Visit West Pokot

Tourism attraction sites

Nasolot Game reserve

Nasolot National reserve was established in 1979 in West Pokot County. It has 9200 hectares of magnificent rugged, rocky land. The reserve is endowed with lots of Flora and Fauna ranging from the largest herds of the African Elephants estimated at 300 per herd during the recent collaring.

These Elephants often migrate along Rimoi game reserve in Elgeiyo-Marakwet and South Turkana national reserve using the Masol corridor. Pellow and Masol community conservancies border theReserve.

The reserve also boasts of buffaloes, lesser kudus, bush bucks, duikers, lions, leopards, dik-diks, spotted hyenas, jackals, impalas, olive baboons, Sykes and monkeys, fringe –eared Oryx, water bucks, Thompson's gazelle and hippos.

Activities; Game viewing, bird watching, rock climbing, nature walk and camping.

Access road-The reserve is 146 km north of Kitale to the west of the A1 Kitale- Lodwar highway.

Air: There are three easily accessible airstrips at Turkwel dam, Marich Pass and Kaputir.

Mt. Mtelo

Situated high above the Great Rift Valley in the semi-arid areas of West Pokot County, Mt. Mtelo stands tall at 3336m.

It is the fifth tallest mountain in Kenya.

Mr. Mtelo is one of the few mountains in West Pokot that the Pokot people attach a huge spiritual meaning to it. The Pokots believe that their god (Tororot) resides here. Spiritual rituals used to, and are still performed facing this mountain. You can access the mountain through Marich-Mbara road, off Kitale-Lodwar highway.

Activities; Mountain climbing, hiking, bird watching, camping, mountain biking and studying the unique flora and fauna around this beautiful mountain.

Kapenguria museum

Kapenguria museum is rich in history of this nation. It represents the struggle that the country went through to gain its independence.

In 1952, the founding fathers of this nation; Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Bildad Kaggia, Kung'u Karumba, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei, and Achieng' Oneko were detained, tried and imprisoned thereafter in Northern Kenya.

When here, you will find cells where the nationalists were held, ethnographic galleries and the Pokot homestead which provide the foundation of this museum.

Turkwel dam

The Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station, also Turkwel Dam, is an arch dam on the Turkwel River about 76 km (47 mi) north of Kapenguria in WestPokot, Kenya. The dam serves several purposes to include hydroelectric power production, irrigation, tourism and fisheries. It was constructed between 1986 and 1991 by the spie batignolles [French company]. It supports the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the country, having an installed electric capacity of 106 megawatts (142,000 hp).

Turkwel river which feeds the dam begins from the lush green slopes of Mount Elgon and traverses North Pokot as River Suam to the Gorge later channelled through the turbines then released to flow down the Turkana plains joining River Weiwei at Nakwamoru on the Turkana side then empties into the world largest desert lake, Lake Turkana.

Activities: - Boat riding, Sport fishing, Sight-seeing, Hiking, Bird watching and team building activities.

Potential: - Bungee jumping, Zip-Line, cable car, Hotel establishment & Resorts

Tartar waterfall

Situated in tartar village in Mnagei Ward west pokot Sub County, approximately 6km from Makutano, tartar waterfall gives a magnificent view of the beautiful Pokot land.

The hills and the beautiful valley that stretch from Tartar Falls to meet Kopoch hills, favours paragliding and hiking.

Culture 

West Pokot County is currently inhabited by several communities i.e. the larger Pokot, and the minority Cherangany/Sengwer who inhabit the Cherangany area. The Pokot community has one of the unique, richest cultures in Kenya if not the world; the most authentic and unexploited.

Cultural activities include sapana (men rite of passage to adulthood), kidong’a (a traditional dance by all age sets every evening), and circumcision ceremonies.

The Pokot value their traditional regalia and dress cords coupled with indigenous artefacts which include beadworks, skins, headgears, Ostrich feathers, and other ornaments. The Pokots still value traditional medicine and it’s still practiced among the communities. 

Traditionally, the Pokot rely on meat, milk and blood as their staple food. They also grew finger millet and sorghum which was supplemented with little maize. They stored the foodstuffs in topot (traditional granaries).