This is a list of the best places to visit in Tana River County. The County takes its name from River Tana, which is the longest river in Kenya. The administrative headquarters of the county is Hola. The County has five (5) sub-counties; Tana Delta, Tana River, Tana North, Galedyertu and Bangal.
Tana River County is truly the hidden gem of Kenyan beauty. Despite its under-the-radar status, its stunning beauty remains widely unacknowledged. Here are the top places to visit in Tana River County, listed in no particular order:
Best Places To Visit In Tana River County
1. Bura Church Mission
The Bura Mission Church, established by the Holy Ghost fathers in 1892, became the first inland Catholic Mission in Kenya. Monsignor De Courmont, an Apostolic Vicar, and Father Jean Flick of Holy Ghost Fathers started the church in 1892. Monsignor De Courmont decided to move and build a Church in Bura, away from the bustling city of Mombasa, and set up a mission post in the undeveloped and remote hinterland.
They travelled to Bura with a caravan consisting of one Muslim cleric, six guards, and 16 porters, each carrying a 40 kg load, for 11 days and nights. On September 30, 1896, Bura Mission Church was unveiled, and the first mass was celebrated on the same day. More than 120 years later, it proudly stands as the oldest Catholic Mission Church in Kenya.
2. Kipini
Kipini is a fishing village located in the Tana River estuary on the coast of Kenya. In the past, Kipini served as an Arab stronghold where the sultan redirected the delta’s water to cultivate extensive plantations of spices and rice, which could have potentially rivalled Seyyid Said’s Spice Island in Zanzibar.
3. Kipini Graves
Near the District Commissioner’s (DC) house are three graves of colonialists: one belonging to Mr Clifford Pitt, another to Mr Kenneth, and the third to Mrs Martha Duff, Kenneth’s mother. Mrs. Duff, a widow, had arrived to visit her only son, only to be told that he had died several weeks earlier. She suffered a heart attack and died in 1923.
4. Kipini, District Commissioner House
The house is rumoured to be haunted by two ghosts – Clifford Pitt and Martha Duff.
5. Kipini DC’s office
In October 1899, British forces arrived at Kipini to take control of the Tana River District. They established their office in Kipini, and the building still exists today, although it is in a dilapidated state. The district commissioner was carried on a palanquin on the shoulders of carriers along his road. He instructed each village to select the strongest, most energetic, and most handsome men for the job. As a result, the road to the DC’s office was nicknamed “mzigo wa malindi” in Kipokomo.
6 Kipini Old Prison
The old Kipini prison, used in the late 1950s, is now Kipini Secondary School. The structures are still there, though unused because they are condemned. It was the last colonial administrative outpost.
7. Delta Colonial Forts
The colonial administration constructed forts in Garsen town and Minjila. Garsen served as a colonial military garrison, and the locals referred to it as Garsen. On the other hand, Minjila functioned as a jail known as “Main Jail”.
The Garsen forts are situated at the Garsen Primary School junction and another near the ferry. The Minjila Fort was located at the present KWS Minjila Camp. The forts are linked by underground tunnels and there are rumours that King George of Britain hid in them during World War 1.
8. Tana Delta Cultural Centre
When you reach Garsen town, just past the junction, you’ll find a county-owned cultural centre. Unfortunately, there’s nothing inside the buildings but squirrels playing around.
9. Ngao Methodist Church
This historic Methodist Church was constructed between 1904 and 1906. It was the first church in Tana River established by Neukirchen Missionaries. The missionaries also founded the Ngao Methodist Hospital (now Ngao Sub County Hospital) and the Ngao Primary School (now Arap Moi Primary School) to meet the healthcare and educational needs of the local community.
10. Ungwana Ruins
The settlements of Ungwana, Shaka, and Mwana developed along the Tana River due to interactions between the local people and the Persian (Arabian) cultures. Researchers and historians indicate that the Ungwana area, also known as Hoja, was initially settled by the Portuguese. It spans roughly 45 acres and includes a perimeter town wall, eight mosques, numerous houses, and several groups of large monumental tombs.
The area features two Jamias – Old and New Jamia (Friday mosques) with plastered walls and domed Mihrab, as well as five smaller mosques, burial tombs, and a centrally located palace within the town.
11. Mwana Ruins
Mwana consists of ruins of tombs. The walls and the superstructure of the tombs were well-plastered and represented some of the finest architectural monuments in coastal Kenya. They were characterized by panelled walls decorated with various combinations of geometric elements.
12. Tana Primates
The Tana River National Primate Reserve is home to two endangered primate species: the Tana River Red Colobus and the Tana River Crested Mangabey monkeys. This reserve contains the last remaining contiguous area of indigenous riverine forest along the Tana River.
13. Adamson’s Monument
On August 20, 1989, at midday, gunfire erupted at the Kampi ya Simba, also known as Lion Camp, in Kora National Park. George Adamson, affectionately known as Bwana Game after the title of his 1968 biography, was killed in a barrage of bullets by “Shifta” bandits. His two camp assistants were also fatally shot.
