Loiyangalani

Loiyangalani sits on the southeastern shore of Lake Turkana in a landscape of black lava, sand and wind, and the name means a place of many trees, referring to the doum palms fed by springs that made settlement possible here. It is the base for visiting the lake's southern end and the villages of the El Molo, one of the smallest ethnic groups in Africa, who traditionally fished the lake from doum-log rafts and whose language has all but disappeared. Turkana, Samburu, Rendille and Gabbra people also live and trade here, and the Lake Turkana Cultural Festival brings together more than a dozen communities each year in a display of dance, dress and music. The wind blows almost constantly and hard, the heat is severe, and the jade colour of the lake against black rock is unlike anywhere else.

The main sights

• The lake shore - jade water against black lava and sand.
• El Molo villages - the small community and its fishing traditions.
• The cultural festival - communities gathering for music and dance.
• Doum palms and springs - the water sources that allow the settlement.

When to go

Dry seasons, though heat is severe year-round; the festival, in the years it is held, is the busiest time. Wind is constant, which moderates the heat but makes boating difficult. Mornings are the calmest.

Good to know

Getting here is a serious undertaking: long, rough drives with no fuel or services for hundreds of kilometres, or an expensive charter flight. Accommodation is a couple of simple lodges and camping. Crocodiles make the lake shore dangerous. Visiting El Molo villages should be done with respect and through proper local arrangement rather than as a photo stop.

Nearby

Mount Kulal rises east; Sibiloi and Central Island lie north in the lake.

Key facts