Lake Magadi

About this place

Lake Magadi is the southernmost lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, north of Tanzania's Lake Natron and about 93 km southwest of Nairobi in a straight line. It is a saline, alkaline lake of about 100 square kilometres, 80 per cent covered by soda in the dry season. The lake lies in an enclosed basin formed where land dropped between faulted volcanic rocks, and its water is a dense sodium carbonate brine that deposits huge quantities of the mineral trona; in places the salt is up to 40 metres thick. It is fed mainly by saline hot springs of up to 86 °C that flow into alkaline lagoons around its edges. Thousands of years ago it was a freshwater lake with many fish species. The shallow, mirror-calm water reflects the brown hills around it, with large flocks of pink flamingos standing in it. In the dry season a white crust of salt covers it, cracking into polygons. Visitors drive down from Nairobi to the lake and watch the flamingos and the hot springs around its edges. It is very hot, so go early in the morning and carry plenty of water.