Kenya's Attractions

Amazing Attractions at the Rift Valley

Kenya’s 173,854km2 Rift Valley is Kenya’s largest province. Its name is derived from the Rift Valley escarpment which passes through it. Its capital is Nakuru town. Besides being Kenya’s main bread basket, it’s also vital to the economy as through tourism, it brings in foreign exchange. The Rift Valley has some of Kenya’s top tourists’ destinations that make touring it worthwhile.
1. Masai Mara

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Image Credit: By User Pnoid00 @ Flickr.com
Rift Valley’s most famous tour destination is the 1530km2 Masai Mara National Reserve. Its home to the 7th wonder of the world dubbed the great migration that annually draws hundreds of thousands of tourists. The migration sees millions of wildebeests and browsers in July and November, cross the crocodile infested Mara River to and from Serengeti in search of green pastures.
The reserve has all of Africa’s “Big Five” wildlife, the elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion and rhino. Tour companies offer foot, game and air safaris to better explore the vast picturesque Mara grass plains.
2. Lake Nakuru National Park

Home to the “greatest bird (ornithological) spectacle on earth” the Lake Nakuru National Park is habitat to millions of pink flamingoes that dot Lake Nakuru’s shores. The 188km2 Park with diverse ecosystem, has over 550 plant species and sustains over 400 bird species and 56 mammal species. Consequently this wooded and bushy grassland has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The birds are best viewed from the baboon cliff. The park is a destination for scientists, wildlife filmmakers and ornithologists interested in conducting studies. There is also a white and black rhino sanctuary established in 1984 by Rhino Rescue Trust. Lodges, camping and picnicking sites offer accommodation for visitors.
3. Mount Longonot National Park

By Valerius Tygart

Image Credit: Valerius Tygart
Located near Lake Naivasha is the 53km2 Mount Longonot National Park. This Savannah ecosystem is home to Mount Longonot, the 2776 above sea level dormant volcano. The mountain has V shaped ridges and valleys with scant vegetation and a thick forest in the mountain’s crater. Buffaloes, elands, lions, zebras, leopards are some of the wildlife in the park.
The Longonot’s mountain peak offers viewpoints of Lake Naivasha and the Rift Valley escarpment. Visitors can hike, bike or climb the rugged Longonot terrain. Various hotels in neighboring Naivasha town offer accommodation. It’s an ideal destination for visiting all year round.

4. Menengai Crater

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Image Credit: Username Teseum @ Flickr
Overlooking lakes Bogoria and Nakuru and 2300m above sea level, is the 12km and 500m deep Menengai Crater, a caldera formed by past volcanic activity. It’s 12km from Nakuru town and ideal for hiking and picnicking. The crater has rare bird species and mammals like dik diks, hyenas, baboon and others. When it rains geothermal geezers spray hot steam jets and grayish smoke fills the crater.
5. Lake Baringo/Lake Bogoria

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Image Credit: User Aftab @ Flickr
Other destinations worth visiting in the Rift Valley are Lake Baringo a hippos and crocodile and a birding haven. Also is Lake Bogoria a volcanically active soda lake spews hot geysers to the atmosphere and has bubbling geo-thermal pools. Around 200 bird species make Lake Bogoria their habitat they include fish eagles, flamingoes. Visitors can go biking, visit the hot and mud springs or wildlife spot.