It is worth the long, hot, and bumpy ride to Lake Turkana to see its jade blue waters and the surrounding lunar landscape. Members of the seminomadic Turkana tribe, decked out in jewelry and colorful fabrics, with goats, donkeys, and children in tow, pace the shore, collecting water and gathering wild fruits. Lake Turkana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the world’s largest permanent desert lake as well as its largest alkaline lake. The landscape is so hot, windy, and arid that it’s hard to imagine how anyone manages to survive here. If possible, come to the annual spring Lake Turkana festival, when tribes from across northern Kenya gather here to promote peace and celebrate one another’s cultures.
