Culture, History and Adventure in KENYA, the Cradle of Mankind

08/09/2024

THE NEW DATES FOR TEKWA'S EXCITING AND INFORMATIVE CULTURAL TOURS THROUGH MARSABIT COUNTY (North-Eastern Kenya) ARE OUT.

06/06/2024

Hope to see you all in our Global Village at National Museum of Kenya, on Museum Hill, Nairobi coming Saturday.

10/05/2024

We are sure, the “CRADLE of HUMANITY" has been on your bucket list for quite some time. You would like to know, where it all started, where we all come from, how we have survived and developed for more than 4 Mio years. Therefore, join one of the two latest unique, informative and adventurous tours to East-Turkana offered by TEKWA. Visit Koobi Fora, the TBI (Turkana Basin Institute) and have all your questions answered. You will also roam along the shores of Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world, like our ancestors did, admire the salty plains of the Chalbi Desert, get an impression of the largest wind project in sub-Saharan Africa and meet the beautiful people of Marsabit County , pastoralists who wander through those vast realms and manage to survive in a most arid territory with their camels, goats and sheep.

26/04/2024

CONT 4: We left Loiyangalani driving along the lake. Parts of the road are new because the rising water levels have submerged the old road. After turning eastwards and later northwards we came through territory usually full of goats, ship and camels. This time these places were almost empty. Definitely the result of the 4 year long drought, which killed at least half of the herds. When finally the rains came, they caused further havoc in decimating the rest of the animals by washing them away. It was encouraging to see many young animals within the small herds left giving hope to a new future. We had our usual picnic lunch at Karsa Gate and then visited the famous Petrified Forest nearby. It is always a very special experience to touch a stone which 20 Mio years ago was part of a tree trunk. The road towards Koobi Fora was more than bad. The acacia bushes had not been cut for months and we were forced to sit on the inner seats in order to avoid scratches from the thorns. Never a dull moment up North! But we were lucky to reach this iconic camp which has also suffered from the rains and the rising lake water. Soon the open air dining area will be flooded. As already mentioned, nowadays the bats are in charge of the place. Even the nets put under the roof couldn’t prevent them from leaving their traces in the rooms and beds of the clients. We will definitely have to look for another accommodation as long as this place has not seen a serious renovation. What a pity! The visit to TBI (Turkana Basin Institute) in Illeret was definitely a highlight. Mr. Martin showed us not only the latest finds (no pictures of course!), as well as how they transport the finds to the Lab and finally clean them. You may think you are at the dentist’s. Finally we were shown the Hydroponic farming, developed by TBI in these soilless surroundings. Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants without soil using water based nutrient solution. The local Dassanach women are encouraged to pass by and get instruction of how to set up their own small hydroponic garden. We would have liked to visit the footprints excavation site, but time did not allow it, as the short road from Koobi Fora to Illeret is no longer passable and we had to use the 3-hours road. We can only hope that this beautiful and culturally highly interesting area will see some major improvements soon. On the way out we visited the fossilised tortoise, the crocodile and the elephant. All three about 2 Mio years old and ancestors of our present species. Unfortunately the keys would not open the padlocks at the first two sites. But we got a glimps.

26/04/2024

In Loiyangalani we usually stay at Malabo Lodge. From there we explore the town of Loiyangalani which has a population of about 30,000, many pastoralists who move in and out – mainly the men with their animals while the women have become sedentary.
We pay a visit to Layeni, one of the two villages, where the El Molo, a Cush*tic and probably the smallest ethnic group in Africa, have successfully avoided extinction through integrating women of surrounding ethnic groups (mainly Nilotic Turkana and Samburu). Their numbers have risen from about 200 in 1983 to over 2000 today – at the cost of their Cush*tic language. Nowadays the El Molo speak Samburu, a Nilotic Maa-language.
Finally we say hello to our good old friends, a group of Rendille women, living in a small settlement within Loiyanganlani. They are happy to leave their usual chores for an hour, to chat with us, put on their traditional leather clothes and do some singing and dancing with us. Of course, we always carry highly appreciated goodies with us like maize meal and sugar.

