A Journey to Turkana and Western Kenya: Exploring Kenya From Within

Some journeys don’t begin with a plan. They begin with a feeling — a quiet restlessness, a need to see, to understand, to touch the land that shaped us.

This was one of those journeys.

It had been a long time coming, but eventually we said, let’s go. Not abroad, not to the familiar tourist circuits, but inward — into Kenya itself. To Turkana. To Lake Victoria. To places many speak about, but few truly experience. This would be the northernmost point I had ever reached: Kalokol, in Turkana County.

This was not a polished itinerary. It was a road trip stitched together by curiosity, courage, and the open road. Very little was planned in advance; most decisions were made on the move, and that spontaneity became the soul of the journey.

Day 1: Nairobi to Kitale

We started our journey from Nairobi on a Sunday. Before setting off, we prepared the car: changing the tyres, replacing the battery, and doing a minor service to ensure the engine, brake fluids, and general condition were good enough for the long journey ahead.

We left Nairobi around midday, heading towards Kitale. This day was mainly about driving. The journey was smooth for the most part, though we experienced delays while climbing the escarpment after Salgaa, where road construction slowed us down. After that, the drive was steady, and we arrived in Kitale at night.

That’s when our first calamity struck. We didn’t exactly have a tyre burst, but after hitting a curb, one tyre got damaged and slowly lost air, leaving us with a flat tyre. Since we couldn’t proceed to the place we had originally planned to sleep, we looked for accommodation nearby.

We were hungry — having skipped lunch — so we had supper at a local restaurant. True to our resolution for this trip, we chose Kenyan cuisine: ugali and nyama choma. We had decided to avoid Western food as much as possible and stick to local dishes throughout the journey.

After supper, we tried to find a petrol station to repair the tyre but had no luck. Eventually, we decided to spend the night at a nearby hotel and fix the tyre the following morning.

Day 2: Kitale, Kapenguria, and Onward to Turkana

Early the next morning, I went around looking for a replacement tyre. Fortunately, we found one — not the exact size we needed (we were using 245/40 R18 and got a 250), but it was manageable. After fixing it, we continued with our journey.

Our first stop was Kapenguria Museum, where the famous Kapenguria Six — Jomo Kenyatta, Achieng Oneko, Fred Kubai, Kungu Karumba, Paul Ngei, and Bildad Kaggia — were detained. We toured their prison cells, saw letters from Pio Gama Pinto, old newspaper publications, and learned about the historical context that led to their detention.

Newspapers showing Pio Da Gama Pinto story

There was a particularly interesting story about Achieng Oneko that I won’t narrate here — it’s best experienced firsthand by visiting the museum.

Freedom, we realized, was never cheap.

We also learned about the traditions of the Pokot and Senguer communities. The museum showcases their homesteads, farming and hunting methods, initiation processes, cooking utensils, and overall way of life. It was an immersive look into Nilotic cultures of the region.

How the pokot homestead looked like

The Road to Lodwar

From Kapenguria, we continued driving towards Lodwar. Along the way, we passed massive anthills and wide open landscapes. One of the most pleasant surprises was the excellent road network, especially after Kainuk, Lokichar towards Lodwar.

Tall anthills

The road is incredibly well done — smooth, wide, and scenic. While it’s commendable, it also raised questions. The road was built by the Kenyan government with funding from the World Bank, likely through loans. This made me wonder: if such infrastructure requires external funding, where exactly do our taxes go?

Road network in lokichar

Despite these thoughts, the drive itself was spectacular.

Beautiful land in Turkana county

Unfortunately, this stretch also brought our second calamity — a tyre burst caused by a stone on the road. We were about 40–50 km from Lodwar. To solve this, we drove to Lodwar on a motorcycle, repaired the tyre, returned to Locheremoit, fixed it properly, and then drove back to Lodwar.

Tyre burst being repaired

We had already arranged accommodation, so we informed our hosts of the delay. That evening, we enjoyed a hearty meal — ugali, mutton, and traditional vegetables — and spent the night there.

Exploring Turkana

The next morning, after breakfast, we discussed potential places to visit with our host. We had initially planned to go to Eliye Springs, but were advised against it due to our car’s limitations. Hiring a Land Cruiser or Probox was an option, but it was too expensive.

We also wanted to visit Turkana Boy, but again, the route wasn’t suitable for our vehicle.

Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Instead, our host suggested visiting the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, often compared to Christ the Redeemer in Brazil. It’s a statue of Jesus atop a hill overlooking Lodwar. From there, we drove to Kalokol, which gave us access to Lake Turkana.

Jesus statue

We took a boat ride to an island on the lake and back, simply to enjoy the views and experience the vastness of the lake. After returning, we had lunch in Lodwar — where mutton is the staple, as goats are widely reared in Turkana.

Boat ride in L.Turkana

Later that day, we began our journey back to Kitale, where we spent the night, had breakfast the next morning, and prepared for the next leg of the trip.

Lake Victoria and Western Kenya

From Kitale, we headed towards Lake Victoria. Our main destination was Kang'o Ka Jaramogi, which loosely translates to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum. This is where Jaramogi Oginga Odinga is buried, and later, his son Raila Odinga was also laid to rest.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum

We toured the mausoleum, saw the graves, and visited Jaramogi’s house. Here lies sacrifice, resistance, and the long, unfinished struggle for democracy. Some legacies are too heavy for words — they must be felt.

Raila Amollo Odinga final resting place

After that, we went to Luanda K'Otieno, where we boarded a ferry to Mbita in Homa Bay County. During the ferry ride, the captain even allowed us to briefly steer the ferry. The views of Lake Victoria were breathtaking.

Ferry ride in L.Victoria

Upon reaching Mbita, we drove to the Tom Mboya Mausoleum. Tom Mboya, a man whose vision outlived him, was a key post-independence figure and trade unionist whose legacy remains significant.

Tom Mboya Mausoleum

That night, we found a lakeside hotel and rested.

Sunrise by the shores of L.Victoria

Mfangano Island, Kisumu, and the Journey Home

Fish farming in L.Victoria

The next morning, after breakfast, we headed to Mfangano Island. We observed fish farming activities and visited the Abasuba Peace Community Museum, which tells the story of the Abasuba people. Their language is now mostly spoken by the elderly, making the museum an important cultural preservation effort.

Abasuba Peace Community Museum

From there, we drove to Kisumu, checked into an Airbnb, and had supper — fish and ugali, of course. The next day was a rest day: shopping, swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the city.

On the following day, we made a short detour to visit relatives before continuing our journey back to Nairobi.

On the way, just past Gilgil, we encountered our final tyre burst. Luckily, we were close to major towns, so we quickly got a replacement and continued the journey. We arrived in Nairobi on Saturday and rested on Sunday.

Final Thoughts

This journey was nothing short of tremendous. We traversed multiple ecological zones, witnessed diverse landscapes, and experienced Kenya’s cultural and historical richness firsthand. It stands out as one of the best trips I’ve ever taken — a true exploration of local tourism.

This trip reminded me of what Kenya is made of — and, in many ways, what we are made of as a people.