10 Hours Ruma Park and Lake Simbi Nyaima Safari

Ruma Park and Lake Simbi Safari brings a combination of both the beautiful Ruma National Park and the little known magic of the green crater of Lake Simbi. Beyond the beauty of Lake Victoria, the lake region tribes and the islands, lies the hidden gem of Ruma National Park. This is Western Kenya’s only terrestrial park with promises of undiscovered wildlife treasures and undisturbed peace.

Ruma, is the only sanctuary for the endangered Roan Antelopes in Kenya. While its birdlife is prolific, it plays a vital role in the survival of the globally threatened Blue Swallow and also a bunch of other bird species that are unique to western Kenya.

According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, Blue swallows, which depend on moist grassland to feed and roost, arrive in Kenya from their breeding grounds in South Africa around April and return in September.

Leaving the lakeside city of Kisumu at dawn, we will drive through Homa Bay then to Ruma Park entering through the Kamato gate. We will then proceed for a game drive in search of the Big 3 members here namely, Black and White Rhino, Buffalo and the Leopard. This park was established as Lambwe Valley game reserve in 1966 to protect its indigenous population of rare Roan antelope which exist nowhere else in Kenya. It acquired national the park status in 1993 and renamed Ruma National Park on the request of the local community in honor of one of the most powerful Kenya’s wizards, the much-feared Gor Mahia who was living high on a hill which now forms part of the Kanyamwa escarpment, from where he could watch over all people because his magic was so powerful that he controlled not only South Nyanza, but far beyond.

The classic image of Eastern Africa wildlife safari is realized in Ruma National Park, a land of rolling savannah dotted with picturesque acacias and balanites and backed by dramatic hills, intriguing volcanic plugs and the towering escarpments.

Due to its compact in size, the park is easily traversed by the numerous routes if the conditions of the roads and the weather permit. The parks terrain offers some of the best mosaic of riverine woodland, golden rolling savannah and breath-taking escarpments.

Situated away from the traditional tourists routes, Ruma is off beaten tracks are relatively infrequently visited. The park is known for its tranquility and the solitary enjoyment of the wilderness where man goes back to nature.

On its flat floor, the seasonal waters of the Lambwe River ensures that the park’s inhabitants have some water and its’ in these same sector of the park where its easy to spot the elusive leopard. Standing like sentinels, the park is bordered to the South East by the breath taking Kanyamwa escarpment and to the North by the dramatic volcanic plugs of the beautiful Ruri hills.

On the other hand, a long, narrow corridor of land contained on a fist-shipped peninsular extends into Lake Victoria. Apart from the Roan antelope, which has a sanctuary here, we have also plenty of Cape Buffalo, the Common Waterbuck, the Aardvark, the Honey Badger, the African Civet, Serval Cat, Genet Cat, Topi, Impala, Vervet Monkey, Olive Baboon, Rothschild’s Giraffe, the Burchell’s Zebra, Oribi, Spotted Hyena and other wild animals are to be seen.

From Ruma, we will drive to the lakeside town of Homa Bay for hot lunch. We will then leave Homa Bay and drive to the volcanic Crater Lake located in Kendu Bay. This crater lake was formed about six centuries ago after an earthquake that was accompanied by a volcanic eruption.

Locals who are a Luo tribe believe that water from the lake has medicinal value and can be used to cure various skin diseases. This has made the lake’s water to be very popular with traditional healres and preachers equally who come for the miracle water. Ecologically, the Lake is also a seasonal home of migrating flamingos from different Rift Valley lakes in Kenya.

After taking a short stroll at on the crater’s rim, we will drive back to Kisumu with a stop-over at the Ahero rice fields where if the timing and the season permits, we will learn more about rice farming and processing and also do some bird watching especially if the migrant bird species happen to be in the country. Our arrival in Kisumu will be in the evening to mark the end of our day trip.