The Great Rift Valley Lakes

The Great Rift Valley Lakes

This a tour to the Great Rift Valley lakes of Kenya. This will include visiting Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita, Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria and Lake Baringo in the North Rift. All these lakes are alkaline with salty waters with the exception of Lake Naivasha. All the lakes have abundant of bird life with the most conspicuous being the Flamingoes which are so visible. It is also the migratory route of to various bird species and believed Lake Baringo forms the breeding place for Flamingoes. They too have unique features such as the hot springs at Lake Bogoria which is visited for therapeutical reasons. Wildlife too is available ranging from the big five in Lake Nakuru, the zebras, giraffes, kudus, waterbucks among others.

This tour takes you through the Great Rift Valley lakes of Naivasha, Elementaita, Nakuru, Bogotia and Baringo. These lakes in the rift valley are a great harbour and breeding places for various bird species and most conspicuous is the Flamingo species. They are also part of the world bird migratory route giving room for research work on ornithology in Kenya. With the exception of Lake Naivasha, all these lakes are alkaline lakes thus the water is salty. Lake Bogoria is famous for its hot springs believed to offer spa treatments. Lake Baringo has good number of bird species and believed to be a breeding point of the Flamingoes.

Day 1 Nairobi - Lake Naivasha.
An early morning pick up from Nairobi city an hour before departure at 7:00 am by your driver guide. Drive through the wall of the Great Rift Valley and have a brief stop over at the spectacular scenery view point of the Great Rift Valley. Proceed with the Safari to arrive Lake Naivasha for lunch and relaxation at the accommodation place. After lunch, you have your time to relax and participate in other activities such as boating and biking at your own leisure and expense. In the evening, you will have dinner and accommodation.

Day 2 Lake Naivasha Lake Nakuru.

Early morning game drive after some morning tea and coffee at 6:00am, come back for breakfast at 8:30am and depart at 9:00am for Lake Nakuru at The Bird Watchers’ Paradise arriving for lunch. The Lake is on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wood and grass lands and, at the Lake Nakuru National Park, visitors enjoy the ecological diversity and varied habitats ranging from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. It is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic and game drives. You will have a chance to visit a sanctuary with sizable number of the endangered White and Black rhinos as well as Rothschild giraffe, Water bucks, lion and leopard are common at the park and also different variety of bird life in and around the lake among them the Flamingo which are plenty at the lake in the afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at hotel/lodge/camp.

Day 3 Lake Nakuru Lake Baringo.

Early morning breakfast at 7:00am, check out of the room and depart for lake Baringo in the North Rift Valley at 7:30am. Arrive for lunch and check in at the lodge/camp. Afterwards, in the afternoon have your game drive at the lake Baringo. Dinner and overnight at lodge/camp.

Day 4 Lake Baringo fullday.

Morning breakfast at 7:00am, depart with a picnic lunch and proceed for your game drive and visits to different attractions. There are two reptile parks in the lakeshore: The Lake Baringo Reptile Park and Dr Richard Leakey’s Snake Park. These parks house snakes, crocodiles, tortoises, turtles, monitor lizards, and offer a panoramic view of the lake on one side, and Kampi Samaki Escarpment on the other. Other activities that one can engage in include boat rides, fishing, water skiing, windsurfing, swimming, camping and nature walks.The attractions here include the crocodiles, hippos and more than 400 bird species hunting for fish from the lake.This tourist circuit also is home to the Chesawanja archaeological site. This site is well known for the evidence of ancient man’s control of fire and more advanced art of civilisation.Cultural tourism is another tourist attraction with the Pokot, Ilchamus and Turkana villages that sits on the shores of the lake showing the rich culture and heritage in this area. Dinner and overnight at lodge/camp.

Day 5 Lake Baringo Lake Bogoria.

Breakfast at 7:00am, check out from the room and depart for Lake Bogoria 7:30 am and arrive in time for lunch and check in at the lodge/camp. Afternoon have a game drive and visit to the attractions at The Pink beautiful lake in this circuit. The ’pink’ lake is the heart of an arid landscape, in the shadow of the Siracho Range walls. It is referred to as pink because of the huge numbers of flamingos that are attracted to it by its soda waters.There are also a huge number of fish eagles that prey on the flamingos. The shores are nearly always lined with gazelle, zebra and baboons. This is one of the best places to see the greater kudu. Dinner and overnight at lodge/camp.

Day 6 Lake Bogoria Lake Elementaita.

Early morning breakfast at 7:00am, depart for lake Elementaita at 7:30am to arrive in time for lunch and check in. In the afternoon, have your relax at your leisure on this soda lake which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the best birding destinations in the Great Rift. It has over 400 species of birds, which include two varieties of flamingos. Some game around include zebras, gazelles and elands. You can also engage in fun such as horse riding touring the forest around the lake to see zebras, gazelles, elands, warthogs and impalas or book a hot air balloon safaris for you to see the pink blanket of flamingos that cover the lake. Dinner and overnight at lodge/camp.

Day 7 Lake Elementaita Nairobi.

Early morning breakfast at 7:30 am and depart for and arriving in the late afternoon in Nairobi for a drop off back to the hotel.

End of Safari!