26/04/2024

Today we would like to take you through South Horr, this cute Samburu village situated in an oasis. We visit its Primary School and then proceed to Loiyangalani via the Turkana Wind Project, the largest Wind Mill South of the Sahara.

14/04/2024

TEKWA is back from another of its unique tours up North to Illeret at the Ethiopian border. We toured Marsabit County under beautiful weather conditions - hot and dry. We managed to cross the Chalbi Salt Desert - only to learn that three days later heavy rains transformed this vast place into an huge lake. We met with many of our old friends, who treated us - a small group of five - like part of their family. Asante sana for your openess and hospitality.
The only negative experiences were the roads which always had been bad but this time ressembled riverbeds. The North seems to remain neglected territory. Maintenance is also neglected in Koobi Fora. This iconic and beautifully situated World Heritage Site at the shores of Lake Turkana, has been taken over by the bats (spare me the details), at night there is no electricity and the water supply is erratic, bucket showers the rule. We were promised that a major make-up is in the pipeline - let's wait and see.
As we were often out of network we could not report to you on a daily basis as planned. In order to let you have part in our exciting tour we will post short reports for the next few days. We start with the first two days: from Nairobi via Maralal (Palm Sunday) to South Horr (through the Samburu Mountains). Enjoy!

16/02/2024

ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT
WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR YOU!
We are sure, the “CRADLE of HUMANITY" has been on your bucket list for quite some time. You would like to know, where it all started, where we all come from, how we have survived and developed for more than 4 Mio years. Therefore, join TEKWA Cultural Tours on another of their unique, informative and adventurous tours to East-Turkana, visit Koobi Fora, the TBI (Turkana Basin Institute) and have all your questions answered. You will also roam along the shores of Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world, like our ancestors did, admire the salty plains of the Chalbi Desert, get an impression of the largest wind project in sub-Saharan Africa and meet the beautiful people of Marsabit County , pastoralists who wander through those vast realms and manage to survive in a most arid territory with their camels, goats and sheep. And if you are lucky, you may find some Easter eggs, put by a crocodile on the shores of Lake Turkana!

01/01/2024

05/10/2023

This is one of TEKWA’s special tours to Marsabit County, East Turkana, which has a lot to offer also for young people above 6 years.
We travel as far North as Loiyangalani on the shores of Lake Turkana, the
biggest Desert Lake in the world. On the way, we walk through Maralal, commercial centre of the Samburu pastoralists and a small but very lively town at the foots of the Samburu Mountains, which we will cross. In South Horr we visit a Primary school, an eye-opener for what nomadic children are willing to endure in order to attend school. Loiyangalani is inhabited by people from at least 5 of the 14 ethnic groups living in Marsabit County. We will meet and interact with Rendille, Samburu, Turkana, Gabbra and El Molo people.A visit to one of the 3 El Molo villages left, shows the visitor how a strong will for survival has saved this small group from extinction. After Loi we turn East towards the Chalbi Desert, the largest Salt Desert in East Africa.
In North Horr, not only the youngsters will enjoy the sand dune and its beautiful view. The Chalbi is only passable in dry season that means we will very probably be able to drive through this immense white salt pan. After a long drive from El Gade/Kalacha to Archer’s Post we will enter Samburu Reserve. At a beautiful lodge you will relax and follow the rich wildlife along the Ewaso Nyiro River, before we get back to Nairobi.

12/09/2023

Another of TEKWA's special treat. TEKWA would like to take you to the famous and outstanding LAKE TURKANA CULTURAL FESTIVAL, which -after quite some time - takes place in LOIYANGALANI (Marsabit County) in November. Besides of participating in this unique event, where the 15 different ethnic groups of Marsabit County come together from November 21 to 26, 2023, showcasing their various cultural expressions, you will get to know a very different Kenya between Lake Turkana and Chalbi Desert. Join into the fun and the experience!

