Magical Turkana

I was in Turkana County for the weekend, and like many people, I wondered how my time there would be.

Is there fresh water? More importantly, was there some fun? Being the largest county in Kenya, it has been associated with more negativity that would scare off anyone raring for an adventure.

 But what if I told you that Turkana is every bit as thrilling as any other county?

While the road network has improved in recent times, it remains treacherous, so, my friends and I opted to fly to Lodwar, the county’s administrative capital. While the heat took a while to get used to, the transfer to Lobolo camp, where we were staying for the weekend was uneventful.

Lobolo Camp is beautifully nestled among 100 acres of lush forest. The camp hosts a series of fresh water springs and has an expansive view of the Lake Turkana. I soon picked out my tent and walked in to find an elevated king sized bed and cool chambers.

Further away was a fully decked out restroom area and I was pleasantly surprised by the running hot water. After some freshening up, I was ready to deal with my hunger issues. I was escorted to the central mess tent where I had some flame grilled brochettes, fresh salad, and excellently grilled local Nile Perch.

Hoping to get some workout in, I took a long reflective walk on the white and black sandy beach. Far away in the waters, I could see some fishermen bringing in their catch of the day while birds dotted the skies above them. If you looked harder, you could even spot some crocodiles floating on the water in the distant horizon. 

The Turkana night sky is magical, and hours pass away as I nurse a drink outside my tent staring at the stars. My friends, photography enthusiasts, had a swell time taking some twilight landscape pictures and capturing the night skies on their lenses.

Early in the morning, we set out fly-fishing on the beach. The catch of the day, we were informed by our chirpy guide, was likely to either be a colourful tiger fish or a small tilapia if you were lucky. He suggested that a boat trip further deeper would yield better results. Not ones to balk away from a challenge so easily, we kept at it, an experience that soon degenerated into betting on who would bring home the fish. And yes, I won. I caught a tiger fish, a proud moment for someone often not so lucky.

When the fishing got a bit old, some of us went for a swim in the lake and a long hike around the beach while the others opted for a guided fishing trip deep into the lake.  

Now, being back home, I think fondly of Turkana. Would I go back? Definitely, but this time around, with my young family.

Have the missus appreciate some stargazing, the meditative silence and beautiful walks by the beach. I know our girls will definitely be up for some fishing and boating experiences while the camping adventure will be a treat they will talk about for ages. It could also be a fun place for a corporate team building exercise.