Lets explore Kenya beyond safaris as we head to the Chalbi Desert. Home to seven communities , we learn more about their cultures and traditions . Walking barefoot on the sand dunes surrounded by volcanic hills and dancing with the people and listening to their stories is an experience by itself.
A trip to Chalbi desert, gives one, a life time experience to walk barefoot on the horr sand dunes, play with the wind as well as immerse in the culture and cuisine of the communities in this area. The Chalbi desert is a rare gem located on Norther Kenya, bordering Ethiopia. Chalbi is a Gabbra name meaning bare and salty. Its located 500Km from Nairobi and East of Lake Turkana, the world’s biggest alkaline lake and the largest permanent desert lake in Kenya believed to house fossils that explains the origin of humanity. Chalbi desert, is one of the hottest arid areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The panoramic Volcanic hills, surround the desert which is a a stretch of coarse sand spiced up with pure rocks and immense clay where there are also ash-gray ridges and broken clusters of tiny huts. As though the natural beauty of this desert is not enough, the communities that inhabit the area, make the place more beautiful. The cultural stories of the 7 communities (Turkana, Samburu, Dassanach, Pokot, Rendile, El Molo, and the Gabbra) is fascinating . The communities cling to nomadic life of herding cattle, goats and camels. The Turkana are known for their basket weaving, fishing, art and annual cultural festival.
The women from these communities are entrusted with the role of building the semi houses for their families. You can envision days spent with women from these communities, beading, telling and listening to their stories, fetching water. There’s no better way to make the world a better place than travelling for impact.
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