Kakapel Rock Art

The Kakapel Rock Site was opened to the public in 2007 following rehabilitation by the National Museums of Kenya between 2005-2006. Kakapel is a rock site located on a huge rock shelter in the Chelelemuk hills in western Kenya. It was gazetted as a national monument on July 1, 2004.

The site is important to Kenya’s prehistory as it is believed the art forms date over 2000 years and may be as much as 4000 years old. Generally, rock art is one of the oldest forms of art in the world. In Africa, rock art is more concentrated in Southern and Northern Africa countries. The rock art at Kakapel is believed to have been done by the Twa (Abatwa) hunter gatherer group. It has paintings illustrating wild animals, rain-making and initiation symbols.

Kakapel rock art site museum is managed by the Trust for African Rock Art (TARA) in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya.