Ready to discover one of Kenya's most captivating landscapes? Set your sights on Lake Turkana!

With its distinctive emerald hue, it's also known as the "Jade Sea". Lake Turkana is the world's largest desert lake and also the world's largest alkaline lake. Nestled largely in Kenya's remote north, this vast natural lake reveals itself to be a truly exceptional wildlife reservoir.

This turquoise lake unfolds in vistas worthy of a postcard. It has earned UNESCO recognition for its magnificent national parks. But what truly captures the imagination is its profound role in human history.

Lake Turkana, defined

Lake Turkana spans an area of 6,405 km², stretching some 250 km long and 50 km wide. The lake's northern tip belongs to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Omo River flows into the lake, as do two other rivers—the Turkwel and the Kerio—which feed its waters. From a distance, the water appears blue-green, its colour said to come from algae blooms.

History of Lake Turkana

The names of Lake Turkana

In 1888, Hungarian explorer Samuel Teleki and his second-in-command Ludwig von Höhnel discovered the lake during their expedition through Kenya's northern reaches. They named it Lake Rudolf, honouring the archduke of the Austro-Hungarian empire, "Rudolf of Austria." The name Lake Turkana was officially adopted in 1975.

The Turkana people called the lake "anam Ka'alakol"—meaning "the sea that teems with fish."

The Jade Sea, meanwhile, is a nickname inspired by its emerald waters.

The Lake Turkana basin: the birthplace of humankind

The shores of Lake Turkana are where the first humans are believed to have lived three million years ago. In those ancient times, the region was blanketed in forest.

Finnish professor Mikael Fortelius theorizes that the genus Homo inhabited this region before dispersing across the planet. Hominid fossils have been unearthed around the lake, notably the "Turkana Boy"—the oldest and most complete human skeleton ever discovered to date.

The lake's shores have also yielded the world's oldest stone tools, believed to have been used in a massacre of more than twenty hunter-gatherers.

Lake Turkana: its distinctive features

Lake Turkana captivates lovers of nature and history alike. With its varied landscapes, this vast desert lake ranks among the world's most impressive destinations. Here are some of its defining characteristics:

Remarkable wild fauna

A paradise in the desert! Part of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Turkana teems with a remarkable array of animal species, both in the waters and across the surrounding plains. While the lake hosts fewer fish species, it shelters other creatures such as the notorious Nile crocodile, freshwater turtles, and more.

The parks are alive with a profusion of birds—hundreds of which are native to Kenya. Near the shoreline you'll spot wood sandpipers, African skimmers, pink flamingos, and more. Across the basin roam mammals and African predators including zebras, gazelles, giraffes, and cheetahs.

Africa's largest wind farm

Completed in 2017, a wind farm was installed on the eastern shore of Lake Turkana, in the region's lunar-like landscape. It is Africa's largest wind farm.

Lake Turkana, a nest of volcanoes

The lake region features several volcanic formations. The far south is particularly embellished by the famous volcanic cone known as Nabuyatom. The volcano's last activity dates to the 1970s.

What to do at Lake Turkana?

Visit the national parks

Lake Turkana encompasses three national reserves currently listed on the UNESCO World Heritage in Danger register.

Tracing our origins at Sibiloi National Park

Nestled on the eastern shore, Sibiloi National Park owes its reputation to fossils millions of years old. Don't miss its semi-arid environment, wild flora and fauna, petrified forest, the Jarigole pillars, and much more.

Central Island National Park

Also known as the Crocodile Island, Central Island is a volcanic island set in the heart of the lake. An essential Lake Turkana experience, this park managed by Kenya Wildlife Service boasts several cones, craters, and three small lakes. This pocket of paradise in the Jade Sea promises delightful explorations.

To reach it, head to Alia Bay, the departure point for boats heading to Central Island.

South Island National Park

Located in the southern part of the lake, South Island National Park brims with birds such as goliath herons and swallow-tailed kites. It harbours the world's largest concentration of Nile crocodiles. Local legend holds that the southern isle has inspired numerous ghost tales.

Experience Lake Turkana Festival

This cultural festival typically takes place each May in one of the region's towns. The celebration honours the various tribes of the Jade Sea's lakeside villages. Over several festive days, you'll learn about the Samburu, the Turkana, and the Gabbra peoples. You'll be captivated watching them sing and dance in traditional dress, and you'll taste their authentic cuisine.

Lake Turkana lies approximately 550 km from the capital Nairobi. To reach Lake Turkana, you have three options:

• Travel by air: an airstrip is located in Lodwar County. Flying is the safest, fastest, and least exhausting choice.
• Cross the desert by private 4x4: these vehicles are best suited to the terrain.
• Go by bus: affordable but very tiring and less comfortable, buses service Lodwar.