- Location: Baringo County, Rift Valley Province, Kenya
- Elevation above sea level: 990 m
- Area: 33 km²
- The greatest depth: 9 m
A real discovery for connoisseurs and admirers of wild nature can be Kenya . If your area of interest includes Africa and its inhabitants, then certainly it is worth paying attention to this country. A huge number of national reserves, unique lakes and extinct volcanoes will be able to amaze even seasoned tourists. In addition, to visit the equator and visit the historical homeland of the ancient ancestor of all mankind, homo sapiens, are simply obligatory points in the "to do" list of any traveler. And among all this diversity, one must certainly visit the real pearl of Kenya - Lake Bogoria.
More about Lake Bogoria
In the northern part of the Great Rift Valley one can observe one of the most amazing places in Kenya. Lake Bogoria, together with Nakuru (in the eponymous park ) and Elmenite , constitute a special system of lakes, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area around the reservoir shows seismic activity, so geysers and hot springs are a common thing here.
The area of Lake Bogoria is about 33 sq. Km. km, its length is 17 km, and the depth reaches 9 m. The reservoir features a high concentration of Na +, HCO3- and CO32- ions, as well as an acidity index of up to 10.5 pH, promoted by alkaline water from hot springs. By the way, the last in the vicinity of the lake there are about 200 pieces, which for Africa is a very impressive indicator. The water temperature in them varies from 39 ° C to 98.5 ° C. Impressive is also the height of the jet, published by the geysers, which are about ten here - it reaches 5 m in height.
In the vicinity of the lake, there are more than 135 species of birds, including a huge population of pink flamingos, as well as eagle anglers and other predatory birds. In addition, here you can observe animals such as gazelles, baboons, zebras and kudu.
The realm of flamingos, geysers and hot springs
If you hunt in the Google search query "Lake Bogoria", then Wikipedia is rather dry and briefly defines it as an alkaline-salty meromictic lake in the Baringo district. However, behind this laconicism, picturesque nature and a rich animal world that lives around the reservoir are missed. The lake is surrounded by a mountain range, which at first glance is somewhat similar to the usual Crimean mountains, but the mass of details and nuances hasten to remind you that you are in the heart of Africa. Huge cacti, tall with human growth, familiar to the landscape of Kenya palm trees that grow even in the mountains, mysterious trees with amazing flowers - all this diversity will accompany you on the way to Lake Bogoria.
One of the largest populations of flamingos makes this place truly extraordinary. Even the usual "SLR" is able to make a completely unusual photo against the background of these amazing birds. The number of individuals varies from 500 thousand to 2 million! By the way, these birds are born gray, and pink color is acquired due to spirulina and rotifers, which actively multiply in the waters of the lake and serve as food for flamingos. Surprising is also the fact that these birds without any visible discomfort are able to crowd right near the hot spring, the temperature of the water in which almost reaches the boiling point.
Locals attribute the lake Bogoria some healing properties, allegedly his water can cure many ailments. However, even if you sincerely believe in its magical power, you will not be allowed to stay at the water's edge for a long time, geysers. Moreover, this can be a very dangerous pastime, since the water here is hot and hot. For light-hearted tourists, there are even signs warning that the ground underfoot can fail, and geysers are able to give a jet of hot steam or water. However, there are still daredevils who use high temperature of water in sources as an unusual way of cooking. By the way, the distinctive feature of Lake Bogoria, in contrast to the same Nakuru, are hard beaches, which with some caution allow you to approach the edge of the water.
How to get there?
You'll have to get to the lake by renting a car or hiring a cab, since you will not see any public transport in this area. From Nairobi to Bogoria lake you can take the A 104 highway, the journey takes about 4 hours.
| | |
| | |
