Lake Turkana National Parks, Desert lake national parks in northern Kenya.

Lake Turkana National Parks comprises three protected areas around Lake Turkana in northern Kenya: Sibiloi National Park, 1,570 km² on the eastern shore about 30 km from the Ethiopian border, and the volcanic islands of Central Island (5 km²) and South Island (39 km²). The lake stretches 250 km north to south and up to 40 km wide, with jade-green alkaline water bordered by barren cliffs.

The area around the lake has been home to people for thousands of years, and fossil discoveries made from the 1960s onward turned it into one of the most important sites for understanding early human history. The findings pushed back the known timeline of human ancestors by hundreds of thousands of years.

The lake gives its name to the Turkana, the community around it, alongside Samburu, Rendille, Pokot, Gabbra and Borana neighbours who live mainly by herding livestock. In the driest periods camels and goats are allowed to graze inside Sibiloi National Park, and no farming is practised because rain is so scarce. The El Molo, Kenya's smallest ethnic group, live by fishing on the mainland shore and on South Island.

Getting to the parks requires a sturdy, high-clearance vehicle and careful preparation, since roads in this part of northern Kenya are rough and services along the way are sparse. Visiting during the dry season makes travel easier, as tracks can become difficult to pass after rain.

The lake's water takes on a green color caused by a particular type of algae, which is why it is often called the Jade Sea. The color appears most clearly on calm days when the light hits the surface at a low angle.