South Island is the southern of Lake Turkana's three island parks, a low, bare, volcanic outcrop in the south of the lake, near the settlement of Loiyangalani. The lake wraps around it, usually the colour of old jade, and when the wind is up the waves can be steep and brown. Birds nest on the island and crocodiles patrol the water. The land is stark. It is not a place people have lived in, and the interest lies in the feeling of looking out on a lake as large as a small sea, with nothing but desert on every side.
The settlement of Loiyangalani is the nearest base, and it earns the word oasis. Natural springs feed a patch of date palms, and a small town spreads along the shore, with a handful of basic lodges and a few shops. It sits at the foot of Mount Kulal, a big, dark volcano that stands over the southern end of the lake, and the road up from the Chalbi Desert is among the great gravel rides in East Africa. It is a slow, hot, corrugated run, but it ends with the lake appearing suddenly as a bright bar of colour under the red hills.
The people here include the El Molo, perhaps the smallest ethnic group in Kenya, who live on the shore and have long depended on fish. The Samburu, Rendille and Turkana live in the surrounding country, and each has a distinct style of dress and house. In July, the Lake Turkana Cultural Festival draws all three together for dancing and music, and it has been held in Loiyangalani in recent years.
Some honest advice: this is a hard ride. Distances are long, the gravel is rough, the wind is strong, and help is far away. Fuel exists in Loiyangalani at times but is unreliable, so bring spare. Water, tools and a good group matter more than speed. The best months are June to September, though nights can be warm. Do not swim in the lake, because crocodiles and strong currents make it unsafe. Those who do the ride tend to remember it for years.