THE JADE SEA
Gorgeous,
brilliant green waters lap the shores of sandy beaches, dunes and a dry, desert
landscape that looks like something out of this word; with its many volcanic
overflows and petrified forests. Welcome to Lake Turkana! The largest permanent
desert lake in the world and the most saline of Africa’s large lakes, this beautiful,
lonely landscape is a gem waiting to be explored!
Lake
Turkana lies in the Great Rift Valley basin to the north of Kenya, stretching
over 250 km in length, longer than the entire Kenyan coastline! It’s fed by 3
rivers with no outflow, losing water only through evaporation in the searing,
sometimes 50 degree Celsius daytime temperatures; which make sense seeing as
this beautiful lake lies only 300 meters above sea level. It’s this lack of an
outflow that contributes to the lakes alkalinity, which is among one of the
highest worldwide.
Surrounding
the vividly hued, green lake are high sand dunes, lava flows and petrified
forests in a desert landscape that’s truly unique and other-worldly, windswept
and desolate. The raw, stark beauty of the lake against this backdrop is
stunning and adds to the adventure of exploring any of the three national parks
in the area. From the remote, volcanically active Central Island, to the
wilderness of the South Island National Park, to the arid and dramatic
landscapes of Sibiloi National Park; famously known as the ‘Cradle of mankind’
for the early fossils discovered at the Koobi Fora archaeological site! For
this, Lake Turkana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lake
Turkana offers so much for the adventurous traveller, with its mix of amazing
and diverse flora and fauna and its spectacular, extra-terrestrial landscape
that one might easily think was devoid of life. However, this lake is home to
the largest crocodile colony in the world, and is the largest breeding ground
anywhere, of Nile crocodiles too! These powerful creatures can grow to immense
sizes in this unique ecosystem, especially those found on Central Island,
spending their days sunning themselves on the shores of the lake or lurking in
the opaque waters… The ‘Jade Sea’ is also home to large populations of hippo, a
number of venomous snake species and a countless birds too, as it’s a vital
stop-over on their migratory routes.
Even
though this hidden gem is over-looked in favour of ‘popular’ destinations such
as the coast, Lake Turkana promises nothing but adventure and the exciting
thrill of being completely in the wild; immersed in and surrounded by miles and
miles of untouched, pristine nature. You’ll have an unforgettable time
exploring the unique terrain and the one of a kind waters, but be sure to watch
out for the notoriously strong desert winds that come out of nowhere and whip
up the calm lake causing sudden storms… All just part of the wild, untamed
beauty that is the Jade Sea.
Want
to experience this unique magic and beauty? Adventure with us!
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