Lake Baringo
A freshwater Rift Valley lake with one of Africa’s longest bird lists.
Overview
Baringo lies in the floor of the Rift Valley north of Nakuru and is, with Naivasha, one of only two freshwater lakes in a chain of soda lakes — which is why it supports fish, hippo, crocodile and a bird list of more than 470 species in an area you can cover in a day. The attraction is not a park but a combination of habitats within a few kilometres: open water for pelicans, herons and African fish eagles, reed and acacia fringes for the bush species, and the Kampi ya Samaki cliffs behind the village, where Verreaux’s eagle, Hemprich’s hornbill and Bristle-crowned starling nest and the local guides know every roost. Ol Kokwe Island in the middle of the lake is a volcanic remnant with hot springs on its shore. Water levels have risen sharply over the past decade and flooded buildings along the shoreline, which has changed where boats land and where some lodges operate.