Destinations are end points. Journeys are “learnings, paths of possibilities, fresh beginnings…”
– Rasheed Ogunlaru
On paper, Kisumu seemed the perfect destination for a Turnup adventure: steeped in culture, and distant enough to elicit the kind of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) that can only be experienced when exciting things are happening just out of your reach.
What our trip down to the Lakeside eventually showed me was that what you’re used to seeing, you should keep trying to see from different perspectives. Not everything will necessarily click, but sometimes the familiar becomes new again.
I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start from the beginning.
Just over a year since its inception, the IG Tour has become a fixture for many who want to travel in a group, take in some history, annoy their social media feeds with stills of themselves in gorgeous locations, and of course, turn up. The Kisumu IG Tour was just the latest iteration of what is now a successful curated thematic tour by the Turnup Travel team.
Our journey would take us from the Aspire Center in Westlands where we picked up our swanky new Renault vehicles, and it would end at the Acacia Premier Hotel in the center of Kisumu – our base for two nights and three sunny days of exploration and experience.
The essence of a great road trip in my opinion, is threefold: your sense of adventure, the views and the camaraderie between you and your crew.
Nairobi to Kisumu had that in abundance. The Renault Kadjar (arguably the most stunning out of our very stand out convoy) was my chariot and ably managed the distance with just a couple of stop overs at the Rift View Point as well as in Kericho. Travelling with a bunch of creatives means that our 2pm landing time was pushed back by a couple of hours – but who’s complaining. The images we got out of the stops were pretty impressive.
Acacia Premier is one of the highlights of a stay in Kisumu if you are as used to your creature comforts as I am. Given the frenetic nature of our schedule, I wasn’t able to try out the Spa Center or the gym (you can put the latter down to absolute laziness) but my room had the nicest view of the Lake, and my bed was luxurious enough to ensure I missed out on dinner on our first night there.
The Impala Sanctuary was next – I’ve always found it a little difficult to watch animals in small enclosures but it did serve to show that there is probably a lot more to experience in Kisumu beyond the nightlife and the Lake. Flocks of school kids were out for their history lesson at the sanctuary and it’s my hope that the County continues to maintain it.
I’ve never considered myself a sunset chaser before, but after a Sundowner cruise along the lake, I might be a convert. A really stunning end to what was a pretty memorable journey in Kisumu.
Thanks also to Infinix who helped us get the right shots as well as UVA wines! Visit TurnupTravel for more on what the team has coming up next!
Images: Mark Denver Kurubiu
Drone Images: Maurice Mbui
