The Lake Baringo is in the northernmost part of the Great Rift Valleys found in Kenya. It is spread over an area of about 130 square kilometers and elevated from the ground by above 970 meters. As it doesn’t have any other outlets, the water for the lake comes in from many rivers like El Molo, Ol Arabel and Perkerra. The Rift Valley in Kenya has two fresh water lakes – Lake Baringo and Lake Naivasha. Since the lake is a part of the Rift Valley System, the Tugen Hills, which are a series of volcanic rocks, lies in the west of the lake.
It is from Mau hills and the Tugen hills that the water flows into the lake from the above said river mouths. Though it is a fresh water lake with slightly saline nature, there is nothing to bother much for the hippopotamus, crocodiles or the people who often swim in it. The climate in the lake region is mostly dry and hot and the surrounding countryside seems to be quite lonely.
A characteristic feature of the Lake Baringo is that it has many small Islands of which the Ol Kokwe Island is the largest one which was once a volcanic center with numerous fumaroles and hot springs, and were a source of precipitated deposits of sulfur. There are hot springs seen in groups that sprout out near the shoreline at Soro.
Though Lake Baringo is dry and hot often, it is a stunning fact that it serves as a comfortable habitat for almost 470 species of birds which include the migrating Flamingos as well. The White faced Scops Owls, Paradise fly catcher, African fish eagles and many more are seen in large numbers here. For bird lovers, there is no other place equivalent to the Lake Baringo which holds the credit of looking after this wide range of birds, each one adapted to its own lifestyle! It also provides invaluable dwelling place for fresh water fish and its various varieties. So undoubtedly, this is the right choice to enjoy nature, but for the weather.