By Road
TRavelling in Western Kenya is largely done by road. Below are the options...
Bus
Several bus companies offer long-haul services to/from and within Western Kenya. The larger ones are generally safe and use proper equipment and have reasonably safe driving habits. Others, however, use old and badly maintained buses and sometimes have a system that encourages the driver to drive too fast.
Links exist from Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and even beyond.
Wapezi & Matatu
Matatus are usually used for short connections to nearby towns. They usually are 14-seater vans. Wapezis, speed-taxis, are station wagons used for longer distances. You can find them at a town's bus station.
Car hire
Cars can be hired in the larger towns. Get a reputable or larger company and take a car that looks in a decent state of maintenance. It happens that individuals will try to hire out their (or someone else's) car, beware of that. Be sure there is comprehensive insurance on the vehicle. You need an International Driver's License if you have no Kenyan one.
Car hire – with driver
Often the hiring company also can get you a driver. If you have never driven in Africa before that is recommended.
The roads
Kenya's road network has a pretty bad reputation, and in many cases that reputation has been well-earned by the actual state the roads are in. Fortunately, in the last years things have been improving, albeit slowly. Unfortunately, it seems the major highways are the last ones to be done. Of the main Nairobi – Nakuru – Mau Summit – Kericho – Kisumu road, the part between Nairobi and Naivasha has been re-done. The rest is generally bad, and in some places atrocious. A sizable part of Mau Summit to Eldoret 'highway' is almost undrivable, compounded by the presence of many large trucks and buses that are speeding and often see no problem in pushing you off the road.
If you drive yourself, be defensive and look far ahead, while checking what happens by the side of the road (children, goats) and while watching out for potholes and unmarked speed bumps right in front of you. If this sounds like an impossible job, don't drive here. In any case, never drive after dark. If you have never driven in Africa, get a driver...
The roads
To give you a rough feeling for actual travel times, here are a few estimations, from experience. They are valid for day-time with good weather and a good vehicle and based on the road conditions in the beginning of 2007.
- Nairobi - Kisumu (over Nakuru, Mau Summit and Kericho): 7 hours plus
- Kisumu - Kakamega: 1 hour
- Kisumu - Kitale: 2.5 hours
- Kitale - Marich Pass: 4 hours
- Kisumu - Kisii: 2 hours
- Kisumu - Eldoret: 2.5 hours
- Kisumu - Kericho: 1.5 hour
- Kisumu - Busia: 1.5 hour
Your mileage may vary........
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