United Kingdom
Kenya Travel and Safari Guide
LAKE MAGADI
135km (84mi) SW of Nairobi
The most southerly of the Rift Valley lakes in Kenya, Lake Magadi is rarely visited by tourists because of its remoteness, although it actually makes an easy day trip if you have a vehicle. The most mineral-rich of the soda lakes, it is almost entirely covered by a thick encrustation of soda that supports many bird species and gives the landscape a weird lunar appearance.
A causeway leads across the most visually dramatic part of this strange landscape to a viewpoint on the western shore. It's worth a drive if you have a 4WD, otherwise you can head to the hot springs further south. The springs aren't particularly dramatic, but you can take a dip in the deeper pools, and there are large numbers of fish there that have adapted to survive in the hot water. You may run into local tribesmen, particularly Maasai, who will offer to show you the way and 'demonstrate' everything for you for a fee.
©2007 Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
