Lake Baringo Reserve
This is one of the fresh water lakes in the Great Rift valley. It provides sanctuary to hippopotamus and crocodile and it is a birder’s paradise.
Many of the species here are unique to the area.
The area has two major ornithological attractions, the escapement west of Kampi ya Samaki which is the home of Verreaux eagle, bristle-crowned starlings and Hemp Ricks hornbill, and the Gibraltar Island in the centre of the lake, an extinct volcano rising 50 meters above the lake. It has deposits of sulphur and hot water springs.
A small tribe called the Njemps occupies the south and west shores of the lake and one of the activities for visitors to lake Baringo is a visit to their villages for an insight into their ways of life.
Although they are somehow related to both the Maasai and the Samburu, the Njemps, unlike their counterparts, have become expert fishermen and fish is a major part of their diet.
The lake has an average depth of only 8m(25ft) and has three islands i.e. Ol Kokwa, Teddy Bear and Gibraltar, which can be accessed by the boat trips, provided by the lake’s administrative authority.
Access
A popular tourist destination frequented both by local and international visitors; the lake can be reached by road directly from Nakuru, 157km northwest of Nairobi.
Major Attractions
The lake is thought of as a good stopover site whilst on a long safari across the Great Rift Valley.
It offers an extraordinary variety if bird life and is renowned for this reason, infact it is known as the bird watching center of Kenya. Different species have been spotted on Lake Baringo.
Flamingoes with a lighter shade of pink inhabit the lake along with the rare Greater Kudu.
The lake is also home to crocodiles and hippos. For viewing purposes, there exist boat trips that are efficient for going to the islands. Kampi ya Samaki is the center of exploration, which gives one good sitings.
The Njemps community is also a fascination and offer entertainment in the form of song and dance enabled by the excursions provided, to their villages.
The surrounding environment of the lake is arid, red-soiled with sparse vegetation offering a good atmosphere for setting up picnics or just meditation.
