When I visited the western side of Lake Turkana, a direct (very direct, it didn't even stop once on the way!) bus from Nairobi to Kitale was supposed to take 6 hours, but really took nearer to 9 hrs.
Kitale is well worth a night or two, it's a pretty town with a good museum and an excellent nature trail through a remnant of rain forest.
I was lucky enough to find a bus going all the way from Kitale to Kalekol, but otherwise get one to Lodwar and change there. This took another 9 hours, including a stop for a tyre change and an hours wait in Lodwar to find more passengers.
From Kalekol, it was an easy walk to the lakeshore at Fergusons Gulf, ask one of the locals to show you the shortcut otherwise I think it's about 6km by road. I didn't visit Central Island as I wasn't able to find a boat at a sensible price.
There's accomodation in all the towns, nothing very salubrious, but OK, and lots of interesting local people to meet.
@yesfan
The truck departures are certainly spotty and it is possible to have a day when no truck leaves from Maralal. I recommend giving your cell phone number to several people in the town and waiting for them to call you when they see a ride. Trucks tend to leave before 2 pm since they prefer to get to South Horr by nightfall. The area in between sometimes experiences bandit attacks by Pokots and should be transited in daylight. North of South Horr, however, the population is very thin and mostly Samburu and there is less chance of trouble. You will probably pull into Loyangalani very late.
So if you are sleeping at Nyahururu, aim to get the first matatu to Maralal so you maximize your chances of getting a truck that day. Otherwise, Maralal has some guesthouses near the roundabout that charge 500 shillings or so.
I should add that trucks aren't the only options. Coming back from Loyangalani, I was able to hitch a ride with a government official who had a brand new Rover. He drove like a demon and we were in South Horr in about two hours, half or one third the time a truck would take! I was crammed in the back compartment with 3-4 other men who I couldn't even see since it was before dawn. Two of them were sick on the way. Yes, it is an adventure, and out of it came another lesson: better to do a bumpy drive on an empty stomach!
Government vehicles are forbidden to carry tourists, but up there they may waive the rule as there are no police checks. And of course they want some money. But don't expect rides from NGOs, missionaries or those old couples, usually German, driving their huge overland campers that look like armoured trucks.
It is also worth noting that there is sometimes a daily bus running north from Maralal as far as Baragoi town. I took it on one of my trips up there, but regretted it as it broke down twice and never reached Baragoi. We were rescued by - you guessed it - a large truck. The bus just wasn't tough enough for the roads, and I would avoid any bus north of Maralal until the road is upgraded.
Thank you.
Last two quastions:
1. How many days, in your opinion, we have to spend on this trip (Nairobi - Turkana/one week there - Nairobi) ?
2. Is possible to rent in Turkana area the man with Jeep (or other 4X4 car) , who can organize our trip there ?
Hi There-
You seem to have alot of experience in this area, Christopher! Anyone else w/ ideas, please chime in!
We will be coming from jinja, Uganda, headed for Maralal. There seem to be direct buses from Jinja to Nairobi and from Nairobi to Maralal. We don't want to go back to Nairobi, but seems like this could be less hassle than slogging thru(with short hops and long waits for the cars to fill) by matatu to Nyahururu? Can you suggest an eastern route to Nyahururu from the Uganda border that would take less than/ same as the 2 days it would take to go to Maralal via Nairobi? Matatus would at least be more interesting.
Also, we've heard that Isiolo is interesting culturally(is that an exaggeration?), and were thinking of going there and taking the Babie Coach to Archer's-Wamba-Maralal. Thoughts? Maybe better to spend out time trying to get north from Maralal instead.
We only have about 10 days, so were thinking, if we could make it to Baragoi, we'd have to be happy with that. No time to go farther. The objective is is cultural. I hitched up to Lake Turkana in the 80's and was fortunate to have a great experience with the various tribal groups , etc at that time. I'm trying to give my daughter a taste of what's out there on this trip, with a limited time budget.
I'm headed to the DRC( Bukavu, Goma, Kisangani) June 10. Anyone w/ questions, happy to help. I'll be back Aug .
Thanks!
@yesfan
I think I took three days from Nairobi to Loyangalani but I was not pushing it. It could perhaps be done in two days if the connections all work out well. I am not aware of a direct bus from Nairobi from Maralal, as jenn seems to suggest, but it could exist. I don't know where you would catch it.
I wouldn't bet on renting a jeep when you are in Turkana. Nothing is impossible but I don't think anyone is doing a business along those lines. But you should ask at the Palm Shade Camp, which is the most popular place to stay in the town and has most of the backpackers. A beautiful place to pitch your tent too.
@jenn0406
If you are coming from Uganda you can bypass Nairobi. Leave your bus at Nakuru and from there take a matatu to Nyahururu, only a 90 minute trip I believe.
With ten days in Kenya, a trip to Turkana would take most if not all of your time. Your call I guess. The circuit you mention of Maralal-Wamba-Archer's-Isiolo is great for tribal culture. Babie Coach went bust years ago - the bus is actually sitting on blocks in Wamba as a weird kind of outdoor history museum! Today there are new Nissan matatus doing the routes up there. The company is called Samburu Liner and they offer competent service several times a day in each direction.
Try if you can to stop at the viewpoint between Maralal and Wamba that looks out over the Ewaso Nyiro canyon. This is the point where the river (the largest in Laikipia) turns east and heads for the steppe lands of eastern Kenya where it disappears in the heat. It is a few km before the small village of Lodungokwe.
Wamba is a solidly Samburu place, but Isiolo is multicultural, with Turkana, Somalis and Borana as well as Samburu. Interesting in itself, and thanks mainly to Somali investors it now boasts some nice hotels and halfway decent restaurants.
I think the biggest change you will notice in northern Kenya after 25 years is that most towns have electricity now.
I am dying to see DRC! My ambition is to climb the Rwenzoris from the Congo side, but I can't get there until October earliest. Keep in touch with me about your experiences there. I haven't even applied for my visa yet.
@ kaz
Hey kaz, how much did they try to charge for the boat to Central Island? And was it for the whole boat or per person (if you weren't alone)?
Also, what time does the bus for Lodwar/Kalekol leave Kitale?
Thanks
Sorry, I don't remember how much they were asking for the boat hire, just more than I was prepared to pay!
I was with a friend who had even less to spend than me.....
The bus from Kitale, as is quite usual with African buses, left when it was full. We spent a fair amount of time driving around town looking for more passengers and it must have been after 10am by the time we actually got going, as we didn't get to Kalekol until after dark. I'd suggest going to the bus park straight after breakfast for the best chance.
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