About the Lake

It is,after Lake Turkana, the most northern of the Great Rift Valley lakes of Kenya, with a surface area of about 130 km² and an elevation of 3200 ft. The lake is fed by two rivers, El Molo and Ol Arabel, and has no obvious outlet; the waters seep into lava. Despite this, it is one of the two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley in Kenya, the other being Lake Naivasha. It lies off the beaten track in a hot and dusty setting and over 470 species of birds have been recorded there, occasionally including migrating flamingos. A Goliath Heronry is located on a rocky islet in the lake known as Gibraltar.

Getting There

Main road access to Baringo is directly from Nakuru by bus or private transport. The nearest town to the lake is Kampi ya Samaki. Some of the hotel and lodges here can arrange transfers to Nakuru/Nairobi.

Getting Around

The lodges and caps here both organize local excursions. Boats can also be hired. See the Accommodation section for details.

Accommodation

There are some cheap and modest hotels at Kampi ya Samaki, the small town bordering the lake. These include Papyrus Annex, Hippo Lodge, Bahari Lodge, Ushirika Lodge and Lake View Lodge.

Sights

Tourism in the area has increased over the past years, hence Baringo is no longer a place off the beaten track. Still, at the lake's shores you can enjoy a peaceful mood very different from the most crowded parks. 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.

In addition to bird watching walks and boat trips, with the guidance of a professional ornithologist, the lake offers a range of activities which include fishing, water sports (ski, wind-surfing), camel rides, day trips to the nearby Lake Bogoria National Reserve or visiting a Njemps village, where you can get a sip of the local handcrafts and dances.

Activities are mainly run by the lake's two lodges, Lake Baringo Club and Island Camp. Local fishermen also provide boat trips, during which they usually spread fresh fish as a bait for the fish eagles.