Lake Bogoria is a shallow saline lake within the Great Rift Valley lying north of the equator famously known for its hot springs, geysers and huge amounts of blue-green algae attracting hundreds of lesser flamingos on the lake. The national reserve is dominated by thorny bushland of acacia and the open shores of the lake dominated by grasslands while the sedge Cyperus is around the hot springs.
If your main interest in Lake Nakuru is seeing flamingos then we suggest you ditch that idea and head to Bogoria instead. They are the huge flocks of flamingos that visit the still waters of the lake to feed on the algae. At times the number of flamingos feeding in the lake may be as high as two million. Since the lake has no outlet, it is saline and therefore a lot of blue and green algae, which forms different shades of the lake too apart from the pink of the flamingos.
Another attraction in the area are the geysers or hot springs. The lake has around 200 hot springs in total but the most accessible are located on one side of the lake. By the time it spurts off the ground, the water has reached over 94 degrees after circulating at great depth in the rock fractures. Although the hot springs no longer spurt water to great heights, the water in these springs is still hot enough to boil eggs. Do not forget to pack a few eggs for this trip and try the little science project. Imagine watching a flamboyance of flamingos flying or lined up on the lake shore against the backdrop of the expansive lake while eating boiled eggs.
While here, you can make a trip to the nearby Lake Baringo for a boat ride. This lake has 7 islands (Rongena, Samatian, Ol Kokwe, Parmolos, Gibraltar, Lokoros and the Devils Island). Ol Kokwe, now an extinct volcano, is the largest island and sits right in the middle of the lake. As a freshwater lake, it is known for its diverse birdlife, fish species, and the unique culture of the local communities living around the lake. Baringo is well known for its reptiles. Hot, dry and rocky, this is perfect country for lizards and snakes, while the fresh waters of the lake are home to a healthy population of crocodiles. The lake is also close to a snake park for the daring.
