Our Aim

Kogelo Tours aims to promote sustainability in Kenya through cultural tourism.

Kogelo Tours has carefully introduced cultural tourism to the village of Mundeku; making a positive difference to the community without drastically changing its infrastructure. 

“Our aim is to offer a potentially truly life-changing experience, through fully integrating with the local community, something we believe will truly enrich you!” Tim Fox

Read more about Our Goals here

How We Started

Kogelo Tours founder Tim Fox, who calls President Barack Obama’s grandmother and cousin his friends, is believed to be one of the first white British citizens to be made a tribal elder. Over the past decade, Tim has dedicated his time to help bring sustainable tourism to the region. 

Through his work with the YMCA Tim become friends with a local Kenyan called Gibson (pictured left). Gibson invited Tim to stay at his ancestral home in the village of Mundeku, in Western Kenya.

It was the first permanent structure to be built in the district which is now known as Martha Guest House and was officially opened by Princess Margaret in 1955

Picture: Tim, Gibson and Grandma Sarah Obama

Tim quickly saw the potential of a Guest House as an opportunity to provide employment and education.

“I saw how it could help promote economic stability in the village, whereby men would not be compelled to head for the city in order to earn enough to support their families, and, for some, subsistence living could become a thing of the past.” Tim Fox

Over ten years on and Kogelo Tours has played a key role in introducing sustainable tourism to the village of Mundeku; making a positive difference to the community without changing its infrastructure.

Picture: delivery a goat on our visit to Grandma Sarah Obama, a routeen part of Tims elder duties. 

“We are mindful and careful that our influence does not have a detrimental effect on the very culture that we wish to embrace.”

Tim Fox

To support the local village Tim, with the support of others, has set up many projects. 

This charity work now forms a part of the company Kogelo Tours to facilitate the travel of foreign tourists to what he describes as “the real parts of Kenya which are yet to be touched by tourism”. 

You can learn more about our Projects here. 

In recognition of his contribution to the community, Tim has now been honoured as a village elder of the Luhya tribe.

Tims work has also been officially recognised by the Obama OPIYO foundation. The Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, has also visited Tim’s projects to acknowledge the positive impact they are having on the community.