Kenya has a number of beautiful lakes scattered across the country whose beauty will blow any one's mind.
From the North to the South of Kenya, the valley is lined with a series of freshwater and soda based volcanic lakes.
The Great Rift Valley especially has some of the most fascinating lakes teeming with wildlife and are a must visit.
Due to the volcanic activities along The Great Rift Valley, lakes were formed as a result.
Here are six beautiful lakes found in Rift Valley Kenya that you need to add on your bucket list.
#1. Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana is the northern most lake in the country, and it is one of the largest alkaline lakes in the world.
This single body of water is over 250 kilometers long- longer than the entire Kenyan coast. It is widely known as the Jade Sea, because of the remarkable, almost incandescent, colour of its waters.
There are several national parks in Lake Turkana, and they include the Central Island National Park and South Island National Park. Wildlife to see in this lake includes the largest population of Nile crocodiles in the country, zebras, gazelles and giraffes.
#2. Lake Baringo
Located in the great county of Baringo, Lake Baringo is one of the two fresh water lakes in the Rift Valley Kenya and derives its name from the county.
The lake is fed by two rivers, El Molo and Ol Arabel, and has no obvious outlet and over 470 species of birds have been recorded there, occasionally including migrating flamingos.
The nearest town to the lake is Kampi ya Samaki and accommodation is available in hotels like Island Camp Resort, Sandai Resort, Kibelion Hotel and Soi Safari Lodge.
Its chocolate waters, stained with the region's soil, change in tonality along the day and depending on the sky's colour. After the sunset, the visitor can watch the hippos emerging from the water to graze in noisy groups at the moonlit pastures.
Getting there one need to take a bus or private transport directly from Nakuru.
#3. Lake Bogoria
Lake Bogoria is a saline, alkaline lake that lies in a volcanic region in a half-graben basin south of Lake Baringo, Kenya, a little south of the equator.
Lake Bogoria is mainly known for its hot springs and geysers that shoot up water about 5m high.
The road from Nakuru to Bogoria has gotten progressively worse over the years but once past the Eldama ravine turn-off its still quite good
Lake Bogoria, is home at times to one of the world's largest populations of lesser flamingoes.
#4. Lake Elementeita
Lake Elementeita is not as popular as other lakes in Kenya, but it is one of the most scenic locations in the Great Rift Valley.
It is situated between two lakes that are Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha.
#5. Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus found outside the town of Naivasha in Nakuru County, which lies north west of Nairobi.
The lake area varies greatly according to rainfall, with an average range between 114 and 991 sq kms.
The lake has an average depth of 6 m (20 ft), with the deepest area being at Crescent Island, at a maximum depth of 30 m (100 ft).
Afternoon wind and storms can cause the Lake to become suddenly rough and produce high waves and for this reason, the local Maasai christened the lake Nai’posha meaning ‘rough water’.
The lake is home to a variety of types of wildlife including over 400 different species of bird and a sizeable population of hippos.
Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree.
#6. Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes at an elevation of 1754 m above sea level.
It lies to the south of Nakuru, in the rift valley of Kenya and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park.
The lake is home to thousands of Flamingo and has become world famous for these birds, who visit the lake to feed on algae that forms on the lake bed.
They move back and forth, feeding and occasionally and spectacularly taking to flight, filling the sky over the lake with colour.
A pulsing pink swathe of life that carpets the water, the flamingo are a breathtaking sight.
While here one can visit the nearby Nakuru National Park and an important sanctuary for Rhino.
Both Black and White Rhino are found here, and are often seen resting under acacias by the Lake shore.
The park abounds with game. There are huge herds of waterbuck, zebra, buffalo, the endangered Rothschild Giraffe and more.
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