For us Wazungu--Kiswahili for white people--the rugged journey to visit the First Turkana Cultural Festival in a remote corner of Kenya was an epic one. Established to promote tourism in the Turkana area of Northern Kenya , the festival was sponsored by the German, French, Italian and US Embassies and organized by the Women´s Group MoSaReTu representing the ethnic groups El Molo, Samburu, Rendille and Turkana and including the unaffiliated Gabbra and Pokot peoples. Held in the provincial town of Loyangalani, the festival also served to bring together those ethnic groups known to each other on a much less festive basis through their occasionally violent skirmishes and the frequent outbreaks of cattle rustling.

Equipped with spare tires, tools for all kind of repairs, water, fuel, food, tents and GPS, six European and two American residents of Kenya started very early morning on 10th June in four 4x4s . From Nairobi we headed north into the highlands via Gilgil to Thomson Falls. Highlighting the potentially incendiary gathering of these sometime hostile communities, a police escort was waiting for us at Thomson Falls. Shortly after leaving the tarmac road, the first of 15 flat tires presented us with the new experience of changing a tire under police protection.

The first night we spent at Maralal Safari Lodge in the Maralal Game Sanctuary, approximately 350 km North of Nairobi. It is a rather charming place with wildlife like zebra, warthog, gazelle and guinea fowl to watch from the terrace and friendly staff and a lot of potential. All that is lacking is a coat of fresh paint and warm water for bathing. In the cool highlands, a bath in cold water is not always the most desirable refreshment.

The next morning we drove to South Horr through fantastic countryside that made us wonder what the first white settlers of Kenya thought on their way north, towards the Somali border, passing what was then called Lake Rudolph. In this inhospitable bush the land is progressively more and more arid, too dry for farming due to unreliable rainfalls but at the same time breathtakingly beautiful! Our cars and the drivers´ skills were tested to their limits. Murram (clay soil) roads turned into sand then into rocky surface and then into volcanic rock.

We spent the second night at Karungu Campsite near South Horr where the askaris (formerly colonial military, now local gendarmes) kept a fire burning all night for us and to keep off curious predatory animals. The campsite is in a pleasant setting between big acacia trees, but, unfortunately, the facilities are rudimentary and completely run down. Thankfully, we were equipped for this eventuality, and with the help of a bush shower we managed to get rid of most of the journey's dust.



After an early wake-up call by a group of noisy monkeys the following morning, we travelled through a countryside increasingly arid, with more and more volcanic rocks and with decreasing vegetation until we came to that unforgettable first glimpse of Lake Turkana the world's largest permanent desert lake. What a bizarre view it was after having driven through desert, rocky terrain and lava flows for hours to come on the awesome sight of Lake Turkana, its water gleaming a stunning turquoise green against a background of volcanic reds and browns, all framed by Kulal Volcano on the opposite shore. With good reason, this lake is also known as the Jade Sea!

It took us another two hours to get to the Oasis Lodge in Loyangalani. Passing domesticated camels and goats and tukuls (rudimentary mud huts), we wondered where the animals find grazing in this barren, austere country and how people manage to survive.



In stark contrast, the Lodge once was the playground of eccentric American millionaires from Cairo and British rock legends Mick Jagger and David Bowie.

Perhaps due to its former famous guests, Loyangalani can boast of having a dirt landing strip for small aircraft. The following morning festival visitors unwilling to make the arduous trek from Nairobi by road, arrived by plane, strong winds creating a challenge for the pilot. Guests were met by community members who helped arrange the carrying of luggage on donkeys' backs to the Lodge.