A small island of serenity and beauty Ndere Island National Park lies in the Winam Gulf of Africa’s largest inland lake – Lake Victoria, it was gazetted as one of the few National Parks in western Kenya 50 km from Kisumu and about 350 kilometers from Nairobi. The National Park is a beautiful hidden a place to explore covering a small land area of 4.2 square kilometers that boasts some interesting African avifauna combined with the sheer tranquility of rolling hills with good scented fresh grasslands and beautiful views of brilliant butterflies on some unique flowers watched as you take a walkthrough.
Ndere Island National Park has vegetation which is uniquely blended with a pure stand of tall grass of species loudentia natalensis which takes a brown color when flowering making a fascinating brownish scenery at the top of the island, indigenous tree species, and shrubs among others are also interspersed in this park with Woodland and forest remnant on its lower rim almost as extensive as the bushland starting from the lakeshore to the peak of the park creating a stunning hiking place for you as well as papyrus reeds featuring along the lake shoreline. The word Ndere means “meeting place” in Dholuo the local Luo language which according to the Luo folklore, Kit Mikayi mother of the tribe rested up near the park after her long journey south down the Nile Valley and she found lush shorelines so pleasing that she and her people stayed.
What to see in Ndere Island National Park
Covered mostly in grassland, Ndere Island National Park provides beautiful scenic views of the Homa hills to the south, Mageta Island to the east and the glimpses of Kampala in Uganda beyond the southwest horizon, the lakeshore supports a wide variety of inhabitants including hippos, monitor lizards, Nile crocodiles, several fish species, snakes especially pythons, puff adder, aardvark and vipers are evident, troops of baboons, monkeys as well as impalas, the rare sitatunga antelopes, waterbucks, zebras and warthogs and beautiful butterflies can be spotted. Also, Ndere Island National Park is famous for having more than 100 different species of birds that can be seen including African fish eagles, black-headed gonoleks, and grey-headed kingfishers.
What to Do in Ndere Island National Park
Hiking
Hiking through the well-marked walking trails to the Homa Hills is one activity that will offer you with beautiful scenery in the park such as the distant breathtaking views of Lake Victoria, this very Homa Hills, and Magere Island.
Bird watching
Ndere Island National Park is a haven for bird watchers, Aside from the many butterflies, the park has an abundance of birds, the must-see water birds are fish eagle, goliath heron, and hammer kop and also the park’s diversity for waders and singing birds are great.
Game viewing
On the shoreline and during a boat ride you will crocodiles and schools of hippos however, you can watch the other grassland animals walking majestically in the park, lookout to the spot and photograph the elusive sitatunga antelope wading in the papyrus.
Walking and sightseeing
Just like in any national park in Kenya where walking amidst wild animals is allowed, you’ll need a Park Ranger to accompany you, the air and lake breeze leaves you with a feeling of freshness and buoyancy. You can as well enjoy sightseeing the beautiful views from Ndere Island with its lush shoreline while taking photographs of the beautiful sceneries provided by the lake and the landscape of the park itself.
Boat rides and sport fishing
There are organized boat trips on Lake Victoria to the different islands and other places of interest which usually give visitors a tremendous adventure, sport fishing is one of the exciting and most rated activities in Ndere Island National Park where fishing boats are usually made ready with the equipment, enjoy the excitement of seeing your caught fish in the nets as you wait to fist on one for your meal.
How to get there
To get to Ndere Island National Park, from Nairobi, you first head to Kisumu, there are several flights and buses that leave Nairobi every day to Kisumu and by road, it will take you approximately 6 hours to get to Kisumu, by flight, it will take you 45 minutes to get to Kisumu Airport. Ndere Island National Park is 50km from Kisumu the 3rd largest city in Kenya and once you are in Kisumu the easiest way to the park is by water by taking a direct speed boat from Kisumu city to the park which takes 45 minutes or you can use the Kisumu- Bondo road branching left after Holo market or left at Kombewa shopping center to the park headquarters which is 12km away from this tarmac road and sandwiched between Asat and Bao beach, so from Bao beach, you’ll cross the short stretch to Ndere island by a motorboat, the ride will take 40 minutes.
Best Time to Visit
Ndere Island National Park can be visited all year round and visiting this park will give you unique adventure experiences with unforgettable memories.
Where to stay in Ndere Island National Park
There are limited accommodation options in Ndere Island National Park, Visitors can stay at the two campsites options here especially Bao Campsite or from the lodges and hotels on the shores of Lake Victoria, the notable ones include Kisumu resort, kisindi lodge, sunset hotel, park view safari Hotel, and apartments, hexagon Mbili farm lodge, rock resort hotel, kiboko bay resort, Lakewood hotel, etc.