Places to See and Stay: Lakes of the Great Rift Valley - Kenya

The main lakes of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley include Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Lake Mgadi and Lake Victoria. Possibly one of Kenya’s most famous images is that of clouds of brilliant pink flamingos rising from a glittering lake with the shadow of the Great Rift Valley wall behind. Documented by countless nature films it is even more spectacular to see in real life. Standing on the lake shore at Nakuru hearing the gabble of flamingos and watching pelicans swoop low over the water is spectacular. Many of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley Lakes are surrounded by wilderness areas or game reserves. These provide wonderful opportunities for not only enjoying the pelicans and flamingos but big game such as buffalo, lion, rhino, elephant and more.

The most famous of the lakes is probably Lake Nakuru. A shallow alkaline lake rich in phytoplankton upon which both lesser and greater flamingos love to graze. Numbers of flamingos can fluctuate throughout the year from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands.

Lake Naivasha, an hour drive from Nakuru is fresh water and surrounded by farms, many of which are flower farms. With a number of small homesteads and nature reserves and within driving distance of Nairobi it makes an ideal place to start a safari.

Lake Mgadi is little known, in Kenya’s far south. It is a wild area with a number of Maasai communities and nomadic wild game. Scenery is dramatic, there is only one small but spectacular lodge – this is a place for the truly adventurous.

Finally, Lake Victoria lies just outside the Rift Valley and is surrounded by numerous villages and small towns. Whilst the lake shore can be unremarkable there are a number of small tropical islands that are idyllic. Hills covered in lush vegetation drop down to clear blue waters dotted with white-sailed dhows. An hours flight in light aircraft from the Masai Mara there is no better place to put your feet up and relax after a safari.

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