Lake Turkana Kenya

Lake Turkana commonly referred to as the cradle of mankind (because of a fossil site which was discovered here by Dr. Richard Leakey in 1967 known as koobi fora) is located 400km south of Nairobi and 75 km from Lodwar town by road. The lake, which was first named Lake Rudolf in honor of Prince Rudolf of Australia in 1888, influenced the naming of a hominid discovered here in 1972 called `Homo Rudolfensisf. Other names related to the lake are the Jade sea and Anam kaalakol.

From a distance the lake has a turquoise color of the floating algae and is the largest permanent desert lake in the world. Parks found around this lake include; Sibiloi National Park which was established to protect the Koobi fora fossil site, The Central Island National Park a unique crocodile breeding ground which also has a crater lake, and The South Island National Park which is superb for bird watching. Also found in the park are; a huge tusked ancestor of the elephant, a million years old giant tortoise shell, a set of crocodile jaws over 5 feet long and a wide range of wild life including the very rare species of the striped hyena.

Lake Turkana is a superb place for photography, camel trekking, sport fishing for the renowned Nile perch, playing in the constantly changing sand dunes, collecting precious stones while walking near the shores and a scene of a lion or cheater devouring a mammal in the dry grassland.