Garissa Town Kenya Guide: Hotels, Places to visit, Things to do and More

Garissa town Guide

Garissa town

Garissa town is located in Garissa County in the  North Eastern Province, Kenya. It is the capital town of Garissa County, North Eastern Province and Garissa District. The Tana River flows through the town of Garissa.

Garissa Town Climate and Geography

The Town rainfall varies from 1,000 to 1,500mm in the highlands to 600mm per annum in the lowlands with temperatures ranging from a minimum of 10°C in the highlands to a maximum of 35°C in the low lying plains.
Garissa is located at 0°27′25″S 39°39′30″E. The Tana River, which rises at the Aberdare Mountains west of Nyeri, flows through the Garissa.
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Economic Activities in Garissa Kenya

The main economic activities  are Livestock Farming in Kenya predominantly through pastoralism, Bee-farming in Kenya, Sand Harvesting, irrigated farming and trading.
It is endowed with natural resources such as livestock, rivers, pasture, wildlife, vast tracts of flat land, solar and wind energy, mineral resources and medicinal plants.

People of Garissa Town

Most of the inhabitants of Garissa are ethnic Somalis. The major clans in the region belong to the Ogaden sub-clan of the Somali Darod. There are also a small number of other minority tribes commonly referred to as corner tribes.
According to the 2009 census, the town has a total population of 119,696.
Most of Garissa’s inhabitants are ethnic Somali. These are further sub-divided into clans, with the Ogaden sub-clan of the Somali Darod especially well represented. There are also a small number of other minority ethnic groups, commonly referred to as corner tribes.

Garissa Town Administration

Garissa forms a municipality that has six wards (Biashara, Bulla, Jamhuri, Market, Mashambani and Stadium). All of them belong to Garissa Township Constituency, which has a total of thirteen wards.
The remaining seven are located within Garissa County Council, the rural council of Garissa District.
The Garissa town is a market centre situated on the Tana River, and its industries process food, beverages, and tobacco products; manufactures include plastic containers. It is located about 215 miles (350 km) east of Nairobi city and is linked by road with Nairobi, Mombasa, and Alanga Arba.
Lots of camels, donkeys, goats and cattle are mostly found on the road. Not a lot of “wild” life, the occasional digidig and one random baboon that crossed our path going eastward, it gets predominantly Muslim. That roadside was peppered with nomadic encampments of these hemispheric huts made of woven branches, and covered with plastic tarps since it was rainy season.
However, the vast district is historically home for large mammals including elephants, the endangered rhinos in Kenya, buffalo in Kenya and finally the big cats. Older people still vividly remember how they had some rough time with these animals.
Other than the big cats (Lions in Kenya, Leopards in Kenya, Cheetahs in Kenya) most of these animals have disappeared, thanks to the illigal trade in trophies (tusks and horns) in the 70s.
However, due to recent improvement in security in the province, elephants have reportedly returned to Garissa which used to be a migratory corridor connecting the Tsavo and Kora ecosystems to the grater Somalia ecosystem.
There is also a giraffe sanctuary in Garissa that offer protection and conservation of the reticulated giraffes in this remote part of Kenya. The sanctuary is located along the eastern side of the river near Garissa and the giraffes acess it through marked watering corridors. The Somali Giraffe or Reticulated Giraffe is a subspecies of giraffe native to Somalia and Northeastern Kenya. Reticulated giraffe can interbreed with other giraffe subspecies in captivity or if populations are low in the wild.

Tourist Attraction in Garissa Kenya

1. Garissa Community Giraffe Sanctuary

Category: Tourist Attraction in Garissa Kenya

Garissa Community Giraffe Sanctuary is hosted by Bour-Algi village, south of Garissa town and was set to host internally displace giraffe that had been affected by the Kenya/Somali border skirmishes. Its name stems from the large presence of giraffes attracted by the abundant acacia trees.
For more information please visit: Garissa Community Giraffe Sanctuary

2. Arawale National Reserve

Category: Tourist Attraction in Garissa Kenya

The Arawale National Reserve is a designated conservation area managed by the Garissa County in assistance with the Kenya Wildlife Service. It lies in North Eastern Province of Kenya, 77 km south of the town of Garissa. Arawale National Reserve covers an area of 53,324 hectares (533 km2; 206 sq mi). To the west, it is bordered by the Tana River and, to the east, by the Garissa–Lamu road. In 1974, the reserve was gazetted as the only in-situ conservation site for the critically endangered Hirola population endemic to north-eastern Kenya and south-west Somalia.
For more information please visit: Arawale National Reserve

3. Boni National Reserve

Category: Tourist Attraction in Garissa Kenya

The Boni National Reserve is a national reserve for conservation and lies in the Garissa County, Kenya.. The general area lies between 40°83′E and 41°66′E and 1°76′S and 1°25′S and covers an area of 133 KM². The area’s climate is heavily influenced by the North-East and South-West monsoons blowing from the Indian Ocean. There are two wet seasons: April to June and October to December, and two dry seasons: The reserve covers an area of 1,339 km2 (517 sq mi) and is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service. It was gazetted in 1976 as a dry season sanctuary for elephants in the former Kenyan Ijara , and Lamu districts and Somalia.
For more information please visit: Boni National Reserve

Things to do while in Garissa Town

1. Eat

• Lantern Resort
• Government Guest House – Garissa
• Lantana Restaurant
• Bibla Fruit Poular

2. Sightseeing

• Garissa City
• Garissa County
• Kimunya Enterprize

3. Hotel

• Hiddig Hotel – Garissa Branch
• Tana Garden Hotel Garissa
• Magool Palace Hotel
• Sunrise Caterers & Services

