Stand on the edge of the Kakamega Forest canopy and the branches close overhead into a thin mesh that blocks most of the sunlight, leaving a dark floor where the main obstacles are ancient fallen trunks. This is a rainforest remnant that once stretched west through Uganda, and it is the reason most travellers come to western Kenya.
Kakamega suits travellers who want small-town African life and bustling streets and small shops rather than classic tourist attractions. The town itself has no formal sights of that kind, so plan your time around the forest, the highway landmark at Ilesi, and the everyday rhythm of the town.
This guide covers the places worth your time in and around Kakamega, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Kakamega
1. Kakamega Forest
This is the main tourist destination in the area and a preserve of the rainforest that once reached west through Uganda. The canopy has grown into a thin mesh of interlocking top branches, so little sunlight reaches the ground and there is little undergrowth; expect to pick your way around ancient fallen tree trunks blocking the paths between standing trees.
More than 400 species of birds have been found here, and the many songbirds fill the air with various birdcalls. The forest is also home to the Kakamega forest cobra, reputed by locals to spend much time in the trees, along with the forest adder, black mamba and green mamba, so stay on the paths and watch where you step. The German-funded project BIOTA East has worked in the forest since 2001 on inventories of life forms and sustainable use.
2. The Crying Stone of Ilesi (Ikhongo Murwi)
This is a 40-metre high rock dome along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway, resembling a human figure whose "eyes" used to drop water. Local myth holds that it is the image of a jilted woman crying because she was forced out of her matrimonial home and denied access to her children.
Be aware before you go that the site is now shaded from the roadside view by planted eucalyptus trees, which have used up the rock's water and caused the "Crying Stone" to dry up. Combine it with your travel along the highway rather than making it the sole purpose of a trip.
3. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology
The university sits at the heart of Kakamega town along the Kakamega-Webuye road, created by an act of parliament in December 2006. It has spurred growth in this capital of Western Province and offers courses in Engineering, Computer Science, Education, Disaster Management, Journalism and Mass Communication, Science, Nursing and Criminology.
It is a working campus rather than a visitor attraction, so treat a walk past as part of seeing the town along the Kakamega-Webuye road rather than a scheduled stop.
4. The town centre and its streets
Kakamega offers small-town African life and bustling activity in the streets and small shops, which is the honest appeal of the place. Walk the centre to get a feel for the town that serves as the headquarters of Kakamega County and the heart of Luhya land.
Pair a walk with the local staple, ugali, known here as Obusuma in Luhya. The town's name itself comes from the Luhya word "kakamega (khakhameka)", roughly "to pinch", used to describe how European colonialists ate ugali.
5. Kakamega High School and the national school circuit
The town hosts one national secondary school, Kakamega High School, alongside many other secondary schools, with Kakamega Primary the major primary school in the town's CBD. These are working institutions, not attractions, but they are part of the town's fabric if your interests run to education.
Private schools renowned nationally that are located in the town include Kakamega Hill School and St Joseph's Primary School.
6. Kenya National Library Service library
The town hosts one library set up by the Kenya National Library Service. It is a quiet stop if you want a break from the streets and a place to read up before heading to the forest.
Combine it with a walk through the CBD, since it sits within the town rather than out along the highway.
7. The sugar country around Mumias
Kakamega serves as the headquarters of Mumias Sugar, previously Kenya's largest sugar processing company located in the town of Mumias. The surrounding economy is mixed farming, cash and food crops plus animal rearing, worked mostly by the Luhya.
If you travel out towards Mumias, treat it as a look at the working landscape rather than a formal tour, and keep your plans flexible.
8. The gold rush country
The area was the scene of the Kakamega gold rush in the early 1930s, fuelled partly by the reports of the geologist Albert Ernest Kitson. There is no listed site to visit for this, but knowing the history adds context to the landscape as you move around the area.
Read up before you travel rather than expecting markers on the ground.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start early at Kakamega Forest, the main tourist destination in the area. Walk the paths between the standing trees, listening for the songbirds among the more than 400 species recorded here, and keep an eye out for snakes including the Kakamega forest cobra, forest adder, black mamba and green mamba.
Afternoon: Return to town and walk the centre, taking in the streets and small shops that give Kakamega its character, then stop for ugali, the local staple known as Obusuma in Luhya. If you want a quiet hour, the Kenya National Library Service library is in the town.
Evening: Head out along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway to the Crying Stone of Ilesi (Ikhongo Murwi), the 40-metre rock dome whose "eyes" used to drop water. Note that it is now shaded from the roadside view by planted eucalyptus trees and has dried up, so plan the stop as a look at the rock and its story rather than a waterfall.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main thing to see in Kakamega?
Kakamega Forest is the main tourist destination in the area, a preserve of a rainforest that once stretched west through Uganda, with more than 400 bird species recorded.
Does the Crying Stone of Ilesi still cry?
No. Planted eucalyptus trees have used up the rock's water and caused the "Crying Stone" to dry up, an effect attributed to the climate change being experienced globally. The area used to receive heavy rainfalls in the 1990s and before.
Are there snakes in the Kakamega Forest?
Yes. The forest is home to the Kakamega forest cobra, described as Africa's largest and most aggressive cobra and reputed by locals to spend much time in the trees, as well as the forest adder, black mamba and green mamba.
What is there to do in Kakamega town itself?
The city has no classic tourist attractions, but offers small-town African life and bustling activity in the streets and small shops. You can also walk past Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology along the Kakamega-Webuye road and use the Kenya National Library Service library.
Use this guide to sketch your days, then start planning your trip to Kakamega around the forest and the highway.