Murang’a County offers new holiday destination as hotels come up

Nokras Rivine & SPA Sagana is one of the properties owned by Simon Wachira who started as a hawker in Murang'a town. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

Holidaymakers are flocking to Murang’a County, which is fast turning into a tourism destination, attracting hundreds of local guests.

This is a boon to a county that is not listed as part of Mt Kenya Tourism Circuit.

Facilities along the Sagana River are being booked as a new tourism destination has opened for the holidaymakers.

Such facilities provide water sporting activities and are preferred by international tourists.

The passenger train service has also spiced up the trip to the mountain.

In Nanyuki, a traditional holiday ground, players in the hospitality industry are preparing to host hundreds of guests.

The journey to establish hotels in Murang’a started in 2010 with the coming of Golden Palm Hotel at Kenol. This provided alternatives to holidaymakers who used to travel to Nyeri and Thika for conference and accommodation facilities.

Secretary of the Mt Kenya Tourism Circuit Charles Karuga said after devolution was introduced, there have been a number of new facilities opening.

“We have had more facilities opening up since the advent of the devolution. For example, in Murang’a County, there are three branches of Nokras Hotels. The traditional tourism bases of Mombasa and Naivasha still have their clients,” Karuga said.

But hotel operators say due to Covid-19 pandemic, the number of guests will be restricted to adhere to the laid down protocols.

“Majority of the hotels closed due to the pandemic and the few remaining ones are struggling to remain afloat,” said Karuga.

Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria appreciated the impact brought about by the devolution as more hotels have opened up in Central Kenya that depended on holding meetings in Nyeri and Thika. He said Mt Kenya counties now has at least four big hotels each.