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Day trip to Lake Magadi - 1 Day

lake-magadi
Based on min 4 pax KENYA CITIZEN KENYA RESIDENT NON RESIDENT
Cost Per Person KES 6,145 KES 6,980 USD 75
Based on min 6 pax KENYA CITIZEN KENYA RESIDENT NON RESIDENT
Cost Per Person KES 5,320 KES 5,855 USD 65
Based on min 8 pax KENYA CITIZEN KENYA RESIDENT NON RESIDENT
Cost Per Person KES 4,650 KES 5,200 USD 55

Overview

Lake Magadi is the southernmost lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, lying in a catchment of faulted volcanic rocks, north of Tanzania’s Lake Natron. During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well known for its wading birds, including flamingos.

It’s a saline, alkaline lake, approximately 100 square kilometers in size, that lies in an endorheic basin formed by a graben. The lake is an example of a “saline pan”. The lake water, which is a dense sodium carbonate brine, precipitates vast quantities of the mineral trona (sodium sesquicarbonate).

In places, the salt is up to 40 m thick. The lake is recharged mainly by saline hot springs (temperatures up to 86 °C) that discharge into alkaline “lagoons” around the lake margins, there being little surface runoff in this arid region. Most hot springs lie along the northwestern and southern shorelines of the lake.

During the rainy season, a thin (less than 1 m) layer of brine covers much of the saline pan, but this evaporates rapidly leaving a vast expanse of white salt that cracks to produce large polygons.

A single species of fish, a cichlid Alcolapia grahami, inhabits the hot, highly alkaline waters of this lake basin and is commonly seen in some of the hot spring pools around the shoreline, where the water temperature is less than 45 °C.

What to carry:
• Hat
• Water
• Sunscreen and sunhat
• Sport shoes
• Comfortable clothes
• Camera & binoculars
• Warm fleece or jumper for the evening / early morning
• swimming costume and a towel

Itinerary

Day 1
Full Day Itinerary

Pick at 06.30am – we will pick you from your hotel / central point in the City and drive  south towards the Ngong Hills (made famous from Karen Blixen’s, Out of Africa).  A brief stop at Kona Baridi for photos and a view of the Valley and then continue down the escarpment to Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site.

8.30am- Arrive at Olorgesailie prehistoric
Olorgesailie pre-historic site is world renown as the “factory of stone tools” and the only place in the world with the largest number.

The prominence and accumulation of human tools represents actual camping places of early men and evidence that human species had a tropical origin. The site is in a lake basin that existed about 100,000 to 200’000 years ago.

Researchers, Dr. and Mrs. Leakey, started investigations on the site in 1942 where they found important evidence that concerns the habits and activities of early prehistoric peoples of the Acheuleus or “Hand axe” culture.

Olorgesailie has excellently preserved biological and cultural evidence about the evolution of man.

10.30am- Arrive Lake Magadi.

10.30 am to 3.30 pm – Engage in various activities;

Tour of the lake and game viewing
Nature and bird walks
The hotsprings bath – one of the key attractions in Magadi. These are natural bubbling basin shaped pools. The water is scientifically proven to have medicinal values to the skin curing ailments such as skin rushes, pimples and dry skin. It also strengthen bones in your body.
Hiking
Lunch at the Club.

3.45pm- Depart for Nairobi.

6.00 pm – estimated arrival time in Nairobi

Cost Includes:

  • Transport to/from Nairobi - Town / Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Local Masai guide
  • All entry fees
  • Lunch
  • Professional English speaking guide/driver.

Cost Excludes:

  • Items of a personal nature. – eg drinks

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Day trip to Lake Magadi