Here's a brief guide to Kenya's major National Parks and Reserves.
Lake Turkana, otherwise known as the Jade Sea, is 265 km long with an average width of 30 km. An isolated and stunningly beautiful jade green, the Lake appears as a mirage from the depths of the Chalbi desert in Kenya's northern district.
Lake Turkana is a deep alkaline green and scenic beyond belief, surrounded by cliffs, gentle beaches, deserts and dark outcrops of volcanic rock. Incredibly desolate, the area is superb for photography, offering a rare chance to explore an untouched area of the world.
Extremely arid, the Turkana area may receive rainfall as seldom as once every five years. The Lake is the only permanent source of water in the area; the Gabbra and Merille tribes in the area are utterly reliant upon the Lake and the camels with which they live. This is one of the few areas left in the world where one may visit a true practicing desert tribe, unaffected by the twenty first century.
The El Molo tribe, the smallest in Kenya, also lives in this area. At one point in the 1980s they were reduced to less than 200 people. The El Molo are superb fishermen, trading the fish with the camel herders in order to survive.
A rock hound's joy, the Turkana area is rich in geodes, meteorites and semi-precious stones such as amethysts and garnets, all of which are easily found when walking near the Lake shore.
The area contains three National Parks: Sibiloi, Central Island and South Island. Each of these parks offers stunning scenery, excellent bird watching and fascinating glimpses into the history of earth and its creatures.
Sibiloi National Park was established to protect unique prehistoric archeological sites. Richard Leakey led expeditions to this area in the 1960s, discovering some of the earliest known hominid remains, including specimens over three million years old. The Koobi Fora site is open to visitors; the museum and research center provide excellent information.
In addition to the hominid remains, some of the unique finds include a set of crocodile jaws over 5 feet long belonging to a 45 foot long prehistoric creature, a 3 million year old giant tortoise shell and a huge tusked ancestor of the elephant.
The game in this area includes the very rare striped hyena, leopard, lion, hippo, lesser Kudu, crocodiles and some of the more drought resistant antelope such as the Grant's gazelle.
The Central Island National Park, an important crocodile breeding ground, offers beautiful scenery with its crater lakes; the South Island National Park is an excellent bird watching area with numerous flamingos, pelicans and other water birds. Isolated and unvisited by the common tourist circuits, Lake Turkana offers a unique experience to those willing to travel a little further off the beaten track.
Copyright Melinda Rees of Eco-resorts
