The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately 6,000 kilometres in length that runs from northern Syria to central Mozambique in South East Africa. Today, the term is most often used to refer to the valley of the East African Rift. The Great Rift Valley came into being approximately 40 million years ago as the African tectonic plate began to split. In Kenya, the valley is deepest to the north of Nairobi.
The Rift Valley lakes are a group of lakes which run through the whole eastern side of the African continent from north to south. These lakes include some of the oldest, largest and deepest lakes in the world, such as Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and the huge Lake Victoria. The Kenyan section of the Rift Valley is home to eight lakes, of which 3 are freshwater and the rest alkaline. Of the latter, the shallow soda lakes of the Eastern Rift Valley have crystallised salt turning the shores white, and are famous for the large flocks of flamingo that feed on crustaceans.
Our camps and lodges offer waterfront and lakeview locations in a variety of settings. Explore the eastern shore of vast Lake Victoria. Enjoy sporting activities including fishing and boating in the clear waters of Lake Naivasha. At Lake Nakuru, marvel at great flocks of pink flamingoes that favor Kenya’s alkaline soda lakes. Upland, witness a diversity of birds and wildlife in the Oserian game corridor overlooking the Rift Valley and Mau Escarpment.
