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Busia County, Kenya

Lango

Lango means gateway.

Busia County

Busia and Malaba are among Kenya's busiest gateways to Uganda and the Great Lakes region.

Capital
Busia
People
894k
Area
1,695 km²
Altitude
1,200 m
Plan a tripTravel the road

Busia sits on the Uganda border and reaches south to Lake Victoria. The Teso live mostly in the north, and Luhya groups such as the Samia, Abakhayo, Marachi and Banyala live elsewhere. Granite hills, papyrus wetlands and busy border towns give it a frontier feel.

Why it matters

Busia and Malaba are among Kenya's busiest gateways to Uganda and the Great Lakes region. Kakapel holds some of Kenya's oldest rock art.

The economy

Small-scale farming of sugarcane, cassava, millet and maize goes alongside Lake Victoria fishing and cross-border trade.

Must-see in Busia

  • Kakapel National Monument

    Rock paintings 2,000–4,000 years old on Chelelemuk Hill.

  • Chelelemuk Hills

    A hike with views to Mount Elgon and Uganda's Tororo rocks.

  • Museum of Teso Culture, Amagoro

    Kenya's first museum devoted to Teso heritage.

  • Port Victoria

    A lakeside fishing town at the tail of the Samia Hills.

  • Mukhondo Conservancy

    A Lake Victoria bay sheltering the endangered sitatunga antelope.

  • Yala Wetlands

    A vast papyrus swamp rich in birds, shared with Siaya.

  • Samia Hills

    Scenic hills above the lake.

Peoples of Busia

Communities with a historic home in Busia. Today people from every part of Kenya live and work here.

Music, food and culture

The Teso are a Nilotic people related to the Turkana, with a cultural kingdom that crosses into Uganda. Teso cultural festivals have been held at Kakapel on Boxing Day. Lake tilapia, cassava and millet are staples.

Best time to go

Warm all year at 26–30°C. December to February is driest for lakeshore trips and hikes.

On the map

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Busia and its neighbours. Tap a county or a place to read about it.

Kakapel National MonumentPort Victoria

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Your questions

When is the best time to visit Busia?

Warm all year at 26–30°C. December to February is driest for lakeshore trips and hikes.

What is Busia County known for?

Busia and Malaba are among Kenya's busiest gateways to Uganda and the Great Lakes region. Kakapel holds some of Kenya's oldest rock art.

Where is Busia and what is its capital?

Busia sits on the Uganda border and reaches south to Lake Victoria. The Teso live mostly in the north, and Luhya groups such as the Samia, Abakhayo, Marachi and Banyala live elsewhere. Granite hills, papyrus wetlands and busy border towns give it a frontier feel. The county capital is Busia, and the 2019 census counted 893,681 people across about 1,695 square kilometres.

Nearby

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A giraffe and acacia tree silhouetted against a Kenyan sunset

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