Lodwar
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Lodwar

Lodwar

Turkana gateway town for Lake Turkana's jade water, desert heat, and western-shore camps.

Lodwar is the main town in Turkana County and the gateway to Lake Turkana from the west. It's a small, poor, dusty place — temperatures regularly exceed 40°C — but it's the essential overnight stop if you're heading to the lake. Expect persistent attention from vendors and children; it comes with the territory.

From Lodwar, the lake is about 70 kilometres to the east. The shoreline around Ferguson's Gulf offers camping and the chance to see the extraordinary jade-green water up close. The lake is the world's largest permanent desert lake and one of the oldest in Africa; the flamingos and Nile crocodiles around the southern shore are just the visible tip of its biodiversity.

Getting here from Kitale involves a long, often rough road. A 4WD is advisable in wet conditions. The road from Lodwar to the lake is passable in a standard vehicle when dry.

Guide

Getting There

By road: The A1 highway connects Lodwar to Kitale, 270 km to the south. The road is paved as far as Lokichar and beyond, but conditions deteriorate. Allow 4–6 hours from Kitale by car; a 4WD is recommended, especially in the wet season (April–May and October–November). Matatus (shared minibuses) and buses run from Kitale daily.

By air: Lodwar Airport has flights to Nairobi (Wilson Airport), operated by smaller regional carriers. The flight takes about two hours and is the most practical way to reach Lodwar quickly.

Warning: Turkana County is one of Kenya's most remote regions. Carry extra fuel, water, and food for any journey into the area. Services are sparse once you leave Lodwar. Mobile phone coverage exists in Lodwar itself but disappears quickly outside town.

Guide

Things to Do

Lodwar is a transit town rather than a destination in itself. The real draw is Lake Turkana to the east — the largest permanent desert lake in the world and one of the most remote corners of East Africa. Ferguson's Gulf, about 70 km from Lodwar, is where most visitors camp by the jade-green shore. The lake is also a gateway to Sibiloi National Park, the site of major early-human fossil discoveries at Koobi Fora.