Losiolo Escarpment

Losiolo, known locally as World's End, is where the Samburu highlands stop abruptly and the ground falls away nearly two thousand metres into the Suguta valley, one of the hottest and lowest places in Kenya. Standing at the edge, the drop is almost sheer beneath your feet and the floor is a haze of ochre and grey, with the Suguta river, the Nyiru range and, on the clearest mornings, the southern end of Lake Turkana visible far off. It is generally reckoned one of the great viewpoints in Africa and sees very few visitors, partly because Maralal itself is a long drive from anywhere and partly because the final track is rough. Samburu herders bring livestock along the rim. Camping at the edge for sunrise is the way to see it at its best, before haze fills the valley.

The landscape

• The escarpment edge - a near-vertical drop of around two thousand metres.
• The Suguta valley - the hot floor stretching north towards Turkana.
• Morning clarity - the far view before haze builds.
• Samburu herders - livestock moving along the rim country.

When to go

Dry seasons for the track. Sunrise is the point: by mid-morning haze reduces the view considerably, and afternoons are usually washed out. Nights at the rim are cold and windy at over two thousand metres.

Practical notes

The final track is rough enough to need 4x4 and takes over an hour from Maralal. There are no facilities, barriers or signage, and the edge is genuinely dangerous. Camping means carrying everything including water. Local arrangements in Maralal are worth making rather than driving out blind.

Nearby

Maralal town is the base; the Suguta valley and Lake Turkana lie north.

Key facts