Lake Turkana (Lake Rudolf)

Lake Turkana is in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya in the northern part of the country.

It was formerly known as Lake Rudolf. The far northern end of the lake crosses into Ethiopia.

The lake covers a surface area of 6405 km². It is therefore the world's largest permanent desert lake. It is also the world's largest alkaline lake.

This single body of water covers over 250 kilometres in length. That is longer than the Kenyan coast.

The Turkana area is hot and very dry. It is mostly volcanic and on-shore and offshore winds are extremely strong as the lake warms and cools more slowly than the land.

Three rivers, the Omo, Turkwel and Kerio flow into the lake. The outflow is by evaporation only.

The lake was named Lake Rudolf by Count Samuel Teleki and Lieutenant Von Höhnel in 1888. It was renamed Lake Turkana in 1975.

The Turkana area has been preserved by its remoteness. It has very few Western visitors. Lake Turkana is a 3-day drive from Nairobi.

The local tribes in the area include the Turkana, Gabbra and Rendille. The El Molo village surrounds the lake.

Lake Turkana is sometimes referred to as the Jade Sea. The fish that can be found in the lake include Nile perch and tilapia. The lake used to contain Africa's largest population of Nile crocodiles.

It is still a major breeding ground for the Nile crocodiles, hippopotamus and various venomous snakes.

The water in this arid area makes it possible for birds, Lions, cheetah and giraffe to hang around.

The Jurassic-looking setting of Lake Turkana has long prehistoric history. This is where man may have first walked upright.

Lake Turkana is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Travelling to and Exploring Lake Turkana

The East and West Shores of Turkana are accessed from different routes. They are physically separated by the vast Suguta Valley south of the Lake. Suguta Valley is not crossable.

The east shore can be reached via Maralal and Marsabit. The west shore is accessed via Kitale. The central point of access is Lodwar.

There are airstrips on both shores of the lake used by chartered aircraft. There are not many defined roads around the Lake.

The lakeshore can be explored on foot. Boats can be hired in the villages along the shore. The best way to explore the lake is by boat and using a local guide.

Due to the remoteness of the area, it is recommended you travel to Turkana as part of a professionally organized safari.

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