4. Shopping

• Mombasa Raha Sandals
• Sunrise Caterers & Services
• Soko Muqdi
• Ghulaam Enterprise

Hotels in Garissa Town

Nomad Palace Hotel

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Almond Resort

Almond Resort

Almond Resort is a luxurious boutique resort that features first class personalized service, a heady ambiance and beautiful decor; located in an affluent and quiet area 10 minutes away from Garissa Airport in Kenya. The hotel boasts a fitness center and a spa. Free WiFi is provided for all guests.
The rooms are spacious and each room features a terrace, a flat screen TV, upholstered armchairs, gleaming tile floors and an en suite bathroom.
The resort has experienced chefs who prepare both local and continental dishes. Breakfast service, which is either regular or buffet, is complimentary. A variety of drinks can be ordered at the on-site bar.
The hotel has a fitness center and a heated outdoor pool that offers guests leisure at its finest.
The resort has 2 halls which have a sitting capacity of 35-50 people. Laundry and car hire services attract additional charges. Babysitting and on-site parking are available. Security personnel guard the premises.
Almond Resort and Spa is located in close proximity to Hyrax Hill Museum and Lake Naivasha National Park.

Halugo Palace Hotel

Halugo Palace Hotel

Halugo palace Hotel is cozy accommodation located in Garissa, Kenya. This accommodation is ideal for guests travelling for both business and leisure.
The property offers clean rooms, all equipped with floor to ceiling mosquito nets, telephone and TV. Rooms are simply decorated, and large enough to be comfortable.
Meals are served at the onsite restaurant.Complimentary breakfast is also provided.
The Hotel has spacious parking facility. The hotel’s attentive staff can also arrange for laundry and dry cleaning services.
Halugo palace Hotel is 100 meters from Garissa Post Office.

Makuti Food Parlour

Makuti Food Parlour

Located along Garissa Dadaab Road, Garissa 70100, Kenya

Other Hotels and Accommodations in Garissa

1. Savanna Royal Hotel
2. Lantern Resort
3. Hiddig Executive
4. Halugo Palace Hotel
5. Magool Lodge
6. Madogo Palace hotel
7. Hiddig Hotel
8. Tana Gardens Hotel
9. Nomad Palace Hotel- Garissa
10. Almond Resort Limited

Education Istitutions in Garissa Kenya

Nep Girls Secondary School
Boys Town Secondary 
Iftin Secondary School
Yusuf Haji Girls Secondary

Garissa Health Facilities

1. Abakaile Dispensary
2. Abdisamad Dispensary
3. Afwein Dispensary
4. Afwene Clinic
5. Afya Medical Clinic (Garissa)
6. Al Amin Medical Clinic
7. Al-Aqsa Medical Clinic
8. Al-Faruq Dispensary
9. Al-Faruq Medical Clinic
10. Al Iklas Nursing Home
11. Alikune Dispensary
12. Alinjugur Health Centre
13. Alliance Medical Clinic
14. Al-Maqdis ENT Clinic
15. Al-Mumtaz Medical Clinic
16. Alnasar Medical Clinic
17. Al Qudus Clinic
18. Al-Ramah Healthcare
19. Amani Clinic (Garissa)
20. Amuma Dispensary

Garissa County Map

Garissa County Map

 

More About Kenya

Kenya is a world unto itself. Kenya is Africa’s original safari destination, attracting explorers, adventurers, and travelers for centuries. A safari to Kenya is a trip of a lifetime.

Other Towns in Kenya

Apart from Nairobi , Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Garissa town, Kenya has other major towns each a unique representation of the country’s striking abundance in flora and fauna. Most of these towns are headquarters in their respective counties or major economic bases in their regions. Luxury hotels and lodges located here provide good accommodation and conferencing facilities for guests who dare to try out a taste different from the capital or the coast.

For more information visit: Towns in Kenya

Hotels and Accommodation in Kenya

Hotels in Kenya vary enormously in price and facilities. Luxury hotels in Kenya offer excellent standards of service and are comparable to the best hotels anywhere in the world. Kenya’s abundance of natural produce, combined with the rich variety of cultures and traditions, has created a great culinary nation.

The fertile volcanic soil of the Rift Valley produces a bounty of fresh vegetables, while the coast is a great source of tropical fruit and fresh seafood. The Kenyan coast is also the home of the world-renowned Swahili cuisine, a blend of Middle Eastern and African cooking with a particular coastal twist.

For more information visit: Hotels in Kenya

Tourist Attractions in Kenya:

Kenya has one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions sites, known for its diversity of landscape, wildlife, and cultures. From sweeping savannahs to tropical beaches and coral reef, dense equatorial forests to mighty snow-capped mountains, and more.

For more information visit: Tourists Attractions in Kenya

Kenya Safari

Kenya is the ultimate safari destination, providing travelers with a window into the heart of Africa. But this is not all that Kenya has to offer. Located near the equator, Kenya´s magic lies in the fact that the country encompasses an astounding variety of landscapes and climates, flora and fauna, as well as communities and cultures, home to water sports, a swim with dolphins and adventure.

For more information visit: Kenya Safari

The Kenyan People Culture and Tradition

Kenya’s culture blends together diverse tribes, traditions, and religions into one beautiful, well-woven tapestry.  These traditions complement each other while incorporating the modern influences of globalization – resulting in a vibrant cultural spirit that is uniquely Kenyan. Kenya has over 42 different tribes with different languages and several dialects. Kenyan tourism has made the Maasai and Samburu tribes the most famous because of their long preserved culture.

For more information visit: Kenya People and Tribes