8 Days Lake Turkana via Chalbi desert

Day 1 – Maralal

Depart in the early morning towards Maralal via Nyahururu (option to stop at Thompson falls briefly; payable direct). Lunch en route as we arrive in the campsite in the late afternoon to pitch up tents for the night. (Particularly long drive; cold night).

Maralal is the unofficial capital of the Samburu people and has a distinctly frontier feel about it. It is also home of the Maralal International Camel Derby that happens o­nce a year between July and October and attracts riders and spectators from all over the world.

Day 2 – Lake Turkana

After breakfast, we start the long journey driving via Baragoi and South Horr to arrive at a campsite in Loiyangalani in the late afternoon and pitch tents, a perfect place to relax, protected from the scorching sun and heat characteristic of the climate of this remote area. There is the option to upgrade (at an additional cost) to cool traditional bandas complete with beds.

Lake Turkana is the largest desert lake in the world and extends for 288 kilometres up to the Ethiopian / Kenyan border surrounded by volcanic rock and desert.

Day 3 – Lake Turkana

The day is spent relaxing. Optional activities (payable direct) include visiting the Desert museum, enjoying a swim at the nearby lodge, hire a boat to explore the lake, visit to el Molo/Turkana villages and exploring Loyangalani town. Return to the campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 – Kalacha

After an early breakfast we cross the Chalbi desert (if dry) via North horr towards Kalacha. If it has rained, we shall use another route avoiding the desert. Kalacha is a small settlement on the edge of the Chalbi Desert inhabited by the Gabbra people (pastoralists particularly attached to their camels).

Enjoy an evening sunset campsite or watch a Gabbra performance in the evening (optional cost) (windy night).

Day 5 – Marsabit

Break up camp in the early morning as we head south towards Marsabit (meaning place of cold); an astonishingly cool, green and hilly oasis rising high above the dry heat of the surrounding desert lands. En route we stop to enjoy views of the massive Gof Redo crater and desert landscape. The area is home to the local Rendille and Samburu people abundant in their bright red outfits, beads and earrings. This will be a cold night.

After setting up camp, we visit the lodge inside the National park and as long as the roads are dry we drive up to Lake Paradise and Little Lake (seasonal). Here, an indigenous forest and a desert come together to create the most compelling landscape o­n earth. Elephants and greater kudu abound. The dense forest in the park is also home to a variety of birds.

Day 6 – Samburu

Depart in the early morning along the trans-african highway towards Samburu. Lunch en route and arrive Samburu National reserve in time for an afternoon game drive.

Accommodation is in our semi-permanent campsite, beautifully set under a canopy of trees or we may pitch tents o­n the edge of Uaso Nyiro River (meaning Brown in Samburu) if they are occupied.  Cold showers are available which are amazingly refreshing in the hot, dusty climate.

Day 7 – Samburu

The day is spent game viewing in the park. You may also opt to visit the lodge for a swim and cold drink or a nearby Samburu village (payable direct).

Samburu is part of a lava plain that includes a diverse landscape of thorn scrub, red dirt, dried river beds, broken volcanic rock, steep hills, and rocky outcroppings. The region is home to the uncommon Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk antelope, Somali ostriches, lions and Oryx. Elephant, crocodile and numerous bird make excellent sighting.

Day 8 – Nairobi via Nanyuki

Depart camp after breakfast viewing game as we drive back to Nairobi via Mt. Kenya region. Arrive back in the late afternoon.

• Transportation in a chauffeur driven minivan OR 4X4 land cruisers with pop-up roof for easy game viewing & photography
• Nights’ Accommodation in double/twin room in preferred camp/lodge
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary
• Park entry fees
• Comprehensive game drives
• Services of professional tour guide driver
• Arrival and departure transfers
• Entry fees of the driver/guide and the vehicle
• Bottled mineral water whilst on safari

• Items of Personal Nature
• Drinks
• Travel Insurance