboseli national park, Tsavo national park, Mombasa beach hotels and much more adventure while sampling the unique animals in their natural wild habitat!

• Air Ticketing

In their bid to serve you efficiently, Easy Tour and travels is partnering with both local and international travel agents to make sure that you are on time and less stressed while handling your local and international flight arrangements, they believe in giving you easy time to help you keep up with your busy schedule while planning all your air borne travel activities!

• Luxury tented camping:

This is a unique product that lets you connect with the wild nature while maintaining safety and class, any time you think of the group or family tented camps in the Kenyan wild,  think Easy Tour and travels and you will never go wrong with our special discounted rates in the Mara game reserve, Lamu and other unique sites!
        

• Group and team building retreats:

Our day to day routine life has always proved to be tedious and to interfere with our optimum production both at work and in our private lives; it’s for this reason that Easy Tours and travels noticed the need of bonding in a foreign serene environment as a team, either working together or co-operating for a common goal in daily social or economic activities.
They accord you the opportunity to vent out frustration in a healthy transforming way while encouraging unity, cohesion, harmony and team work.
This product is also ideal for corporate strategists where everybody is allowed to socialize and invent solutions creating a sense of commonness towards achieving key institutional goals.
They source, identify, reserve and look for the best sociology consultants to equip you during your retreats and make sure you get back to your routine life refreshed and “good to go individual within a team”

CONTACTS
MINI MALL, APINDI STREET
P.O. BOX 3010-40100, KISUMU
TEL: +254 722-174249, 0733-905664
EMAIL: info@easytourskenya.com
WEBSITE: www.easytourskenya.com

KISUMU'S TOURS AND TRAVEL:EL SUCO TOURS

GATE WAY TO THE WESTERN CIRCUIT
EXPERIENCE CULTURE AND ECO TOURISM
SERVICES

• AIR TICKETING
• AIRPORT TRANSFERS
• MEET AND ASSIST
• PACKAGE TOURS
• CAR HIRE
• TAXI SERVICES
• HOTEL BOOKINGS
• EVENT MANAGEMENT
• CONFERENCING

TOURS

• COMMUNITY TOURS
• BIRD WATCHING TOURS
• CAMP SAFARIS
• NATURE WALKS TOURS
• ISLAND TOURS
• MARA SAFARIS
• KOGELO SAFARIS
• IMPALA PARK/MUSEUM
• JUNGLE ADVENTURES

DESTINATIONS

• NDERE ISLAND
• KOGELO
• KAKAMEGA FOREST
• RUSINGA ISLAND
• RAMOGI ISLAND
• IMPALA PARK
• KIT MIKAYI

ACTIVITIES

• SITE SEEING
• BIRD WATCHING
• BOAT RIDES AT THE LAKE
• SEEING HIPPPOS AND CROCS
• NIGHT FISHING
• PICNICS

CONTACTS
KISUMU AIRPORT OFFICES
P.O. BOX 13 KISUMU, KENYA
TEL: +254 57 2021550, 0722727570, 0718612121, 0732727570
EMAIL:  info@elsuco-tours.com

KISUMU'S TOURS AND TRAVEL:DAKENS TRAVEL (EA) LTD

FLY TO THE SHORES OF LAKE VICTORIA AND DRIVE IN STYLE
DAKENS TRAVEL (EA) LTD offers the most affordable, experienced and respected tour and travel services in Western Kenya and its environs. Everyone who walks through their door is their personal guest, because they have been doing this for years and they value your experience and satisfaction. They will help you explore the country, be it for business or holiday.
They specialize in:

• Car Hire

They have the latest models of well maintained vehicles including:
ü  TOYOTA NZE, ALLION, GALA, PREMIO
ü  RAV 4, 4 X 4, HARRIER E.T.C.
ü  Open roofed tour vans suitable for group tours

• Air Ticketing

It can be a real pain finding the right information while travelling locally or abroad by air, that’s why when you chose them, they will make sure you get satisfaction and less stress finding affordable travel information to any destination worldwide.

