Nomad issue #26

GREAT HOTELS
The water playfully laps
against the small, wooden
boat rhythmically rocking it
back and forth as if to the
lake’s very own sweet tune.
The sun splashes across
the sky in striking orange
hues as a fish eagle flutters across my
periphery. I am yanked out of my reverie by
the fisherman’s paddle incessantly tapping
against the wood, and as if in response,
a hippo’s head bobs out of the water and
starts inching towards us. I have seen
YouTube videos of hippos attacking boats,
and this canoe is certainly no speedboat;
should it lunge, we’d be done for. My fear is
quickly forgotten when we pass Hippo Point,
now predominantly a hang out center where
a crowd is gathered marvelling at the sunset.
As we inch towards Impala Ecolodge with its
wooden jetty illuminated by the soft orange
glow of lamps lined along its ramp, a place I
have only ever seen from a boat during lake
cruises like this, I can’t believe we’ll finally be
staying there tomorrow!
Kisumu Impala Sanctuary sits barely a
five minute drive from where I spent several
years of my primary school, and yet, in that
time, I recall visiting only once; the memories
are hazy. I like to consider Kisumu my
hometown, but the truth is, every time I return
(once this year, so far) I can’t help but feel
like a stranger. This city is fast developing.
Kisumu waits for no one. We pay our
entrance fees at the gate: Ksh 215 per day
for me, a Kenyan citizen, and $22 for my
companion, a non-resident. We walk...
yes, walk...past zebras and impalas which
are peacefully grazing in the surroundings,
unperturbed by our presence. The lodge sits
at the edge of the sanctuary and it takes a
five minute walk to get there.
There is a long, shaded, wooden ramp
elevated above the ground such that it feels
like you’re walking amidst trees and this
leads us from the reception down to our
tent. There are 12 double tents in total, each
named after luo numbers (ours, for instance,
is “aboro”, meaning “eight”). The structure
is semi-permanent with wooden floorboards
and canvas walls. A large cozy bed above
which hangs a mosquito net sits in the middle
of the main room. Behind it is a small living
area with two armchairs, a perfect nook
for entertaining should you happen to have
friends over. A walk-in closet and changing
area sits to the left, as do the bathrooms.
Right in front of the bed is a large sliding
glass door which reveals a balcony. Here,
there are comfortable wicker chairs to relax
in as you take in the stunning view; birds
flying past, the lake almost coming right up
to your doorstep. On this private balcony
we would spend our evenings drinking wine,
playing some RnB and slow dancing with
a spectacular setting sun as our backdrop.
The park closes at 6:00pm, but since we
were staying at the lodge, our curfew was
extended to 11:00pm, with strict warning
not to roam the grounds at night because the
hippos come out to the land at that time.
Impressive meals are served either in
the eco-friendly makuti-thatched restaurant
which stands next to a pool overlooking the
lake, or on a gazebo right above the water
such that it feels like you’re dining on the
deck of a boat. It is raised on stilts within
the lake but close to the shore. Here, you
can tuck into a three course lunch while
watching the fishermen standing on one
edge of their boats while using long poles
to steer themselves forward in the shallow
water. Lake Victoria unsurprisingly makes
Kisumu synonymous with fish, boat rides and
birdwatching. The locals have broken down
the art of preparing tilapia (because if you
watch how it is handled from the moment
a fisherman traps it in his net to the way a
chef meticulously plates it up for a patron,
then it really is an art) to two options: deep
or wet fried. The fish is traditionally served
with ugali, kachumbari and sukumawiki
or some other indigenous vegetables. Be
sure to order a plate at Impala Ecolodge’s
restaurant.
Our mornings were spent wandering
this serene park where impalas and zebras
are free roaming, but other animals such as
giraffes, an ostrich, two prides of lions which
are kept separately so they don’t fight for the
territory, monkeys, a buffalo, two warthogs,
leopards and more are caged with enough
space to roam.
www.jambochesterhotels.com
NOMAD MAGAZINE 2020 45