Rift Valley Kenya
Stretching across Africa as a massive wound, the Rift Valley is more than 6,430 km long and 1,520 meters deep. It passes through Jordan to Mozambique, and, when viewed from space, this is probably the most recognizable geographical site on the planet.
Intense volcanic eruptions
According to geologists, this is the result of intense underground tectonic pressures, which essentially severed the Earth's crust from each other, causing huge tracts of earth to descend between parallel fault lines. Then the rock was pushed to the surface as a result of a series of volcanic eruptions.
Basically over 40 million years ago, Africa began to split along these massive fault lines. The land between slipping down, creating a unique valley of the Rift, similar to the appearance. This process, called rifting, is still ongoing with steam from warm springs and hissing from hot springs.
These millions of years of tectonic and intestinal volcanic activity have essentially severed the earth, which divides the U-turn into two different branches. The largest and longest of them is the Eastern Rift, which splits Kenya from north to south in a series of fault lines that give rise to the magnificent shape of this landscape.
East Rift Valley of Kenya
In Kenya, this eastern rift has magnificent cliffs, volcanic cones, lava flows and a small number of lakes. This part of the Rift reaches 100 km in length and reaches the narrowest to the north of Nairobi, where it is approximately 45 km.
The valley is located at its shallowest spot near Lake Turkana, in the very north of Kenya, where there is practically no difference between the Great Rift and its border desert.
roll Lake Valley in Kenya
Further to the south, the walls of the valley form extremely high cliffs, rising to 1,800 meters, where Lake Naivasha is. This is the highest lake in the system of rifts. It is also one of the few freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley. South of Naivasha, Rifton again drops to 580 m on the Tanzanian border.
Boiling, steam-splashing geysers can be seen through the Great Rift. You will find them inhabited around many lakes that are painted into the thin, pink and feathered bodies of countless flamingos.
If you are adventurous enough to look at Lake Magadi in southern Kenya, you will see a wonderful, but hellishly hot climate, where basically there is nothing alive but the most difficult Kenyan tribes, people can tolerate.
Lakes - Nakuru, Naivasha, Baringo and Bogoria
Climate and conditions are much simpler on Lake Nakuru, where alkaline-rich waters create an environment for special algae and tiny shrimp animals, which is why flamingos attract these lakes with soft drinks. Lake Nakuru is one of the most preferred wildlife sanctuaries in the country, stuffed with rhino and large predators.
From the Rift Valley lakes in Kenya, Naivasha and Nakuru are the easiest to reach. Together with Lake Baringo, this is a great route and can be sent in a couple of days, starting in Nairobi.
The eerie, mesmeric lake of Bogoria with its surface, crowned with flotilla of anxious-looking flamingos and its apocalyptic-looking shores inhabited by steam, sprinkling warm springs and scaling geysers, is a fairly easy ride from Baringo.
Lake Magadi is located south of the capital Nairobi, which is also located away from Lake Tanzania.
North Rift Valley and Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana, located in the far north of the country, is also part of the Rift Valley system and belongs to one of the most inhospitable regions of East Africa. It can only be described as an attempted desert landscape, which is constantly punished by extreme heat and very strong winds.
Study of the Great Rift valley
It is best to use a four-wheeled jeep and driver (experienced local guide and driver). The valley of rifts and lakes of Kenya can be transported in both directions, starting in Nairobi.
Spend a night or two on Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru and roll off with a few pleasant days among the remote islands of Lake Baringo. From there, you can either drive or head back to Nairobi in this magnificent landscape.
And if you can go to Northern Kenya with a visit to the city of Lodwar and for a couple of nights in the Elysian Spring on Lake Turkana with beautiful warm water, then you will forever say: “My heart is in Turkana”.