• Hotel and Lodges Booking

For events such as business meetings, special events like honeymoons, family holidays or thinking of going on a wildlife safari and camping out which has become popular, they can tailor make a suitable package that is not only affordable but worth your money anywhere within the country. So for your weekends or planning a holiday or a special event, come to them and in return you will want to explore and discover places you did not imagine existed.

• Tours and Travel

They specialize in pre-packaged tours for individuals or groups to the following destinations:
ü  Masai Mara
ü  Lake Victoria
ü  Kakamega forest National Reserve
ü  Ndere Island National park
ü  Rusinga Island
ü  The “Weeping stone” of Maragoli
ü  Mt. Elgon National park
ü  Ruma National park
ü  Obama village-Kogelo
ü  Lake Nakuru National park
ü  Lake Bogoria- Hot springs
ü  Mount Kenya National reserve
ü  Tsavo National park
ü  Mamba village
ü  Fort Jesus, Lamu fort, Takwa ruins
CONTACTS
DAKENS TRAVEL (EA) LTD
NAKUMATT MEGA CITY MEZAZANINE FLOOR OFF KISUMU-NAIROBI ROAD AND MINI MALL ROOM 201
P.O. BOX 1021-40100 KISUMU, KENYA
TEL: 057-2025986
FAX: 057-2025956
CELL: 0720074965, 0735270085, 0727289111, 0722248018
EMAIL: info@dakenstravel.com
WEBSITE: www.dakenstravel.com

KISUMU'S TOURS AND TRAVELS:PHIATON TRAVELS LTD.

Already a market leader in its mainstream services, Phiaton travels, a Kisumu based tours and travel company, has redefined the corporate, group and leisure travel markets. Phiaton travels demonstrates its critical success factors, i.e. expertise, quality, experience, efficient service, innovation and technology.
Services
Their professional services in travels and car hire division include:

• Air travel

Phiaton commands a significant percentage in the region’s air ticketing business and partnering with almost all the flight companies like Jet link, Fly540, East African safari etc.

• Car hire services

Phiaton has the most unique vehicles such as Toyota Prado, Suzuki Escudos, Toyota Premio and many others. Phiaton travels currently commands fleet management and car hire market for non-governmental organization programs and both private and public companies around western Kenya.

• Airport Pickups, transfers and cab services

This is a distinct product offered to a regular Phiaton Travels clientele. Service delivery to customers is prompt and efficient. Clients are able to call and make reservations through our efficient customer care and services. Phiaton through its fleet of comfort vehicles operates airport pick-ups and other cab hire services.

• Conference and events management

Their professional services in Conference and events management division include: Location and reservation of appropriate venues for conferences and events, Delegate registration-by mail or online, Conference venue search and liaison, Conference logo and theme design, Conference program and badge printing, Simultaneous translation,Video production,Speaker management, Audi-visual and technical support, Fee collection by invoice or cash, Exhibition management.

• Air Ticketing Services

As they are located in Kisumu City, they do stand out in domestic ticketing as we do negotiate for our clients the best rates in various airline companies such as Kenya Airways, East African Airlines, Jet Link and Fly 540 airlines.
For effective and efficient service to their clienteles they have installed all the necessary air ticketing facilities in their offices thus everything is done in their offices.
Due to their experience in tour and travel industry they offer travel guidance to guide their clientele in:
ü  Acquiring Passport and its renewal.
ü  Areas where they have issued travel bans.
ü  Issuing information concerning tours and travel in western Kenya.
ü  Hotel Reservations Services.
They offer hotel and conference facilities reservations on behalf of major hotels within and without Kisumu. Among the many hotels they reserve for their clients include Kisumu Hotel, Golf Hotel Kakamega, Imperial Hotel, Sunset just to mention but a few.
The hotels offer both traditional and international delicious dishes as well as modern banqueting and meeting facilities. They offer complete services for the discerning business travelers and meet some of the city's growing needs for international standard hotels and business facilities.
They are able to offer full and inclusive reservation from the Kisumu airport to the hotel and a safari back to the airport. The hotels provide comfortable rates for their clients from a single room, double to the family suite with all the luxuries you may ask for e.g. hot bath and showers, swimming pool and indoor games. We will always bargain for discounts on behalf of our clients hence making them pay a little lower compared to direct booking.

