The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) manages several national parks in Kenya, including the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary Park. As the name suggests, the facility protects the endangered Sitatunga antelopes and impalas.
Although many Kenyan national parks occupy the remotest grassland plains of the Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, and Tsavo, the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary Park is right on the shores of Lake Victoria. Can you imagine sharing a beach with the Impalas?
The Impala Park Sanctuary in Kisumu provides timeless views of Lake Victoria and much more. In this article, we discuss the park’s location, entry fees, animals, various tourist activities, and other crucial details.
Kisumu Impala Sanctuary Park Location
Also called the Lakeshore Walk with Impalas, the Kisumu Impala Park Sanctuary is 355 kilometers from Nairobi. It is only three kilometers from Kisumu City and close to the Hippo Point.
If you arrive in a car, use the Sitatunga Gate. If you come by foot, enter through the Main Gate. Some visitors prefer to take a chattered flight in Nairobi and land in Kisumu within an hour.
The locals arriving from Mbita, Homa Bay, and Kendu Bay travel by ferry.
Impala Sanctuary Park Background
The Kisumu Impala Park Sanctuary belongs to the KWS, as earlier stated. It is a small facility covering less than one square kilometer along the shores of Lake Victoria (the second biggest fresh-water lake on earth).
The Impala Park protects the Sitatunga antelopes and impalas from poachers. Poaching began during the construction of the East African Railway line, as the project encouraged human settlement. During those days, the impalas and other wild animals lived naturally in the vast grassland.
But when the humans settled in the area, they started killing the animals aimlessly. The sanctuary appeared in the Gazette in 1992 and became an official establishment.
Kisumu Impala Sanctuary Park Entrance Fees
The Impala Park Sanctuary in Kisumu is a beautiful wildlife conservatory with many features. To enter this facility, make sure to purchase a ticket online first. The KWS tickets are easy to purchase in advance via the eCitizen website.
Create an e-Citizen account and follow simple steps to buy your ticket online. Once you get to the gate, produce your receipt to enter without trouble. Adults and kids pay different fees, as shown below:
- Adult Kenyan Citizens – KES 215.
- Adult Residents– KES 215.
- Adult Non-residents – USD 22.
- Kenyan Child – KES 125.
- Resident Child – KES 125.
- Non-resident kid – USD 13.
If you encounter a problem during payment, call the KWS customer support service at 254(0)774305916. You can also send an email to the impalapark@kws.go.ke or swkisumu@kws.go.ke.
Kisumu Impala Park Sanctuary Activities for Tourists
The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary has special activities for local and foreign tourists. These include the following:
- The Big 5 – The Impala Park has freely roaming animals, including four of the Big Five African animals. Thus, you can see the lion, leopard, white rhino, and buffalo. Only the elephant is absent. Dangerous animals and endangered antelopes stay at the orphanage.
- Wildlife Viewing – This conservatory has many herbivores, including zebras, bush duikers, impalas, Sitatunga antelopes, bush-backs, warthogs, giraffes, and hippos. You can also encounter predators like cheetahs, serval cats, jackals, hyenas, and red-tailed mongooses. The Impala Sanctuary also hosts monkeys and baboons.
- Bird Watching – The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary provides shelter to one hundred and fifteen birds. Some birds migrate to other places while others stick here all year round. Popular species include guinea fowl, parrot, Fischer’s love bird, and ostrich.
- Holding Picnics and Sundowners – If your family loves picnics, the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary is one of the places to consider. The establishment has five picnic sites for individuals and groups, including the Impala, Albizia, Simba, Baboon, and Sunset. These picnic sites provide endless views of Lake Victoria and other sceneries. Some people use them for corporate events and wedding receptions. The park has a specific sundowner viewpoint, enabling you to watch beautiful sunsets.
- Camping – Try your next camping safari at the Impala Sanctuary in Kisumu, and you won’t regret it. The facility has enough campsites, including the most serene and private ones. If you do not mind lounging in the woods at night, this is the place to be on your next Kisumu trip. The campsites have electricity, clean tap water, modern self-catering kitchens, and shower rooms.
Local and foreign tourists can visit the Impala Park from January to December. The roads remain passable even during the rainy season, and the place is near the top hotels in Kisumu.
