Mount Elgon National Park,Ruma National Park and Kakamega Forest National Reserve

Western Kenya is one of the best regions to get to know the locals. The Luhya people, a large tribal group, are the main inhabitants of the area.

Kakamega Forest National Reserve is home to many unique West-African animals including mammals, reptiles, birds and butterflies.

Mount Elgon is the second highest mountain in Kenya and has unusual caves that are frequented by elephants, buffalos, duikers and bushbucks, who venture in to lick salt on the walls of the caves.

Ruma National Park

Ruma National Park, formerly Lambwe Valley National Reserve, was established in 1966 but is one of the least visited parks in Kenya. Ruma National Park was established mainly to protect the Roan antelope, which are only found in this part of the country. On the border of Ruma National Park is the Kanyamaa Escarpment, this area is suited to rock climbing. Other wildlife found within the park includes oribi, Jacksons Hartebeest, Rothschild giraffe, cheetah and leopard.

Over 145 different bird species have been recorded in Ruma National Park including the fish eagle and white egret. The globally threatened Blue Swallow is seen here regularly as it arrives from its breeding ground in Tanzania.