Eliye Springs

This is arguably the most famous place along Lake Turkana. Maybe it’s because all influencers have to go there when they go to Lake Turkana or everyone who just goes to Lake Turkana, famous of not, visits the place. 

All the same, our visit  to Lake Turkana would also not be complete if we didn’t pay our homage to this resort. In fact, this is where we were crossing over the year from.  So after our extremely adventurous visit to Central Island that I talk about here , we made our way to Eliye Springs. 

I had expected it to be a short journey, two hours maximum, but it ended up being longer. One leaves the tarmac at some point and goes for an hour or so on the murram road inside. I would hope google maps works there because given the twists and turns we took on dry land, one could easily get lost. The road and land look alike. And it was interesting taking pictures of the dry landscape. 

As we approached the Springs, we saw countless homesteads along the way. I totally fell in love with the style of the homes of the Turkana people. It is nothing like I have ever seen anywhere else. Their huts are beautiful, made out of some sort of grass or reed and beautifully crafted on the outside. They seem extremely functional, easy to make for the locals and absolutely gorgeous. And what’s more, they blend in with the environment so well. Personally, I realised that the only way to see them early enough so as to take a picture is to try and spot goats or camels. Once I saw livestock, I knew a homestead was camouflaged in there somewhere. 

Those homesteads made my journey way more interesting. I was afraid that the heat would be too much. But the rain and wind of the previous day had followed us all those kilometers away. It was so windy that when we got to a certain barrier, the two men outside that we were supposed to pay,couldn’t hear each other speak. The kind of wind that carries away whole particles of sand and leaves the land bare. 

And a distance away, dark clouds were forming. It made for interesting pictures where on one hand you have an extremely dry landscape and on top of it are these dark black clouds. 

By the time we got to Eliye Springs, it had started raining. More like a storm. Or at least that’s what the locals called it. It was so strong, the wind and rain, that Eliye Springs had to switch off their electricity. 

But what caught all our attention was the lake. We parked near where we were supposed to camp and just watched the lake. Have you ever seen a water goddess angry? That is what Lake Turkana had turned into. 

White waves could be seen on the lake rising and falling furiously. While on the shore the almost 2 meters high waves were collapsing into each other with an unexplainable fury. 

I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t excited. This isn’t what we expected. In fact, we were coming to Eliye Springs for the sole purpose of relaxing. They have a really good beach on normal occasions, where people can play and swim comfortably for a several metres inside the lake without it being deep. It’s like the ocean. Except that this is the majestic Lake Turkana. 

So finding it twirling and swirling noisily meant that our plans for swimming some more and relaxing along the beach had been thwarted.  Instead we had found a storm. 

But I am the kind of person who watches Tsunamis in my spare time. Who wants to visit an active Volcano in Congo and Tanzania. Who watches ships capsizing with so much interest. Who googles dams bursting and falling. Who is intrigued by earthquakes that occur in cities near water bodies and the ensuing Tsunami. 

So an angry lake? Sounds like something right up in my alley. Except that I wasn’t watching this one on YouTube. It was unfolding right infront of my eyes. 

I just couldn’t have asked the universe for a more unique experience. Lake Turkana is the kind of place that I shall be back to. Not once nor twice. It’s the place that I will drive to and I will fly to in future. But what I am not assured of, is if I shall ever find a storm there again. The scorching sun is a constant. Unexpected rain is not. So I took my pictures and videos after the rain had gone. And appreciated the fact that of all times when nature took matters in its own hands, it happened while I was there to watch and experience it. 

The rest of our stay there flew away quickly. Or it could be that my heart was full. 5 days ago I had set out to come see Lake Turkana. And here I was, having gotten more than what I bargained for. 

As the year ended and other people went to play games, I went to sleep. Woke up at 12 to welcome the year. Danced a bit and went back to sleep. Goodbye 2020. Welcome 2021. 

I had crossed over the year, in the most interesting fashion, in the most intriguing place. And leaving Eliye Springs the next day, I knew that I would be back. For a different experience probably. But all in all, Lake Turkana left a mark in my heart. I shall be back. 

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