County is in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is the second largest, by land area, (after Marsabit County) and also the north western most county in Kenya. It is bordered by the countries of Uganda to the west; South Sudan and Ethiopia, including the disputed Ilemi Triangle, to the north and northeast; and Lake Turkana to the east. To the south and east, neighbouring counties in Kenya are West Pokot, Baringo and Samburu Counties, while Marsabit County is located on the opposite (i.e. eastern) shore of Lake Turkana.

those who are fascinated by the fundamental questions of who we are and where we come from, there is no better place to follow the traces of our ancestors. Some of the most significant archaeological findings of pre- and early manhood have been made here, and Turkana Land righteously claims the title Cradle of Mankind. This is the place where all humans stem from, so: Welcome back home!
In 1984, the world famous Turkana boy was found in Nariokotome, a 1.5 million year old, near complete Homo erectus skeleton. Homo erectus is generally regarded as a direct ancestor of Homo sapiens sapiens – present day humans. Since recently, a monument and a brass replica of the skeleton can be visited at the finding site. The oldest ever traced stone tools with an estimated age of 3.5 million years, is just another one of the many significant discoveries in Turkana which made it to the international headlines.
The first to recognize Turkana Land‘s historic importance was the world famous paleoanthropologist, Dr. Richard Leakey who established the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), a research centre and field school that puts Turkana Land on the map in terms of archaeology and natural sciences. Tourists can pay day visits to the TBI’s facilities, and do a guided walk to a nearby finding site where they are explained the essentials of detecting fossils – a thrilling insight into archaeology.
There are also impressive historic sites of the more recent past, such as the Namorutunga standing stones near Kalokol, an ancient site from about 2,000 years ago that is still revered as an important ceremonial site by the local Turkana people today. In southern Turkana, the Lokori Standing Stones mark one of the most impressive prehistoric remnants in the County. An ensemble of standing stones circles as well as mysterious rock art engravings mark a location of great importance to our ancestors. There are uncounted rock art sites spread out all over Turkana Land. Significant reminders of Kenya‘s colonial past are preserved by museum sites in Lodwar and Lokitaung.