Road trip to Isiolo: A hidden gem on a budget

Aerial view of Isiolo town. {Nathan Ochunge/Standard}

An ardent adventure traveller will seize every opportunity to explore “hidden gems” such as activities, culture, scenery, landscapes, and historical monuments. The trick is that an exploring mind and eye will pick these up regardless of the place. 

Take, for example, Meru, where I was born and bred. When I was growing up, I did not know much about travel and adventure or anything to do with tourism—not even domestic tourism—yet I found myself hoping from one neighbourhood village to another and from one town to another, visiting relatives, friends, and schooling. 

During holidays and breaks, I would get involved in activities such as mud sliding and fetching firewood from Meru forest (we were taught how to dodge elephants, buffalos, and leopards, and how to watch out for snakes and ants).

Sometimes my companions and I would forget all this and enjoy the chirping of insects and soothing musical notes from birds. 

Later in life, I linked these activities to adventure, and from these past experiences, I have learnt how to turn “a dull” moment into a fun-filled adventure moment. 

That is the situation I was in during unfavourable weather that grounded me for days.  I needed to get out of this situation fast! After missing out on an opportunity to visit Meru National Park to celebrate the birth of a baby rhino early last week (Monday 5th), a thought came into mind. 

With a minimal budget, I could make a road trip to Isiolo into a fun adventure trip. The last time I travelled here on a road trip, time was short for me to experience the sights and sounds of this fast-growing and bustling town, the administration centre of Isiolo County. 

I chose a different way of doing the road trip – using Public Service Transport (PSV).

Road trips undeniably have a charm, and the exhilaration of driving to a destination coupled with innumerable surprises on the way is a perfect recipe for adventure lovers, and the experiential traveller. As the saying goes, it is not always about the destination but the entire journey. 

At the bustling Meru PSV stage, I board a seven-seater shuttle for the one-hour journey at Sh400. 

Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of making occasional stopovers to delight in a mix of sceneries, people, and culture, as in my previous road trip, I utilised every moment to get the best from this PSV road trip. 

The recent rain has painted the countryside “a green carpet”, dotted with countless acres of farmlands fed by water springs from the tens of hills spread out in endless continuity. 

The drive takes us down the empty, winding road, and I get to take in the majestic mountains and hills, some of which appear painted red from the effects of the red-like dust, making our experience a scene from a movie-like shot. The thrill and excitement are quite gripping. 

A few kilometres down the winding road, the scenery dramatically changes to semi-arid. The weather changes radically, with the misty clouds kissing the ground harshly. The effects are spontaneous. No words can describe the chilly cold effect. 

Thirty minutes after a perfectly smooth ride, we arrive at Isiolo town, and this time, round, due to a limited budget, I am ready for a solo experience! 

My starting point is 219 coins, a meeting point-kind of venue, and a joint that attracts visitors. I pick up a rapport with a “friendly waiter” who gives me information on the sights and sounds of Isiolo.

Kirimi interestingly recognises me and is more than willing to guide me on a tour of Isiolo town and its environments provided I can wait an hour to finish his schedule. I agree and while away the time, I join a table of enthusiastic friendly locals to learn some facts and history about this small cosmopolitan town. 

From my interaction with Mwende, Ibrahim, Mose, Edna, and Neparako, I learned that Isiolo town is home to Somali, Borana, Meru, and Turkana. The town is a transportation hub connecting destinations to the greater eastern and northeastern regions.

It is also home to landmarks such as Buffalo Springs and Shaba reserves, and part of the Ewaso Nyiro River. 

Isiolo, Neparako told me, got its name from Issa Olo, a village headman, who lived near the present-day town which in the 1920s became the colonial headquarters of the former Northern Frontier Districts (NFD). 

An hour later, Kirimi is done, I have made new friends, and as we say our goodbyes, they spell out to my “newfound guide” what to look out for in our tour of this friendly town – I could not fathom that two decades back this town was the centre of deadly conflicts and war-like activities. 

We set out on a tour that comprised walking, while at other times, we took motorcycle rides to reach further spots and landmarks, cultural villages, and farms (there is a lot of irrigation farming). 

As we traversed roads, and pathways and walked, the views, encounters, and interactions with the locals painted picturesque everlasting images. On the outskirts of the town, I encountered jaw-dropping vistas of spectacular continuous hills, towering granite cliffs, and lush valleys. 

Highlights

This sparkling town is envisioned in Kenya’s economic development plan Vision to be “a resort city in the desert”, hosting casinos, hotels, retail outlets, a modern airport, and transport facilities. Isiolo will also be a transport hub of the fork of the Lappset Corridor.

It is the centremost town in Kenya and has been proposed as a strong potential candidate for a second capital city for Kenya.

Isiolo lies on 3694 ASL and has an average annual temperature of 23.3 °C. The climate is generally arid and semiarid but with many trees.

It was founded around the local military camps, much of the population descended from former Somali soldiers who had fought in World War I.

Isiolo was designated as the Headquarters of the Northern Frontier District by The British East Africa Protectorate in 1922 until the North Eastern was curved out as a separate province in 1963 following the Lancaster House Constitutional conference.

It hosts Kenya’s fifth international airport.

The town has an estimated population of 80,000 people.