• Conference and event management

Their  professional services in Conference and events management division include:
ü  Location and reservation of appropriate venues for conferences and events.
ü  Delegate registration-by mail or online
ü  Conference venue search and liaison.
ü  Conference logo and theme design.
ü  Conference program and badge printing.
ü  Simultaneous translation.
ü  Video production.
ü  Speaker management.
ü  Audi-visual and technical support
ü  Fee collection by invoice or cash.
ü  Exhibition management

• Tours and Safari Destinations

Kenya safaris are among the most the most exciting safaris found in the world. Kenya has some wild yet serene, tranquil yet exotic travel destinations. There are breathtaking wildlife, many sunny beaches, different cultures, forests and many more. Kenya's landscape ranks among the most fascinating and diverse world over.
As a tour and traveling agency they have created various full inclusive packages in Western Kenya that promotes both international and domestic tourism. They mostly deal with inbound safaris. You can also inquire safaris that might not exist in our featured excursions. They offer customized safari itinerary depending on your time and budget.
Featured safari destinations

Maasai Mara National Park	Kit Mikayi
Rondo Retreat	Rusinga Island
Kisumu Impala Centre	Amboseli National Park
Tsavo National Parks	The Western Festivals and Event Safaris
Kakamega Forest	Ruma National Park
Mt. Kenya National Park	The Kenya Coastal Safaris

 CONTACTS
Phiaton Travels Ltd Mega plaza building, 3rd floor, Block c
P.o Box 87 40100-kisumu, Kenya
Tel: +254 57 2025 969 Mobile: +254 720 930 922
Email: info@phiatontravels.com

THE LEGEND OF ABINDU:ABORO ADETE

 Though it might lack the fame Kit Mikayi boasts of and the running water, Abindu is just as imposing as the weeping rock, with just as interesting stories and myths backing it.
Abindu in Dholuo means a series of small caves in one place, something one notices as he takes a quick tour of the stone structure which people use to vocally voice their prayers.
It’s believed that the mysterious rock was inhabited by the Kipsigis over 500 years ago depicted by the pottery and tethering ropes found in the vicinity.
The Kipsigis are believed to have been chased away by the Kwamumbi people and the rock was reserved by the elders to perform rituals and pray for rains in times of draught and bountiful harvests.
Between July and August 1970, a disturbed stranger arrived at Abindu called Aboro Adete. It’s believed that he was a 3^rd year University of Nairobi student who had started trekking from Gem to Olalo and in between at Sinyolo it was discovered that the man had powers. At Abindu he would sleep in the church near the mountain and when the students returned from school a distance away, he would tell them what they had learned that day in detail and correctly tell them their full names.
He said that he was a messenger sent with a message to deliver to Kit Mikayi, Got Huma and another mysterious rock which on his return turned out to be Abindu. He climbed the rock structure and wrote the mysterious scribbles.
He told people that if the then president Jomo Kenyatta would come to Abindu, he would reveal the meaning of the scribbles. When he was denied audience he elected for the then vice president Jaramogi Odinga, who also declined the offer, then he decide to choose the then Mayor of Kisumu Grace Akech Onyango. 2 people were sent to Kisumu to deliver the invitation to the mayor, but failed to reach their destination and have forever been cursed for this.
On receiving the invitation, the mayor agreed to come to Abindu and was accompanied by her deputy Owino and together with Adeto they went into the caves and its claimed that thunder and lightning struck the rock violently and screams were heard coming from the caves. Later they emerged from the cave, Adete glided up and down the rock walls mystically and word by word revealed to the people what the scribbles meant.” D-A-A-L-M-O-N H-A-M”.
After the incident with the Mayor it is rumoured that the police tried to detain Adete on numerous occasions and the mysterious guy would foretell every attempt and reveal to the locals in detail how he would escape. They say he would mysteriously disappear from the police Land cruiser leaving behind only the hand cuffs or he would turn into a leopard and chase the police away.
Later Adete mysteriously disappeared towards Kisiany after boarding the Kanyamuol bus. Before leaving he warned the locals about cutting any tree new the stone formation and also cultivating near it. The locals have numerous tales of mystical failures to do the above or example people would self injure themselves in unexplained ways or the pangas and Jembes would disappear without ever being found ever again. There is also a tale of a white foreigner who tried on many occasions to survey the rocks but his tools seamed to find their way to the bottom of the rock and he believed that the locals were trying to sabotage his efforts till one day he witnessed one of his tripod stands disappear before his very own eyes.
Also before leaving Adete left behind some symbols on some of the rocks at Abindu:

