Chasing Sunsets at Rusinga Island Lodge

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all~ Helen Keller.

 

Hello my friends! 😀 I am excited to share with you our first destination post! Rusinga Island is, undoubtedly, the perfect place to begin our 2017 explorations… 🙂

There’s something magical about chasing sunsets, especially when an island is involved! 😀 This was our main mission as we set out for Rusinga Island… 🙂

 

The Journey to Rusinga Island

Sometime towards the end of last year, Wanjiku Thuo and I were itching for an adventure…  I remember sending her a message reading> ‘Mombasa Road, Thika Road or Waiyaki way…let’s choose one and go wherever it leads!’ I was ready to go backpacking around Kenya if that is what it would take! 🙂

‘Rusinga Island!’ She replied, explaining that she had a standing invite from her friend Mulwa… The place is famed for its epic sunsets, and is generally a photographer’s haven… 😀

And that is how we ended up aboard an old, rickety Transline bus, one night, heading to Rusinga Island. Arriving in Mbita in the quiet hours of the morning, felt something like a fairy-tale, as the town was still sound asleep.

I had not Googled Mbita, or Rusinga island on purpose. Yes, I know this goes against all my travel advice, but I wanted to keep the suspense alive… 🙂 hehe I had no real expectations, except to see some amazing sunsets.

 

Later on, we stepped into the hot Mbita sun… One thing was clear though, we were dying to see Lake Victoria in all its glory!

 

Mbita is a town in Homa Bay County, along the shores of Lake Victoria. It is about 150Km from Kisumu. After our hot walk through Mbita town, we rode motor bikes to Rusinga island Lodge. This is the main mode of transport in the area, as buses mainly ply the main routes to Homa Bay.

 

Rusinga Island Lodge

When we arrived at the lodge, Wanjiku and I could barely feel our limbs thanks to the long ride. Yet, this was the adventure we had been itching for, no? 😀

Still, what lay ahead of us was well worth it! I was immediately struck by the change in atmosphere as we walked into Rusinga Island Lodge. You could feel a cool breeze blowing in from the lake.

 

We were well-received, and I noticed that we were the only guests present, which worked just fine for us. 🙂

The place is beautiful and calm, with well-manicured gardens and lawn chairs spread out for guests.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: WANJIKU THUO

Uniquely-done Cottages

We were shown to the rooms, which are built in a unique, cottage style.

 

The bathrooms stood out particularly, for their natural, earthy look.

They rate in the range of 220 USD for single rooms, and 320 USD for their double rooms during low seasons.

It’s perfect for families and groups of friends as they have plenty of space to cater for all. A honeymooning couple would certainly enjoy the solitude of it.

The Pier of my Dreams

This was the  highlight of my time at Rusinga Island Lodge. Walking on the pier into the lake, was a blissful experience. Plus, it offers breathtaking views of Lake Victoria.

 

 

Lake-side Foodie Experience

I will simply let the pictures do the talking…. 🙂

 

With about Kes. 1,000 to Kes. 2,000, you can get a good fish meal, with an accompaniment. The fish is freshly caught from the Lake, and seriously yummy! 🙂

Catching the Sunset

Our day trip to Rusinga Island Lodge was heaven-sent…. When the sun finally went down for the day, I knew for certain that the stories about the sunsets are true.

 

Many thanks to Mulwa for hosting us and showing us the beauty of this amazing place. And a big thank you to Wanjiku for letting me come along on this sunset-chasing adventure. 🙂

Travel Tips:

• Drive down to Mbita, for a better travel experience
• Carry sunscreen, wide hats and an umbrella to protect yourself from the hot sun
• Rusinga Island Lodge can organize airport pick-ups from Kisumu Airport on request
• The lodge has an airstrip for chartered flights
• You might want to take anti-malarial medication as a precaution. There is a sub-district hospital in Mbita town, in case of emergencies
• There are various activities organized by the Lodge that you can partake: Bird-watching, fishing and water sports
• Beware of hippos in the lake-check with the lodge staff on this

 

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Thank you so much for reading!  Honestly, my friends, travel is never perfect… Yet, those quiet and uniquely unperturbed blissful moments always make it worth the trouble. And the adventurer within keeps going back for more. 🙂

I hope you have enjoyed the post! I love hearing from you, do leave your comments, questions and feedback in the Comments’ section below. 🙂

P.S. Stay Inspired!

P.S.s. Catch up with our Best of 2016 posts HERE