Machakos District offers two distinct themes for a trip: culture centered around the Machakosfest and nature in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park.
Film and event formats
Held annually, Machakosfest is a short film festival open to local and international filmmakers. Its clear focus on short films gives the cultural theme its own framework. For travelers interested in film, it offers a specific point of interest. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the exact dates before making your plans.
Machakos People’s Park is home to a versatile event venue for concerts, film screenings, theater productions, live events and festivals. Unlike the short film festival, it hosts a wide range of formats. This gives you two distinct cultural points of interest: a thematic focus on short films and a venue for a variety of events. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival or other events, check the exact dates in advance.
Mountain park and outdoor activities
Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is located in Matungulu Sub-County, Machakos County. It is one of Kenya’s few mountain parks and covers 20.7 km². Its designation as a mountain park and its specific area provide a clear framework for the district’s nature theme.
The park offers opportunities for camping and picnicking. Alongside film and events, these are two specific outdoor activities to help you plan your trip around your interests. The distinction is simple: Machakosfest and the venue at Machakos People’s Park represent culture; camping and picnicking are the activities offered in the national park.
More to explore in the wider destination of Kenya
In the wider destination of Kenya, the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests offer a distinct way to explore cultural history. The ten separate forest sites stretch for around 200 kilometers along the coast and contain the remains of fortified villages of the Mijikenda, known as Kayas. The Kayas were established from the 16th century onward and abandoned by the 1940s. At the same time, they are considered sacred places and dwellings of the ancestors, and are cared for by councils of elders. The history of the settlements and the Kayas’ continuing cultural significance are therefore closely connected.
Another nature theme in the wider destination of Kenya is the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley. It is the world’s most important feeding ground for lesser flamingos, with around 1.5 million birds moving between the lakes. The system also provides the most important nesting and breeding grounds for greater white pelicans in the Great Rift Valley. The two groups of birds illustrate the lake system’s distinct roles: feeding grounds for flamingos and nesting and breeding grounds for pelicans. The Lake Turkana National Parks include Sibiloi National Park and the national parks on South Island and Central Island.
Discover more places: Katelembu, Machakos, Athi River.
Discover more destinations: Eastern, Taita Taveta, Kakamega District, Uasin Gishu District, Siaya.
Back to the overview of the wider destination: Kenya.
