TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The 'frontier' town of Maralal is a small hillside town in northern Kenya that lies east of the Loroghi Plateau in Samburu District. It is an administrative headquarters of Samburu. The market was pioneered by Somali settlers in the 1920s. The district stretches as far the Lake Turkana encompassing more than 20,000 Sq. A staging post on the rough road north to the eastern shore of the lake, Maralal National Sanctuary boasts a tiny gem of a game sanctuary actually within the township's legal boundaries.

Maralal is home to Kenyatta House, where the first Independent Kenya President was incarcerated by the British colonial government Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The town serves as a base for tourist activities such as bush walking, whitewater rafting and camel riding. It is also known for camel racing and is surrounded by the Maralal National Sanctuary. The famous Maralal camel derby is held here. This is a tourist friendly town with many hotels and friendly people.

On the cedar covered hillside above Maralal town and the thorn scrub lower down there is a lot of resident game. Impala, eland, buffalo, baboon, warthog and zebra live in harmonious profusion but ever watchful for the leopard and hyena. Seasonally elephant pass through the sanctuary downward from the forested hills, which lie to the north. Much of this wildlife can be seen from the comfortable terrace of the Maralal Safari Lodge for the only permanent water in the sanctuary is a small waterhole just a few meters away. Here, throughout the day, and at night by floodlight, is an almost continuous spectacle of wildlife. Leopards are baited in a small forest not far from the lodge and can be seen from a specially constructed 'hides'. The rocky track, which leads north to Lake Turkana, passes across the moorlands (much of which is now under wheat cultivation) and forests of the Leroghi plateau, a seemingly endless area of tranquil beauty.

The Great Rift Valley is about 15 kilometers from the township, a dry weather road leads west across the plateau to the edge of the valley. Losiolo located on the valley wall is steep and the vast, almost awesome, vista is totally spectacular. Viewed from any side the Maralal National Sanctuary is splendid scenery whose splendor is enhanced by its ensemble with wildlife and by the serene decorum of the herdsmen and their herds. The Samburu who inhabit this huge and gorgeous countryside are close relatives of the Maasai. The Samburu warriors are seen striding fearlessly across the plains without a second thought, clad in their cultural attire is a fascinating sight.   

This quiet town of Maralal, found about 348 kms North of Nairobi, is the gateway to Kenya’s wild and arid North, and is a Mecca for adventurers, nomads and camels.
The camel also referred to as the ship of the desert plays a crucial role in the life of this Nomadic people. The single humped dromedary camel is a vital part of life for many of Northern Kenya’s nomadic people. Each year, the Camel Derby brings life and action to the streets of Maralal as the finest Camels in the North gather for the big race. While most of Kenya’s camel rearing communities do not ride them- using them as pack animals- they are excellent handlers and judges of an animal’s strength and potential for speed. Thanks to this very friendly animal our sisters in the northern frontiers are great camel handlers as they perform their daily chores.