Ndere Island National Park

Island of Serenity and Beauty

Located on Lake Victoria, this island is a haven for birds. Covered mostly in grassland, Ndere Island 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 south west horizon.

The undulating rise and fall of the little hills and valleys that awash the island makes the scenic views of this topography unrivalled. The local community surrounding the park call the island Chula Rabour. Chula – Island, Rabour- Red thus Red Island. The Themeda grass species whose mature flowers turn reddish in color virtually cover the island, and thus the ’’red island’’. This Park was largely established to provide refuge for small populations of impalas. Other species found here include African fish eagles, swifts, hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles, impalas and zebras. Ndere means “meeting place” in the local Dholuo (Luo language).

The lake shore supports a wide variety of animals including hippos, monitor lizards, Nile crocodiles, several fish species, snakes, baboons, impalas, the rare sitatunga antelopes, water bucks, zebras and warthogs. Over 100 different species of birds can be seen here including African fish eagles, black headed gonoleks and grey headed kingfishers.

Attractions & Activities

The clean crisp air, the whiff of fresh grass, the spectacular nectar sucking antagonism between a colony of bees, a kaleidoscope of beautiful butterflies, and a flight of birds combined with interesting finds along the hiking trails of the island coupled with the sheer tranquility of the Park environment makes it a great destination for absolute solitude lovers to explore and be in the presence of nature.

If you yearn for a greater experience, set out to the island from Kisumu via a boat ride and let your ears and eyes not be distracted because there’s so much your senses will want to savor. The panoramic views of the rolling hills of Homa to the South of the island offer islanders scenic views of this side of the country. Other than hiking, boating and game viewing, visitors can also enjoy team building, sport fishing with the local fishing community and birding escapades as the diversity of insects, singing and wader birds is massive.

According to Luo folklore, early tribal migrants rested up near Ndere after their long journey South up the Nile River Valley. They found the lush shoreline so pleasing that they stayed up.