Mbita: Rusinga Island, Ferry Destinations and Culture

When searching for a hotel in Mbita, it is helpful to distinguish the town itself from nearby destinations and the wider travel destination of Homa Bay. Mbita is the specific location; the destinations to the south, Rusinga Island, and the cultural sites on Mfangano each represent a broader geographical area. This lets you choose your search area based on the places and themes that matter for your trip.

Mbita, Rusinga and the Surrounding Area

Mbita is home to the Thomas Odhiambo Campus of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). The campus is a specific institutional landmark within the town. Another geographical connection leads to Rusinga Island: a causeway built in 2017 connects Mbita to the island. This makes it possible to distinguish the campus’s location from the connection to Rusinga when choosing Mbita as your search destination while also including the island in your plans.

Nearby are Lake Victoria Safari Village and Mfangano Island Camp. Both are about 3 km south of Mbita and can be reached by ferry. The same approximate distance and direction are given for both places; nonetheless, treat them as separate destinations. If a ferry crossing is part of your plans, check the current service in advance.

Ruma National Park is a short drive from Mbita. This gives you a national park within a short drive as a point of reference, alongside the two southern destinations accessible by ferry. The information describes different ways to situate Mbita’s surrounding area geographically.

Rusinga Island: December Festival

The Rusinga Annual Cultural Festival celebrates the cultural heritage of the Abasuba and takes place every year in December on Rusinga Island in Kenya. The festival venue is therefore the island, not Mbita; the causeway built in 2017 connects the two places. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in addition to the annual December timing.

Homa Bay: History and Cultural Heritage

In the wider travel destination of Homa Bay, the history of Ruma National Park goes further back: in 1966, it was designated a game reserve under the former name Lambwe Valley, and was later upgraded to a national park. This sequence traces its development from game reserve to national park; it adds a historical perspective to the short drive from Mbita.

Mfangano Island is also part of the wider travel destination of Homa Bay and is known for its ancient rock art sites and sacred sites. The island has 36 types of sacred sites; 19 of them remain intact and identifiable. The rock art may be about 2,000 years old and is attributed to early Twa hunter-gatherer groups. The Abasuba Community Peace Museum is also located on Mfangano and promotes rock art tourism on the islands of Lake Victoria. Alongside the history of the national park, Homa Bay therefore offers its own cultural context, geographically distinct from Mbita.

Discover more destinations: Kadongo, Kendu Bay, Homa Bay.

Back to the main travel overview: Homa Bay.