Kenya’s northeastern region features the country’s best-kept secret.
Three destinations: Maralal, Loiyangalani and Western Turkana, that is breathtakingly beautiful, with landscape scenes that look like canvas paintings.
Maralal marks the beginning of the Great Northern wilderness and the staging post for many great adventures. This modest yet culturally rich town is a thriving center for the local Samburu people
Beyond this first outpost lies some of Kenya’s most beautiful yet unexplored territory. The broad arid plains give way to the spectacular Loroghi Hills and the high, wild Matthews ranges.
The untamed country between Maralal and Turkana is ideal for the adventure seeker, you need to have a curious spirit to tackle this great expanse.
Here in these vast empty spaces, there is freedom to explore and lose yourself in the wild.
Driving time from Nairobi is approximately 6 hours.
Loiyangalani, on the other hand, is a good base for exploring the South Island National Park by boat.
As the name suggests, this particular town can be described as the cultural capital of the magical northeastern expanse.
El Molo Bay is home to Kenya’s smallest tribe, the El Molo.
One of the last true hunter-gatherer communities, the El Molo are centered on this small bay known for its crocodiles.
The best part of this particular town is that you can get yourself immersed in the pure and unadulterated local culture.
Outside influence has been slow to reach this distant frontier, and the El Molo, Turkana and other communities along the Lakeshores still live lives dictated by tradition, myth and custom passed on from generation to generation.
In many places here, life continues unchanged as it has for centuries.
About 60KM further north, lies the beautiful Eliye Springs, home to spring-fed oases, large crocodile populations, and many small Turkana villages, ushering you into the great Western Turkana.
If you travel to this part of the country, you are bound to run the  Lobolo that is over 285km on a rough road from the Lodwar e.g. Eliye Springs resort, Cradle Camp Tented Camp, Malabo camp and Oasis and several private and community campsites. Attractions – Heritage & Culture, archaeology and tour of Islands in L. Turkana
There are several lakes within the region, each with its own unique ecology- and flamingoes, crocodiles and varied species of water birds are found here.
The delicate ecological balance of this region has recently been facing its greatest challenge yet, an ever-increasing human population.
However, a boost in tourism in the area could be the impetus needed to promote preservation and appreciation by future generations of intrepid travelers.
For those who yearn to reach these ventures in the unknown, there is no better way to do it than to just dive into Kenya’s great north frontier…
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