The Great Rift Valley in northern Kenya is one of the world’s most important scientific landscapes. On the shores of Lake Turkana – the world’s largest permanent desert lake – the region preserves an unparalleled record of early human evolution, with fossil evidence spanning several million years.
Shaped by ancient river systems and layers of volcanic ash, the region allows archaeologists to date discoveries with exceptional precision, creating a rare, continuous archive of evolutionary change across time.
During the visit, the team met archaeologists and researchers at the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), founded in 2005 by renowned paleoanthropologist Dr Richard Leakey in partnership with Stony Brook University (New York). With permanent research centres on both sides of Lake Turkana, the institute is internationally recognised for its long-term scientific work focused on understanding the origins and evolution of humankind.
Beyond the scientific sites, the expedition explored a number of striking landscapes and communities across the Turkana region. These included the palm-lined oasis of Eliye Springs on the western shores of Lake Turkana; the dramatic rock formations known as the Waddach Pyramids; and the vast Natong'obong sand dunes, where the team drove to the summit for sweeping views across the lake towards Central Island – a volcanic outcrop that serves as a breeding ground for the world’s largest population of Nile crocodiles.
