The Travel Eye on Elmenteita (Kenya)

Write a review or view peoples experiences in Lake Elmenteita.	Hotels in Kenya	Flights	Car Hire/Rental

Overview:

Elmenteita is a small soda lake located southeast of lake Nakuru. Since it lies on private grounds, it is much less visited than Nakuru, though flamingo concentrations are obviously also lower. Perhaps because of being a quieter place, not long ago there was a breeding flock of greater flamingo, which apparently fled due to encroachment by pelicans.

Most of the safaris covering the trip from Naivasha to Nakuru only stop at the viewpoint overlooking the lake on the A104 main road. However, there is allowance for accessing the private reserve surrounding the lake, named Soysambu and belonging to Delamere Estate.

The surrounding landscape is characterized by dramatic rocky faults, volcanic outcrops and cones. Rainfall is erratic and averages less than 600 mm/year. To the east, the lake is flanked by small-scale agriculture, while several large ranches surround the remainder.

Locality:

Elmenteita is a shallow lake lying on the Rift Valley floor some 20 km south-east of Nakuru town. It is fed by the Kekopey hot springs at its southern end, and two small streams, the Meroronyi and Kariandusi, flowing from the eastern plateau.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

The northern and south-eastern lakeshores are open and flat, a spectacular cliff rises to the north-east, and the western shores are broken and rocky. The natural vegetation is mainly Acacia and Tarconanthus camphoratus bushland interspersed with Themeda triandra grassland. Patches of Acacia xanthophloea woodland occur near the shore, and formerly covered a large area south of the lake. The IBA consists of the lake and its surrounding shoreline, including the hot springs and the cliffs, and the Soysambu Wildlife Sanctuary (5,400 ha), part of the Delamere Estate, that abuts the lake to the north and west.