Adamson lost his life while trying to protect a German visitor at Kora National Park. His death was a great loss to Kenya and the world, as he was a hero and a renowned advocate for wildlife conservation, particularly focused on lions.
Adamson dedicated most of his active years to transforming the 1700-square-kilometre Kora National Park from a rugged, desolate land into a thriving wildlife sanctuary. A modest monument at Adamson’s final resting place commemorates one of Kenya’s most celebrated conservationists.
14. Liyongo Fumo Grave
The gravesite of Liyongo Fumo is located in Tosi, just a 10-minute drive down the murram road from Kipini town. Liyongo Fumo, born of noble blood, was a renowned poet known for his legendary strength. His rise to power didn’t sit well with his brother, Mringwari, who was supposed to take over the throne after their father’s passing.
Mringwari imprisoned Liyongo, but he managed to escape and establish himself as a respected ruler in another state, admired for his courage and fairness. Legend has it that he was invincible due to a secret known only to him and his mother, Mbowe. It was said that the only way to kill Liyongo Fumo was by piercing his navel with a copper nail or pin.
Tragically, Liyongo’s untimely death came as a result of betrayal by his son, who disclosed the secret of his vulnerability to his uncle, leading to Liyongo’s demise.
15. Lake Shakababo and Lake Moa
There are ceramic remains along the south side of the shores of Lake Shakababo. At Sango Farm, Mtetemo, there are pottery fragments, shells (both freshwater and marine), fish and sheep bones, as well as round beads. The presence of cowrie shells indicates a direct or indirect connection with foreigners. Similarly, on the shores of Lake Moa, there are broken pottery and ceramic spoons.
Lake Shakababo used to be an important fishery like Lake Moa until a barrier was built, which affected the normal flow of water. As a result, it has slowly been shrinking in size. The lake now supports only a few species of Tilapiine fish.
16. Wanawali Saba
“Wanawali saba” loosely translates to “seven virgins.” According to legend, seven young maidens were attacked by villains. The girls prayed to God to save their chastity and, as a result, the land opened up and swallowed them. Parts of the clothes they were wearing are still visible to this day.
17. Kau Village
Kau was once the home of the Nabahan Sultanate during the first half of the 19th century. The area is rich in archaeological artefacts and features an Islamic cemetery with tombs of saints. It is also known for the discovery of pottery shards from various parts of the world, including Chinese ceramics (blue and white stoneware), European ware (white slip with flora decoration), and Islamic ware (yellow slip).
18. Mzee Galana Menza
Mzee Meza Galana, the composer of the Kenya national anthem, passed away at the age of 95 after being hospitalized at Hola District Hospital. Mzee Galana, who had lived in poverty and solitude, made his contribution to the nation by composing Kenya’s national anthem. The former mathematics, Kiswahili, and music teacher was 44 when he composed the tune that would become synonymous with the nation.
19. Chamwanamuma Village
In the village of Chamwanamuma, it was believed that the residents frequently committed adultery, fornication, and other sins. Babies born with disabilities were considered a curse and were buried alive as a resultAccording to folklore, God sent a cat to communicate with the residents of Chamwanamuma village, so that they would repent. The cat went there and shouted: “Salaaala Muhammad, Chamwanamuma kachi mwa mambo”. This loosely translates to: “Praise prophet Muhammad, Chamwanamuma dwellers, you have done the utmost evil of vices”. No sooner had the cat finished the statement than a brook formed where it stood. Water flowed from River Tana into the village. Villagers had to vacate. The brook is still there.
20. Shaka Ruins
Shaka is situated on the edge of Kipini Beach, about 4.5 km from Ungwana. The ruins consist of a mosque, and numerous houses represented by mounds of rubble, tombs, and wells, all surrounded by a wall.
The site is smaller in comparison to the sprawling Ungwana and Mwana ruins and occupies about 10 to 12 acres. It is the only mosque in the area that may have been a double mosque. The most notable architectural structures of Shaka are the tombs. There are five tombs, labelled A, B, C, D, and E, located on the rising ground north of the site within the town wall.
21. Mau Mau Detention Camp at Hola
The Hola Detention Camp on the Kenyan coast is considered a significant turning point. In 1959, the camp gained attention from the British Parliament and international media when 11 detainees were flogged to death, leading to a significant inquiry. More than 70 other detainees suffered serious injuries.
Unlike other detention camps, Hola was specifically for “hard-core” Mau Mau prisoners. This label was used for those who were uncompromising in their determination to end colonial rule in Kenya. By the end of 1958, the camp had a capacity of 506 and served a purpose beyond just housing prisoners.
The detention camp included an open prison section for detainees willing to cooperate with the authorities and a closed camp for the “hard-core” prisoners. The British believed that “cooperative” detainees could be de-radicalized through a rehabilitation process at the camp.
The killing, known as the Hola Massacre, caused public outrage and brought widespread negative publicity to the British Government. After the massacre, all detention camps in Kenya were closed, and the prisoners were released.
The Hola Detention Camp has since been repurposed as the Mau Mau Memorial Girl’s Secondary School. A tombstone has been erected at the mass grave where the 11 victims were buried, with their names inscribed on it.