• There is a rock with a symbol of a bow and arrow
• There is another rock with a symbol of a snake
• And another with a symbol of a sword shooting upwards
• There is also an arrangement of rocks depicting the 12 loaves of bread found in the bible

Aboro Adete was also believed to have been a prophet as some of the predictions he foretold have come to pass. It is believed that he accurately predicted the deaths of Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramongi Odinga and the invention of the Binary code.

ABINDU: THE NEW KIT MIKAYI

THE NEW KIT MIKAYI

Though it might lack the fame Kit Mikayi boasts of and the running water, Abindu is just as imposing as the weeping rock, with just as interesting stories and myths backing it.
Abindu in Dholuo means a series of small caves in one place, something one notices as he takes a quick tour of the stone structure which people use to vocally voice their prayers.
Abindu is located about a 30 minutes drive from Kisumu, off the Kisumu-Maseno road past Kisumu International airport at Nyahera.
Abindu is a fascinating new Tourist attraction site in Kisumu County as it offers visitors with numerous activities to participate in, like:

• It has a spiritual significance as people use the rock’s caves for prayers
• Its rocky terrain offers thrill seekers a chance for adventure in hiking and camping
• One can experience the culture and heritage of the Kwamumbi people who live around the rock
• From vantage points on top of the rock one can experience some breath taking views of Kisumu City and Lake Victoria

Since it’s a new tourist destination a lot of developments have to be done to turn it into a world class tourist destination like its counterpart Kit Mikayi and many tourist stakeholders have come up to give a helping hand. KWS made an assessment of the site and are in the process of fencing the area and setting up some necessary facilities. The National Museum is in the process of documenting the site for it to be gazetted as an official tourism site. The council helped the locals around the area to form a Community Based Tourism Organization (CBTO) which was registered 2 weeks ago and is in the process of improving the road network leading to the site. The Kenya Tourism Board will develop and market it as a tourist destination in their website www.magicalkenya.com .
 Other stakeholders include LVTA and the Ministry of Forestry.

SUCCESSFUL INAUGRAL LVTA ‘S CIRCUIT CULTURAL FESTIVAL EXHIBITION 2012

 Western Circuit Cultural Festival WCCF managed by Lake Victoria Tourism Association (LVTA) hosted the first ever Cultural Festival and Exhibition in the circuit with a theme – UNITY IN DIVERSITY.  The event which will be an annual high profile event in line with the cultural festival, attracted participation from both local and international cultural trade partners.
Objectives of the expo were as follows:

• To establish and develop the WCCF exhibition as a Regional Cultural Exhibition in the Western Circuit that will be a focal point in Kenya tourism
• To generate new business for local industry partners by hosting selected key buyers from source markets in line with LVTA overall strategy.
• To position and showcase Western Circuit as an up market high value and safe destination offering unparalleled diversity of tourism diversity

Some of the exhibitors who participated in the expo included

• Kenya Wildlife Service
• El suco travel and tours
• Equity Bank
• Kenya Tourism Board
• Brookside LTD
• Kisinde and Maili Saba Lodge
• Bike Ventures
• Federation of Community Based Tourism Organization
• Imperial Hotel
• Ecobank
• Kenya Commercial Bank
• Bondo University

This year’s exhibition which took place from the 21^st -23^rd November 2012 at the Jomo Kenyatta sports ground and on the 24^th November 2012 at Impala park Sanctuary during the KWS Boat Racing Event saw many local visitors attend to enjoy and participate in the immense cultural diversity the region has to offer including:

• Traditional foods
• Local Music
• Traditional dances
• Tero Buru
• Traditional culture and heritage
• Local folklore and stories
• Local wildlife