The tranquil Retreat Centre in the Kakamega Rain Forest welcomes you to make it your home for a few memorable days, pursuing your hobbies as a butterfly collector, beetle specialist, frog fancier, spider hunter, tourist or bird watcher. The roads are in fairly good condition, however traffic may be quite heavy on the main roads. Please do observe speed restrictions for the sake of safety and to av
oid any run ins with the men in blue! Turn left at the old “Burnt Forest” junction, now called Nabkoi onto the Lessos road (C36) which joins the Eldoret/Kapsabet road after 48.3 km. Proceed to Kapsabet and pass through the town for a further 19 km. This brings you to the Chepsonoi police post. You will find a sign to Rondo. Turn right on to the murram road which leads you through the forest for 9Km to Rondo Retreat. Note that travelling time from Nairobi is approximately 6 hours, depending on speed and traffic, and more if you make a stop in Nakuru. Alternatively there are flights from Nairobi to Kisumu. The flight takes less than one hour. A taxi may be arranged for your transfer to Rondo. This will take approximately 1 1/2 hours. Roads are also in good condition. Alternate Route To Rondo
An alternate route, for those who do not mind a slightly longer and more scenic route, avoiding the many trailers and buses on the Eldoret Road, is through Eldama Ravine. Head towards Nakuru. Turn right onto the B4 just before entering Nakuru (before
heading under the railway bridge). After 26.7 km take the left turn to Eldama Ravine
(C55). Remain on the road for 32.7 km. You will rejoin the Nakuru - Eldoret road at
Makutano. Turn right onto the Al04 heading towards Eldoret for 40 km. Turn left at Nabkoi (formerly Burnt Forest) onto the C36. Drive for 48.3 km which brings you to a junction (Eldoret - Kapsabet road). Turn left, proceed through Kapsabet and continue for a further 19 km, which will bring you to Chepsonoi Police Post. There is a sign to Rondo Retreat. Turn right onto the murram road which leads into the forest. After 9 km you arrive at Rondo. If you want to make a stop in Nakuru, you can join the B4 from the roundabout near the mall, rather than retracing your steps. Bon voyage! Alternate Route Map: Click Here
ARRIVAL:
Please confirm time of arrival. Lunch is at 1pm. Supper is at 7pm. It is important to arrive and check in before dark. MENU: Rondo has a fixed menu of good Western cuisine. In case of any dietary requirements – vegetarian e.t.c kindly inform us in advance. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VISIT
Originally, Rondo was owned by a sawmiller who, in 1948, built a house at his wife’s request at the base of what was thought to be the biggest tree in the Forest, an Elgon Olive, the stump of which still stands today. The sawmiller left Kenya in 1961, leaving the property to the Christian Council of Kenya. Rondo officially came into the hands of the Trinity Fellowship in 1966 which was headed by the Reverend and Mrs. Cuthbert (Cubby) and Mathilde (Thilde) Dawkins. The Trinity Fellowship first used Rondo as a youth centre and orphanage. It was also the setting for the filming of “The Kitchen Toto”. Rondo has facilitated serious research such as that undertaken by the Kenya Indigenous Forest Conservation Project (KIFCON) and the Kenya Wildlife Service, resulting in their book, “Kakamega Forest, The Official Guide”. There is even a picture of Rondo in it. All visitors should obtain a copy, it is the best exhaustive introduction to the Forest, and is available at our Front Desk. Today this peaceful place has been “opened to the public” and is run by the Reverend and Mrs. Godfrey and Elisabeth Dawkins. They invite you to take time from the rush of your busy life to come and contemplate – nature, yourself, the world, the work of God…
Funds and personnel permitting, Rondo related projects will include: Community Outreach, Environmental Education, Eco-Tourism, and Regenerative Agro Forestry.
