Rift Valley & The Great Lakes
Africa's Great Rift Valley is a 6,000-mile crack (fissure) in the earth's crust, stretching from Lebanon to Mozambique. One of its most dramatic sections slices through East Africa, dividing Kenya into two segments. Geologists know that the Rift Valley was formed by violent subterranean forces that tore apart the earth's crust. These forces caused huge chunks of the crust to sink between parallel fault lines and force up molten rock in volcanic eruptions.
Evidence that this process, called rifting, is still in progress comes from the many active and semi-active volcanoes, located along the Rift. Evidence of volcanic activity along the rift is provided by the presence of numerous boiling hot springs. Most Kenyan lakes are situated
in the Rift Valley giving it a magnificent landscape. Such are Lake Magadi, Lake Elementaita, Lake
Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru which is home to millions of
flamingos and has the greatest number of other bird species compared to other parks in the country, Lake Naivasha. Masai Mara game reserve voted the 7th wonder of the world in 2005 because
of its spectacular annual wildebeest migration are also situated along the Rift Valley.
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Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is not only the largest lake in Africa stretching across three of the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda but it is also the source of River Nile and measures 67493 Square kilometers. The lake is frequented by tourist eager to spot the Nile Perch. It is also a haven for bird life. Some of the common birds found in this lake area are blue-breasted Bee Eaters, Swap Fly-Catchers, Warblers, Papyrus Gonolets, Red-chested Sunbirds, Red-headed Queleas, Weavers and many more. |
Lake Turkana
Formerly known as Lake Rudolf the lake measures up to 6405sq kilometers and is the world's largest permanent desert lake, the most saline of Africa's large lakes. Lake Turkana is a part of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya although the northern part of the lake lies in Ethiopia. The lake is fed by the rivers Omo, Turkwel and Kerio. Also referred to as the Jade Sea, the lake is home to the Nile Perch, Tilapia, Nile Crocodiles, snakes while the three parks that surround it are home to Cheetah, Lion, Giraffe and migratory birds. |
Lake Nakuru This lake offers one of the world's most spectacular wildlife sights: brilliant pink of flamingos as far as the eye can see.The lake is considered the best place to track the leopard and is also home to more than 400 species of other birds. Want to see large pythons hanging from trees or even crossing the road, this is the place to spot these massive snakes. Spot the Herons, Pelicans, Kingfishers, Flamingos, Ospreys, Fishing Eagles, cormorants and many more. |
Lake Bogoria
The lake is dominated by the countless hot springs which pour boiling water into it giving it a spectacular sight. With over 135 species of birds, the area is of significant ornithological interest. Rich blue-green algae attract thousands of flamingos. The surrounding bushed grasslands are home to a number of animals, most notably are the very rare Greater Kudu antelope.Starting from the North, Kenya's Rift Valley Soda Lakes are Bogoria, Nakuru, Elementeita and Magadi. Apart from alkalinity they all have one thing in common - flamingoes. Bogoria and Nakuru may at times have as many as a milliion flamingoes feeding there.
Lake Bogoria is dominated by the countless hot springs which pour boiling water into the sterile lake. Sterile, except for the massive flocks of Lesser Flamingos that flood into Bogoria each year. Millions of them have been recorded at peak times of the year and hundreds of thousands is common. Greater Famingo are also present, sometimes in thousands and Black-necked Grebe are usually present.
Although no other birds could possibly stand the conditions that the Flamingos find rather pleasant (standing up to your knees in boiling, highly caustic, soda is guaranteed to strip the skin of most animals) there is, nevertheless, an abundance of raptors preying on the ready source of meat. Steppe Eagles, Fish Eagles and Tawny Eagles are present in amazing numbers. In fact, at times the eagles are so numerous you can see 8 or more in a single tree. Bogoria is also one of the places in Kenya which offers a reasonable chance of seeing the Greater Kudu |
Lake Baringo With a surface area of 130 sq km, the lake is fed by two rivers, El Molo and Ol Arabel. There are no outlets for this lake and yet it is one of the two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley.The region is rich in bird life and over 470 species of birds and migratory flamingoes can be spotted in a single visit. |
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is a fresh water lake and supports a diverse water-bird community. The lake provides diverse habitat for a variety of mammals and fish such as tilapia, black bass, and Cray fish.Among the birds that can be spotted here are cormorants, Warblers, Weavers, Black Herons, Grey-backed Fiscal, Babbler, Pelicans among others.
Hell's Gate National Park lies beside the lake and is famous for its natural hot geysers, eagle and vulture breeding grounds, obsidian deposits and extinct volcanoes, it is possible to walk, game drive, camp, cycle and rock climb within the park. Beautiful rock gorges and natural steam vents add to the beauty of this tiny, 68 square km Park. Game to view includes hyrax, buffalo, giraffe, eland, hartebeest, lion and leopard. As with all of the Rift Valley Parks, Hell's Gate is also an ornithologist's dream. The cliffs of Hell's Gate are the breeding grounds for vultures, Verreaux Eagles, Auger Buzzards and thousands of swifts |
Lake Elementaita This lake lies in close proximity to Lake Nakuru. At one time it dried out completely leaving a dry salt lake. At the hot springs , which feed the lake, ruff, Garganey Teal, Red-billed Duck, Common Sandpiper and Egyptian Goose are residents. On the open grasslands there are the resident Sacred Ibis, Helmeted Guineafowl, Common Rock Thrush and Hildebrandt's Francolin. |
Lake Magadi Deep in the heart of Southern Kenya’s Maasai land is the unearthly Lake Magadi. This 104 sq km soda lake is completely surrounded by vast natural salt flats.These sweltering hot plains prevent any animals reaching the alkaline lake at its center. Lake magadi is the second largest source of sodium carbonate in the world. The lake undergoes a transition with the change of light, from white, cerise pink, cobalt, indigo, deep scarlet and sot pastels.Freshwater springs at the Lake’s shore attract a host of birds among which are the famous flamingos. |
Other Destinations |
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