A pleasantly run-down town on the shore of Lake Victoria, Kisumu's main draws are its museum (displays of animals and musical instruments, ethnographic exhibits and a traditional Luo homestead) and daily market (the biggest and best in western Kenya).
The craft stalls at the city market on Nairobi Road are good sources for souvenirs—you can buy a three-legged Luo stool inlaid with beads. Just outside Kisumu is a wildlife conservation and education center for large populations of impala, but it's still a long way from being a tourist attraction, and some of the animal cages are depressing to see.
270 mi/430 km northwest of Nairobi.