Central Island National Park

Central island national park is found on an island on the world’s largest permanent desert lake, it’s also known as crocodile island composed of craters and zones.Lake Turkana is the most saline great lake in Africa the three main lakes on the central island are; crocodile lake, tilapia lark and flamingo lake.

Central island national park covers and area of about 5 kilometers squared which is relatively small but provides unforgettable tourist experience in Africa. The active volcanoes pass out Sulphur smell often times the lakes are endowed with Nile crocodiles making the island the largest place for concentration of crocodiles, the island has got very beautiful sceneries of the magnificent lake and scant island vegetation. The park provides archeological and paleontological sites; the island is one of the world’s pristine nature places not tempered with its natural state.

Game viewing

Despite being small central island national park offers visitors opportunities to view wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos, topis, Grevis zebra, grant gazelles, Oryx’s, giraffesthe crocodile population is very high in that you must move with armed guide.

Bird watching

Central island national park boasts with over 350 species of which over 84 are water birds, others are migratory while some residentialsome of which include: grey heron, Goliath heron, African skimmers, Egyptian geese, great egrets, less egrets, sacred ibis, osprey, swallow tailed kites among others.

Boat rides

Tourists can enjoy boat rides from one of the lakes or start from kalokol gate this offers a reward of viewing aquatic animals and water birds. Launch can also be packed.

Camping

To have an incredible views of the lakes as the moon shines on steaming craters.

Nature guided walks

The nature guided walks are thrilling while you hike to the islands highest elevation and have striking views of the magnificent lakes and scenery, tourists hiking to the top of the flamingo crater will come across many interesting sites on the way and most importantly breathtaking views of the whole park. Butterflies, dragonflies and insects are also to be expected.

Fishing

Tourists can engage in this recreational activity with the help of an experienced fishing guide the lake has got over 60 species of fish recorded.

The climate of the park is arid and hot throughout the year and even gets more hotter in somemonths, between April and May is the breeding season for crocodiles who burry their eggs under the sand on the shorelines. Baby crocodiles are easily seen squeaking out of eggs and being carried by their parent to the shallow Waters of the lake  to be attended for some months watching the scene is in incredible sometimes monitor lizards come up and eat baby crocodiles before their mothers come to rescue them.

Central island national park can be accessed by road or air; the roads to lake Turkana are very remote and rough. Normally requiring a two day journey Tourists can opt to fly to any nearby airstrip to the lake though it’s expensive it will be a better guarantee.

Once on the lake shore of mainland you can access the park by boat but the time duration will depend on where you embarked your safari from.

While at Central Island national park there is no accommodation inside the island apart from a campsite, the other accommodation sectors are on the mainland, another nearby accommodation unit is eliya springs resort.

There’s no place like central island national park where you can explore the un touched wilderness and it’s remoteness it gives you a reward of knowing the unknown.