Lake Bogoria

Lake Bogoria is a saline water shallow located at the northern region of the Kenyan Rift, 25 km south of Baringo. The reserve covers the lake and adjacent lands, with 107 km². In the Colony days the lake was known by the name of its discoverer, the Kampala bishop James Hannington, who in 1885 was the first European to sight this place while he was heading for his diocese following Thomson's route. This would be the glory day for the priest, but also his last journey, since upon reaching Lake Victoria he was murdered by order of the cruel king of Buganda, Mwanga II.

If Baringo is increasingly attracting more visitors because of its plentiful birdlife, Bogoria is a place where the visitor can enjoy the spectacular African scenery in full solitude. Except for ornithology lovers, who don't forgive the pilgrimage to Baringo, this region is quite off the most common itineraries, specially the one-weekers. The reason is that Bogoria is far from outstanding for its mammals' wildlife, the paramount objective for most tourists.

J.W. Gregory, the English geologist who travelled the region in 1892, blessed the site as "the most beautiful view in Africa". He wasn't off track. The lake displays a superb scenery of bluish hills populated with dry bush, grasslands and riverine forests, framing the calm water shallow pinned with flamingoes. Beyond the eastern shore, the soil rises abruptly to 600m in the Laikipia Escarpment. At the opposite edge, the earth forms strangely coloured swampy crusts, which break up in deep gaps spitting stinky sulphur waters and steam jets. The close-up geysers, the pink brushstrokes of the flamingoes on the lake and farther the dramatic backdrop of the Laikipia Escarpment, convey a hardly beatable aesthetical composition. But watch out, don't get too close, the signposts warning "Stop - danger zone - go back" are serious: the earth collapses under your feet and beneath there is boiling water.

Bogoria is not even the least of a wildlife desert. Good wildlife fans will appreciate the unparalleled value of being the most accessible place in all the country where you have the chance to spot the majestic greater kudu. In addition to other mammals, flamingoes and a variety of birds fill up the wildlife supply of this reserve.

Bogoria is not recognised as a place of mammal diversity, though the quantity is far from a demerit to quality. The top attractive of this reserve relies on the fact that it has become a sanctuary for the protection of the greater kudu, a shy antelope usually inhabiting open forests in mountain regions. If Bogoria and Baringo are the northernmost stops in your trip, you will never see this animal in any other park. They are so abundant in Bogoria now that sightings are not rare. The greater kudu is a beautiful animal with large spiral horns and a fringe of hair on the throat (only the bulls), wide ears, the body vertically striped in white and a characteristic white chevron between the eyes. The greater kudu population, formerly very extended, was severely affected by rinderpest transmitted by cattle over the 19th century, restricting its habitat away from the livestock haunts. Other mammals in the reserve include buffalo, baboon, Grant's gazelle, Kirk's dik-dik and klipspringer, the latter at the rocky slopes south and east of the lake.

Same as in all the Rift Valley lakes, birdlife is plentiful and diverse in Bogoria. The lake is regularly visited by thousands of greater and lesser flamingoes, which gather at the shore opposite to the hot springs. However, occasionally curiosity kills the flamingo as well, since some unaware specimens die victims of sulphur emanations and high temperatures. The reserve also hosts among others some vultures, bustards, larks and prey birds, worth to mention the fish eagles, which due to the lack of fish have learned to hover on flamingoes.

In the last years, deaths of lesser flamingoes have increased alarmingly, replicating the high mortality recorded in 1994-95, specially at Lake Nakuru. Apparently, the phenomenon is due to the poisoning of waters by heavy metals and toxins as a consequence of toxic algae overgrowth in the lake waters, which the flamingoes filter through their bills while feeding.

There are no lodges at Bogoria, just a couple of hotel-style accommodations. Both are located outside the reserve, nearby Loboi Gate. The Lake Bogoria Hotel offers a hot water pool. Nearby is the Papyrus Inn, belonging to the same owner as the Papyrus Annex in Baringo. You may camp at the garden here for a modest sum. If you prefer a lodge-style, the best choice is to stay at one of the Lake Baringo lodges, from where you can plan a day trip to Bogoria.