02/09/2023

This is one of TEKWA’s special tours to Marsabit County, East Turkana, which has a lot to offer also for young people above 6 years.
We travel as far North as Loiyangalani on the shores of Lake Turkana, the biggest Desert Lake in the world. On the way, we walk through Maralal, commercial centre of the Samburu pastoralists and a small but very lively town at the foots of the Samburu Mountains, which we will cross. In South Horr we visit a Primary school, an eye-opener for what nomadic children are willing to endure in order to attend school. Loiyangalani is inhabited by people from at least 5 of the 14 ethnic groups living in Marsabit County. We will meet and interact with Rendille, Samburu, Turkana, Gabbra and El Molo people.A visit to one of the 3 El Molo villages left, shows the visitor how a strong will for survival has saved this small group from extinction. After Loi we turn East towards the Chalbi Desert, the largest Salt Desert in East Africa.
In North Horr, not only the youngsters will enjoy the sand dune and its beautiful view. The Chalbi is only passable in dry season that means we will very probably be able to drive through this immense white salt pan. After a long drive from El Gade/Kalacha to Archer’s Post we will enter Samburu Reserve. At a beautiful lodge you will relax and follow the rich wildlife along the Ewaso Nyiro River, before we get back to Nairobi.

12/08/2023

Dear friends, please, take note of TEKWA's NEW TRAVEL DATA for 2023/2024. We offer 8-day and 12-day CULTURAL TOURS to EAST TURKANA (Marsabit County).
The November tour (22 to 29, 2023) will allow you to participate in the famous LAKE TURKANA CULTURAL FESTIVAL in Loiyangalani.
We also organize tailor-made tours at your convenience.
For inquiries and bookings, please, get in touch with us or use our webpage.
[email protected]; +254 715 88 66 20; www.tekwa.co.ke

29/06/2023

NO PLANS FOR JULY?
TEKWA WOULD LIKE TO TAKE YOU TO THE "CRADLE OF MANKIND". WE OFFER A UNIQUE TOUR INTO KENYA'S NORTH , WHERE YOU MEET YOUR ANCESTORS, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE NOMADIC GROUPS WHO LIVE UP THERE A CHALLENGING LIFE. JOIN INTO THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME.

17/05/2023

PLEASE, RESERVE SATURDAY, 17th JUNE 2023 FOR THIS UNIQUE, CULTURAL EVENT AT NATIONAL MUSEUMS OF KENYA, NAIROBI. L.OOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE. TEKWA

11/05/2023

DAY 6 of TEKWA's latest tour to East-Turkana. After 2 days in Loiyangalani we were ready to move on up North. But calling KWS at Karsa Gate we learned that it had rained once more over night and that the roads inside Sibiloi were unpassable. What else to do but to develop another plan B, which was to reach Illeret und TBI via North Horr, as the road from NH to Illeret was the main, i.e. better road than the one from Loi. Koobi Fora became a distant dream. Thus we took the track away from the lake, eastward towards North Horr. On the way we met a Turkana settlement whose nomadic Turkana people were familiar to TEKWA. Once more we had the privilege to witness spontaneous dancing, singing and interacting, this time with a Nilotic people. The majority of the Turkana live on the Western side of the Lake. But there is a minority who has moved to the Eastern side, living and mixing with the Cush*tic ethnic groups like the Rendille and El Molo.
North Horr is one of the important oasis in this area and never lacks water. The dead animals along the road were victims of lack of food not water. NH is mainly inhabited by Gabra people, another Cush*tic group who dominates the area of and around the Chalbi Desert. They are the dominant camel owners and herders.
Fortunately we found accommodation in the Catholic Mission. And although the information concerning the road up North was not very encouraging, the group decided to give it a try next morning.