To Lake Turkana
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
Over the last week or two I have done a lot of research on the crossing from Kenya into Ethiopia. The main highway at Moyale has not been the safest or most stable place in recent weeks, and when I meet an overlanding couple who were caught in a full gunfight there a few days prior, I know it’s not the route for me.
Also, I have learned about a much more interesting one!
Still on the main North highway
Lake Turkana is the world’s largest year-round lake in a desert area, and I have been told the routes that follow the East or West shore at simply stunning and some of the most remote places in East Africa.
The Western shore is said to be more remote and sandy, while the Eastern shore is said to be slightly more travelled, but much, much more beautiful. On the east also lies a National Park that sounds great, and so I make up my mind to cross there.
My wild campsite
The mountains here are impressive, and expected
This part of Kenya is so remote there isn’t any kind of immigration or customs at the physical border, so before leaving Nairobi I must get myself and the Jeep stamped out of the country. It feels strange to be legally stamped out while still in the country, but that’s the way it’s done!
I again venture past Mount Kenya, and again low cloud completely obscures the mountain from view. Pushing North I fill up to the the brim at the last station on the highway, before venturing away, aiming to get extremely remote.
Although storm clouds are brewing, all the rivers are dry
The storm never hit
Over a couple of days I make my way first West and then North towards the lake, continually trying to stay off the new gravel road that was built to access the huge wind generating plant I have been told is on the lake shore.
There really is nothing out here
Hazy mountains
I find a fantastic wild camp where I’m visited by some local nomad guys and give a ride to a few friendly locals who appreciate the help. Each day massive storm clouds brew on the horizon, though they never amount to all that much, at least not where I am.
One of the passengers I gave a ride
It feels great to be out in the wild again after too long in the city.
I can’t wait to see just how remote this gets!
-Dan
Hey Dan, Been following you from the very start of this journey.
I am currently in Addis Ababa, when are you coming through, it would be great to catch up.
Was there in 1970, first in a Land Rover, then much better, a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup.
Back then it was REALLY remote . . made the trip from Nairobi to the Red Sea in Eritrea, and a return loop more Westward, through Addis both ways. Never passed customs or immigration, just didn’t exist at Moyale, just a couple of policemen who wanted to chat more than anything else . . also spent a year up there near Lake Rudolf (now Turkana) just after the NFD opened up (Jomo Kenyatta) – The Great Rift!! back then, never saw another vehicle in a month out in the bush . . . the world is changing!!
That sounds like incredible adventure Richard.
You are absolutely right the world is changing very quickly, which means the best time to go is always now.
Have fun out there,
-Dan