Lake Magadi Safaris
3 Days Ologasaile-Magadi
Day 1: Nairobi-Magadi
08.00 a.m: Depart Nairobi and drive west to the Ngong hills (which
in Maasai means knuckles.). The vehicle will drive to meet you at
the end of the Ngong hills hotel and then proceed to the Ologasaile
Prehistoric site. Picnic , then lunch, then continue down the sloppy
hills in Magadi in time for dinner and overnight at the camp.
Day 2: Magadi
After breakfast drive past the 18 hole golf course through to the
medical springs(spas)- relax, proceed to the beautiful lake and
unsparingly many species of birds including the flamingos!! Dinner
and overnight at the camp.
Day 3: Magadi-Nairobi
After breakfast drive slowly back up-hill; stopping for lunch on the
way, arriving in Nairobi late afternoon.
*Minimum number of participants required for this tour is three (3).
Lake Magadi
Lake Magadi
Deep in the heart of Southern Kenya’s Maasai land is the unearthly
Lake Magadi. This 104 sq km soda lake is completely surrounded by
vast natural salt flats. These sweltering hot plains prevent any
animals reaching the alkaline lake at its centre. For this reason,
thousands of flamingo descend on the lake each year to nest on
elevated mud mounds at the lake’s edge safe from any potential
predators.
Lake Magadi
Lake Magad
Lake Magadi is the
southermost lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, lying north east of Lake
Natron. During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well
known for its wading birds, including flamingos.
It is a saline, alkaline lake, approximately 100 square kilometers
in size, that lies in a graben. The lake is an example of a "saline
pan". The lake water, which is a dense sodium carbonate brine,
precipitates vast quanitites of the mineral called trona (sodium
sesquicarbonate). In places, the salt is up to 40 m thick. The lake
is recharged mainly by saline hot springs (up to about 83°C), there
being little surface runoff in this arid region. Most hot springs
lie along the northwestern and southern shorelines of the lake.
During the rainy season a thin (<1 m) layer of brine covers much of
the saline pan, but this evaporates rapidly leaving a vast expanse
of white salt that cracks to produce large polygons. A single
species of fish, a cichlid called Alcolapia grahami, inhabits the
hot, highly alkaline waters of this lake basin. Lake Magadi was not
always so saline. Several thousand years ago (during the late
Pleistocene to mid-Holocene) the Magadi basin held a freshwater lake
with many fish, whose remains are preserved in the High Magadi Beds,
a series of lacustrine and volcaniclastic sediments preserved in
various locations around the present shoreline. Evidence also exists
for several older Pleistocene precursor lakes that were much larger
than present Lake Magadi.
Magadi township lies on the lake's east shore, and is home to the
Magadi Soda factory, now owned by Tata India. This factory produces
soda ash, which has a range of industrial uses.
These sweltering hot plains prevent any animals reaching the
alkaline lake at its centre. For this reason, thousands of flamingo
descend on the lake each year to nest on elevated mud mounds at the
lake’s edge safe from any potential predators.
PLACES/THINGS TO SEE
NGONG HILLS : When visiting Nairobi, you can not miss the Ngong
Hills rising over the Nairobian suburbs highlands (Karen & Langata
estates). Ngong hills, of the shape of "the God's hand grabbing the
arid soil of the Rift Valley" have four knuckles. The main summit is
Lamwia (2,460m - 8,070 ft.). The hills can be easily climb but a
K.W.S. guide is recommended as there are risks of smuggling. You
need to count Kshs 500 for a guide (at K.W.S. Headquarters). Same
remark for cars which should not be left without a guard. The hills
provide good walking over rolling evergreen slopes and nice view
points on the Rift Valley and the Nairobi plains. - Read also the
East Africa Mountains website for a walking guide at Ngong hills.
OLORGESAILIE PREHISTORIC SITE : This prehistoric site, covering an
area of 52 acres and discovered by Louis and Mary Leakey in 1942,
has been donated to the Kenyan Government by the Maasai community.
This site comprised six different excavated areas where you can see
hand-axes, cleavers, various other tools and animal bones. Most of
these finds have been left in place and protected by shaded roof.
The site has also an exposition center at the entrance which
develops further the importance of the discovery. From sediments
dating, the site was probably abandoned more than 200'000 years ago.
There is possiblity to camp in the site or spend a night in the four
bandas (without bed linnen) available. Reservation can done through
the Nairobi National Museum - See camping/bandas section for contact
and read the historical background of the prehistorical site at
National Museum website.
See all pictures MAGADI TOWN/LAKE :
About soda lakes ? - The explanation of the existence of this
shallow soda lake comes from geology. Most volcanoes of the Rift
Valley have covered the area with alkaline ashes that contain sodium
carbonate. The sodium is carried to the lakes by rainwater. If the
lakes have no natural drainage, the sodium stays in the lake water.
Therefore, all alkaline lakes are near a volcano : Lake Natron
(Tanzania) and Lake Magadi (Kenya) are near Shombole, Olorgesailie
(Kenya), lake Elmenteita near Eburu crater, lake Nakuru near
Menengai crater, lake Bogoria near Laikipia volcanic escarpment. The
tons of algae in soda water and the millions of flamingoes are the
final result of thousands of years of volcanic activity.
The town and where to go ? - The Magadi Soda Company is the owner of
the lake and the town. A fee is asked at the gate to enter the town
and access the soda-lake. The town is very clean and well
maintained. The township includes schools, hospitals and even sport
clubs (public swimming pool). From town, you can either go eastwards
to the Nguruman escarpment (2,330 m-7,644 ft.) and its dense
forested area or southwards to the Lake Natron, the Shompole volcano
(1,564 m-5,131 ft.) and the Ewaso Ngiro delta.
The eastern road is interesting for bird life as you cross some lake
branches soaked by fresh water rivers coming down the forests,
allowing birds to drinks and clean themselves. The forest are
located on the western flank of the Nguruman escarpment, just after
crossing the Ewaso Ngiro river, where the landscape is hilly and
evergreen - Read also the East Africa Mountains website for a
walking guide at Nguruman escarpment.
The southern track is one of the best place to spot flamingoes as
you drive on the lake shore along the southern part of the lake. Two
hot springs water, where tilapia fishes specially adapted to hot and
alkaline water are living, can be visited. Further south is the
Shombole volcano and Tanzania, where there is a beautiful over the
lake Natron and the delta of the Ewaso river.
WILDLIFE IN THE AREA : Magadi is one of the best location for
watching birds. You can at some point approach flamingoes more
closely than in Nakuru lake. Other birds seen in the area are heron,
pelican, spoonbill, etc. The best place for bird watching is along
the road crossing the two upper branches of the lake where fresh
water running down from the forest brings diversity in life. In
addition to the birdlife, mammals are abundant as Magadi is between
Maasai Mara N.R. and Amboseli N.P. But, large mammals are very
discreet during the day. Common mammals are giraffes, warthogs, some
gazelles and antelopes and zebras/gnus in July-August. Note the
presence of the rare Chandler's mountain reedbuck, rarely seen in
Kenyan National Park and of the black rhinoceros -
