Bread Basket
Kitale. Nestled in Kenya's North Rift Valley between Mt Elgon and Cherangany Hills, this is a vibrant tapestry of culture and nature. Its streets hum with the energy of diverse communities—the Kalenjin, the Luhya, each contributing to the town's rich mosaic. Wander through bustling markets teeming with fresh produce and lively chatter, inviting you to taste and explore.
But it's not just about the markets; Kitale flaunts its natural splendor too. Picture rolling hills dressed in lush greenery and valleys that take your breath away. And then there's Mount Elgon, a majestic backdrop that whispers tales of its grandeur. Yet amidst this beauty, Kitale offers something intangible—a serene ambiance that wraps you in a sense of belonging, making every moment an embrace of warmth and adventure.
This is where our journey began on the third day of this road trip.
We had arrived in Kitale the previous evening had a slow drive within the town as we were looking for accomodation. We finally settled on a bed and breakfast motel a few kilometers from the town.
A Refreshing Stop at Lake Ceaser
On the morning of this day we were back in town and after another drive through the town streets, we were on the Kitale Suam Road. Our plan for the day was to get better views of Mt Elgon and visit some of the towns in the larger Transnzoia area.
We got to Endebess, a place we had heard about but have never been to before. The road to the town is scenic with vast tracks of cultivated lands and hills in the horizon, including the mighty Mount Elgon which was literally in our faces. The town itself is small, with most buildings being government offices. We noticed the tarmac extends towards Suam, which from the maps we could tell is a country border town, and decided to proceed.
Within no time we were in Suam One stop Border point. We crossed the border on foot, as clearing process for the car would be a bit complex and time consuming. The Suam town on the Ugandan side is more vibrant than the Kenyan side, lined mostly with bars and restaurants. We walked around the town on foot and within the hour we were back on the Kenyan side.
Hills, views, repeat
Back on the Suam Kitale road, just before Chepchoina shopping centre, we branched off at another tarmac road which heads towards Kwanza. Same scenery of vast lands and hills on the horizon upto Kwanza. From Kwanza we went back to Kitale. Our plan for the day was to spend the night in Eldoret and since it was quite early, we decided to use the A1 from Kitale to Webuye, then join the A104 and head to Eldoret.
On A1, at Kamukuywa town, we decided to detour and check out Kimilili, a town we have heard of but never visited. Little did we know that would have a big change on our route plan as when we got to Kimilili, and were suprised by how big the town was, we decided to check out the next town we had heard about: Chwele.
And that is how we ended up in Bungoma at the end of Day 3.
Not at all suprising for 'Enjoy the moment' travellers.
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