Here is a list of the Best Places to visit in West Pokot County. West Pokot is made up of four constituencies: Kapenguria, Sigor, Kacheliba, and Pokot South. The capital of the county is Kapenguria Town.
West Pokot is extremely endowed with natural resources ranging from scenic sites such as Mt Mtelo, Turkwel Gorge, Marich Pass, and Tartar Falls, and Sacred places that offer plenty of tourist activities. West Pokot is wild and untamed and will never fail to charm those seeking to unravel the mystery of her untouched natural beauty. The following is a list of the top places to visit in West Pokot County, in no particular order.
Best Places To Visit In West Pokot County
1. 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 African elephants, estimated at 300 per herd during the recent collaring. These Elephants often migrate along the Rimoi game reserve in Elgeiyo-Marakwet and the South Turkana national reserve using the Masol corridor. Pellow and Masol community conservancies border the Reserve.
The reserve also boasts of buffaloes, lesser kudus, bushbucks, duikers, lions, leopards, dik-diks, spotted hyenas, jackals, impalas, olive baboons, sykes and vervet monkeys, beisa and fringe-eared Oryx, waterbucks, Thompson’s gazelle, and hippos. Most of these wildlife numbers have declined due to subsistence poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. The County Government in coordination with the Kenya Wildlife Service has embarked on restocking of the Reserve. The reserve has the potential for Game viewing, bird watching, rock climbing, nature walks, and camping.
2. Kapenguria Museum
Kapenguria Museum is rich in the history of the nation of Kenya. 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. Here, you will find cells where the nationalists were held, ethnographic galleries, and the Pokot homestead which provide the foundation of this museum.
There are also displays of books and documents in a memorial library in honour of the six nationalists. Exhibits of the pre-colonial era, slavery, and the struggle for independence can also be found here. The establishment of this museum is credited to Mrs. Anny Mulder, an anthropologist who carried out research among the Pokot people.
3. Mount Kipteber
Mt. Kipteber is a humongous art of nature that strategically sits on the border of Elgeyo-Marakwet and Pokot counties. The cliff facing West Pokot side is so steep leaving hikers with the only option of accessing it through Elgeyo Marakwet County. The locals believe that a long time ago the community in that area was having a ceremony. As the ceremony went on, it’s believed that a crow gave a warning for three days but the locals ignored it, except one pregnant woman.
It so happens that a tragedy befell them when a huge rock fell from the sky, crushing a whole clan (Talai), save for the pregnant woman. It is one of the best places in West Pokot to view landscapes and plant species. A smooth mirror, with beautiful reflections of cliffs and sky with the unmistakable shape of a dome, makes a striking backdrop. The hill is exquisitely ideal for paragliding, hiking, rock climbing, and bird watching.
4. Mount Mtelo
Mt. Mtelo stands at 3336 m. It is the fifth tallest in Kenya. It is one of the few mountains in West Pokot and the Pokot 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 the Kitale-Lodwar highway. For those who love mountain climbing, hiking, bird watching, camping, mountain biking, studying the unique flora and fauna, and experiencing the indigenous Pokot culture this is your ideal place.
5. Tartar Waterfalls
Situated in tartar village in Mnagei Ward west Pokot Sub County, approximately 6 km from Makutano, tartar waterfall gives a magnificent view of the beautiful Pokot land. Almost like a stage surrounded by trees. There are 2 waterfalls slightly separated, but all next to each other in a row. It’s so lovely, warm, and fresh that you stand behind the waterfall. It takes away anxieties and knots of tension. The waterfall overlooks Lokurnoi, the hilly Cheptuya, and the unexplored nature of Riwo. The hills and the beautiful valley that stretches from Tartar Falls to Kopoch Hills favour paragliding and hiking.
6. Mount Kogh
Mount Kogh, a name with a lot of resonance befitting 2608 m, is steep, with almost erecting rock rising for 300 m from a northerly branch of the Cheranganis. A visit to this place and you will leave with a respect for the Mother Nature. The pure size, the mountain range, and the clear skies seen from above. It is a mountain, trail ride that drives through Chesta Guest House, Chemurlokotio Road. But there are more trails to follow and more days to enjoy here. Snakes of different species are also found here such as Black mamba, forest cobra, and rock python among others. The area is ideal for; paragliding, mountain climbing, bird watching
7. Kaisakat View Point
Perched on the side of Kamatira forest, Kaisakat provides a panoramic view of Chepareria, Cherengany Hills, Sook Hills, Kipteber Hill, and Murpus Hill. Filled with stunning, unmoved curved rocks and stones, it is the most spectacular viewpoint in Kapenguria ward. Most locals agree that it is a breathtaking view. It is located in Siyoi Ward along the winding Kapenguria-Lelan road. Activities here include hiking, trekking, and camping.
8. Sekerr Mines
The views from the top (3326 m) are great looking down onto lush green forest glades and in the far distance the open thorn bush-covered plains of Turkana. Sekerr Hills forms a beautiful escarpment with winding paths. The breezy yet cooling sensation on the hills comforts and relaxes the feeling unleashed when climbing it. The winding two-stripped tarmacked road built for passage pulls you close to the Sekerr people. The path gives the vision of nature’s illusion in achieving the mission of the hills. Located to the north of the Cherangani Hills, an area where gold panning is widespread. Mining sparkles hope in the area where the women wash its fine products. With a vast bluff of a flat yet mountainous field of wealthy untouched copper and gold. Sekerr is best for large-scale mining.
9. Turkwel Dam
The Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station, also Turkwel Dam, is an arch dam on the Turkwel River about 76 km north of Kapenguria in West Pokot, Kenya. The dam serves several purposes including 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.
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 and 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; also known as the JADE SEA. Activities here include Boat riding, Sportfishing, Sightseeing, Hiking, Bird watching, Team building, and Game viewing mostly crocodiles along the shores of the dam.
10. The Crocodiles of Tippet
Tippet is located in the hills at the furthest corner of West Pokot County; a captivating off-road drive of about four hours to the south. The vicinity is serenely cocktailed with hills, Valleys, plains, and a seasonal dam that houses thousands of beautifully dangerous crocodiles and different species of birds. For any tourist who loves to document an adventurous story to tell thereafter, watching the different species of the reptiles of Tippet bask on the banks of the dam all day long with their jaws wide open and sometimes crawling to and from the dam with their wide bellies and their rough backs is breath-taking.
Sometimes one can be lucky to find crocodile eggs on the feet of the hills or meet “hatchlings” being transferred back to the river by their mother. Tourist activities introduced at Tippet include; Crocodile cruising, rock climbing, and camping. There is also a privilege for the tourist to interact with one of the Indigenous Pokot cultures practised by the people of Tippet. These include dance and song, rites of passage, and traditional Pokot delicacies.
11. K’mron Cliff
It’s the highest cliff in West Pokot County West Pokot Subcounty. Excellent for rock climbers, hikers, and Paragliders. It provides an excellent view of North Pokot. Myth has it that a long time ago during hunger and other calamities, people used to go and fall off the cliff to death.
