Lake Bogoria has been described in the past as the “jewel of the Rift Valley” and by the words of Bishop Hannington at his first sight as “the most beautiful view in Africa.” With the backdrop of the eastern wall of the Great Rift Valley, it is a stunning beauty that has always enchanted its visitors. The contrast in colours from the grasslands into the Lake and the sky above can only describe the place as “nature’s studio.” Quote from anonymous traveller – London Evening Post 1990. Lake Bogoria is 10 km north of the Equator and about 285 kms north of Nairobi.
It sits on the floor of the Eastern wall of the Great Rift Valley at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level from which the escarpment forms one of Kenya’s most picturesque backdrops. It has a closed drainage system meaning that the water is alkaline in nature and supports only microscopic algae with no fish. In 2000, Lake Bogoria was named as a third RAMSAR site in Kenya.
Lake Bogoria is well known for its hot springs and geysers dotted all around the southern shore of the lake. There are sulphur waters gushing out of the ground and known to have therapeutic values, hence are natural spas and steam baths.
It is the home of Africa’s most magnificent antelope, The Greater Kudu and a host of other savannah wildlife: zebra, impala, Grants Gazelle, Klipspringer, Buffalo, Dik-diks, Patas Monkey among others.
Predators include Leopard, Cheetah, hyenas, mongoose, jackal, and occasionally sightings of caracal cat.
In the recent past it has become the most stable home of the lesser flamingoes with a population sometimes approaching 2 million birds. This is in addition to over 310 resident and 50 migratory species of birds. (A total of about 374 bird species have been recorded.)