Lake Turkana

About this place

Lake Turkana is a saline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, mostly in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia, about 72 km east of Lodwar in a straight line. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and its largest alkaline lake. The water is slightly brackish and very high in fluoride, so it is generally unsuitable for drinking or irrigation, and the climate around it is hot and very dry. The surrounding rocks are mostly volcanic, and in the middle of the lake Central Island is an active volcano that emits vapour. Rocky outcrops and shores line the east and south, while dunes, spits and flats lie to the west and north. The wide, green-blue lake spreads under clear skies, ringed by brown desert land dotted with acacias and distant volcanic hills. At sunset the sky and water turn orange and gold. Visitors reach it by road or light aircraft from Lodwar or across northern Kenya, watch the sunset from the shore and visit fishing villages. The area is remote with few facilities, so check the UK Foreign Office's current guidance for northern Kenya before you travel.