WHERE THE EARTH REMEMBERS: TURKANA’S OTHERWORLDLY BEAUTY AND ENDURING SPIRIT

In Kenya’s far north, beyond the bustle of safari circuits and coastal escapes, is a land that

defies easy definition. Turkana is wild, immense, and elemental. It is a place where time feels

suspended and the landscapes tell stories far older than any map or memory.

Overhead view of Lake Turkana taken on a helicopter flight with Tropic Air

It is also one of the most misunderstood regions in Kenya. Often dismissed as barren and too remote, Turkana lies far beyond what typically draws travellers to Kenya. But what is distance when you are being transported by helicopter? As the saying goes, the road less travelled tends to make all the difference – or something along those lines. And in Turkana, the difference is profound. What it offers is otherworldly: the stark poetry of desert ridges, basalt hills and wind-swept plains. And then there is the lake: so vast and green it seems almost mythic.

Flamingoes take flight over Lake Logipi

Turkana is not a gentle landscape. It does not soften for visitors. But therein lies its power

and appeal.

The sand dunes of Turkana's Desert

A Living Geological Archive

To understand Turkana, one must first reckon with its geology. This is a land shaped by fire, sand

and water. Years of volcanic activity and tectonic shifts saw the landscape significantly

transform over time. Today, the scars of that geologic past remain visible in its

dramatic terrain of lava outcrops, collapsed calderas, and fossil-laden riverbeds.

A glimpse at Turkana's landscape courtesy of Tropic Air

Lake Turkana, the world’s largest permanent desert lake, dominates the region. Its waters

shimmer in shades of turquoise and jade, a surreal sight against the ochre earth. The lake is

fed by the Omo River from Ethiopia and has no outlet, making it both an ecological wonder

and a fragile system deeply tied to the rains far upstream.

An overhead view of Lake Turkana and the "Jade Sea" courtesy of Tropic Air

Just east of the lake lies Koobi Fora, one of the world’s most significant archaeological sites.

Here, fossil finds have radically expanded our understanding of early hominid evolution. The

remains of Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Australopithecus have all been unearthed in this

area. Evidence that this land was once lush and teeming with life.

The importance of Turkana in the story of humankind cannot be overstated. The ground itself holds a record of where we began, which is why it is known as the cradle of mankind. So, for now, we will leave you with this: Turkana is a region of epic proportions, legend and history.

To know Turkana is to challenge your assumptions about beauty, remoteness and what it

means to endure. This is not a landscape that conforms. It does not dazzle with lushness or

ease. It reveals itself slowly, if at all. But for those who pay attention, it is truly unforgettable.

A look at the Pokot tribe in dance courtesy of Tropic Air