When our good friends at Rusinga Island Lodge invited us…
The journey began on a chilly Friday morning with an early fly540 flight from Nairobi to Kisumu at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and in just under 20min we were in Kisumu. It was around 8am when we got to the town and since it was still early we decided to take a more scenic route to Rusinga. I would recommend going by road from Kisumu town to Luanda Koteino where you can pick the ferry, spend around 30mins in the water to get to a place called Mbita; then from there make your way to the lodge.
The road to Luanda Kotieno is surprisingly well tarmacked. It was a smooth ride and you get to take in some pretty stunning scenery. One of the main attractions was a mystical rock known as Kit Mikayi, which we passed on our way to Luanda using the Kisumu - Bondo route. Legend has it that there was an old man who fell passionately in love with this stone to the extent that when people asked his wife his whereabouts, she would answer that he has gone to his first wife (Mikayi) hence the stone of the first wife (Kit Mikayi). The site is associated with sacrifices from pre-Christian times.
But I digress.
Once you arrive at Luanda Kotieno you get on to the ferry and take a 45min cruise to Mbita (this is in Homabay) from which then Rusinga Island Lodge is a 10min drive. It was quite the experience, one that I think most would enjoy but if this doesn’t tickle your fancy then I have good news for you. Thanks to Fly540 You can now get a flight from Nairobi to Homabay which cuts the time of the journey drastically. With the new flights it will take you just 45min from the airport to the lodge!
We arrived at the lodge just in time for lunch. The first thing I noticed was that from the gate, the place was just as it appeared in pictures. You can never really know how much photoshop has gone into creating spectacular photos of a place.
But at Rusinga Island Lodge everything is even more stunning in reality.
From where I stood at the entrance I had a perfect view of the lake, the grounds were well manicures and the place was so captivating I had to spend a few minutes to take it all in. The gardens were something alright, green and filled with mature and old trees scattered all over, perfect location for a destination wedding. It is said that the place used to be a fishing club back in the day and people would go there to fish for sport, the evidence of this could be seen from the marks and cuts left behind on the trees from where the lines were placed when they hang the fish out to dry. I loved the little tell-tale signs of all the history that lay everywhere and the view…the view was breathe taking.
There is a jetty that leads you into the lake where you can do night fishing; it’s a catch and eat kind of place. Meaning you could feast on the fruits of your spoils. And for the couples on honeymoon or anniversary, you can have a romantic candlelit dinner on the jetty. The very polite and pleasant porter (her name was Monica) escorted me to my cottage to place my luggage. And then I was ready for lunch.
We sat out in the gardens for lunch. The shade from the numerous trees and the gentle wind from the lake was exactly what we need to cold down. The food at Rusinga Island lodge is served mainly a la carte but buffet can be prepared for a group if the request is made in advance. For the starter I had some vegetable soup and a fresh bun, for my main meal; I had chicken curry with rice and assorted vegetables. It was delectable!
I then left for my cottage to rest; they are these spacious rooms with the design inspired by a traditional hat but with interiors inspired by a blend of modern and African art. They have 3 different types of cottages; single room cottages, honeymoon cottage, and a family cottage with interconnected doors. If you want to go for holiday alone or with family or even go for your honeymoon in Rusinga Island Lodge, I can assure you that the accommodation will be luxurious. Before long it was dinner time and as they say ‘when in Rome…..so you know I had to try the fish.
When the night set in and the candles were lit and the place transformed, the mood changed. Take it from me, this would be a fantastic place to bring your spouse on an anniversary trip or honeymoon.
The next morning I woke up with great anticipation to try out the activities offered at the lodge. At Rusinga Island Lodge there is no room for boredom; they have plenty of activities to enjoy. I started off my morning with Jet skiing, the water was calm in the morning and as I had been informed that would be the ideal time. I was a total ninja in that water, seriously!
Soon after breakfast, the weather was just right for a boat ride to the other islands. The gods had smiled down on us because the waves in the water were gentle. Our first stop, the fishing villages on our way. We found the boats curating in the water waiting for the night so the fishermen could go fish. Then we proceeded to Birds Island. From a distance you could see this rock island filled with birds resting on the trees. It is said that ten species of birds live on the island. The closer the boat got to them the more they flew away and this just showed us the multitude of birds that could be found in that little island.
Next stop; Takawiri Island.
This is a little piece of paradise and when we arrived, it was refreshing to see white sandy beaches on this side of the country. We didn’t stay there for too long, the winds were getting strong and we had to make our way back to Rusinga.
When it comes to food and potions at the Rusinga Island lodge they aim to feed you to your fill, the food is absolutely mouth-watering. For lunch I had scotched eggs as my starter, T-bone steak accompanied with rice as my main dish and for desert, a chocolate covered banana. After this I was all about ready for my nap but that would make me a very boring person so instead I decided to take advantage of the facilities in the area and went back into the water for white-water rafting. At this point the wind was very strong so we made our way back to shore.
Before I knew it, the sun was setting as I sat by the edge of the pool touching the water in the cool of the evening sipping tea as I waited for dinner. It’s such a relaxing experience to listen to the sound of the crushing waves and feel the breeze caressing your face.
It was my last night and for dinner I had some tender, juicy pork chops and baked potatoes as my main dish and then ice cream for desert. I actually dreaded going to bed that night because come morning, I would have to say goodbye.
Nairobi was calling. So I had to leave. My stay at Rusinga Island Lodge had been fantastic and it was now clear why they are the proud winners of last year’s prestigious World Tourism Award.
I will be for certainly vote for them this year!
Contact Rusinga Island Lodge on 254 716 055924 / +254 734 402932 / 0733 – 121148 Or visit their website at http://www.rusinga.com to book your stay.