The Great Rift Valley is part of an intra-continental ridge system that runs through Kenya from north to south. It is part of the Gregory Rift , the eastern branch of the East African Rift , which starts in Tanzania to the south and continues northward into Ethiopia . It was formed on the "Kenyan Dome", a geographical upwelling created by the interactions of three major tectonics: the Arabian, Nubian, and Somalian plates. In the past, it was seen as part of a " Great Rift Valley " that runs from Madagascar to Syria . Most of the valley falls within the former Rift Valley Province .
31-581: The valley contains the Cherangani Hills and a chain of volcanoes, some of which are still active. The climate is mild, with temperatures usually below 28 °C (82 °F). Most rain falls during the March–June and October–November periods. The Tugen Hills to the west of Lake Baringo contain fossils preserved in lava flows from the period 14 to 4 million years ago. The relics of many hominids, ancestors of humans, have been found here. In March 2018,
62-515: A giant crack in the Earth, measuring 50 feet deep and 65 feet across, opened in the ground just west of Nairobi . However, it is believed to be due to rain and erosion, and not of tectonic origin. The valley is bordered by escarpments to the east and west. The floor is broken by volcanoes, some still active, and contains a series of lakes. Some of the soils are Andisols , fertile soils from relatively recent volcanic activity. Lake Turkana occupies
93-612: A large sheet of water N.E. of Victoria Nyanza. Joseph Thomson, in his journey through the Masai country in 1883, was the European to see the lake and to correct the exaggerated notions as to its size. Native tradition, however, asserts that the lake formerly covered a much larger area. The lake is part of the East African Rift system. The Tugen Hills , an uplifted fault block of volcanic and metamorphic rocks , lies west of
124-840: A marginalized hunter-gatherer community called the Sengwer . The Cherang'any Hills were formed due to Faulting. They form the western flank of the Gregory Rift Valley (East African Rift Valley) that stretches from Djibouti in the North to Mozambique in the South. They are located on a forested escarpment with sheer cliff walls surrounding them on three sides. Rocks found in Cherangani Hills are majorly Gneisses rich in Biotite and Muscovite. A Gneiss sample from Chepsiro, one of
155-574: A surface area of 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi) and an elevation of 970 metres (3,180 ft). The lake is fed by several rivers: the Molo , Perkerra and Ol Arabel . It has no obvious outlet; the waters are assumed to seep through lake sediments into the faulted volcanic bedrock. It is one of the two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley in Kenya, the other being Lake Naivasha . The lake
186-441: Is endemic to the lake. Lake fishing is important to local social and economic development. Additionally the area is a habitat for many species of animals including the hippopotamus ( Hippopotamus amphibius ), Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) and many other mammals, amphibians, reptiles and the invertebrate communities. While stocks of Nile tilapia in the lake are now low, the decline of this species has been mirrored by
217-496: Is a dormant stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha . Mount Suswa is a shield volcano located between Narok and Nairobi . Lava flows from the most recent eruptions are still not covered by vegetation, and may be no more than one hundred years old. Lake Magadi is the most southern rift valley lake in Kenya, although the northern end of Lake Natron in Tanzania reaches into Kenya. The Elgeyo escarpment forms part of
248-399: Is a massive shield volcano in the floor of the rift with a caldera that formed about 8,000 years ago. It overlooks Lake Nakuru to the south. This region also includes Lake Elementaita , Mount Kipipiri and Lake Naivasha . The Hell's Gate National Park lies south of Lake Naivasha . In the early 1900s, Mount Longonot erupted, and ash can still be felt around Hell's Gate. Mount Longonot
279-647: Is in a remote hot and dusty area with over 470 species of birds, occasionally including migrating flamingos . A Goliath heronry is located on a rocky islet in the lake known as Gibraltar. The existence of Lake Baringo was first reported in Europe by Ludwig Krapf and J. Rebmann, German missionaries stationed at Mombasa, about 1850; in J. H. Speke’s map of the Nile sources (1863) Baringo is confused with Kavirondo Gulf of Victoria Nyanza; it figures in Sir H. M. Stanley’s map (1877) as
310-423: Is situated at the southern end of a region of Kenya inhabited largely by pastoralist ethnic groups including Il Chamus , Rendille , Turkana and Kalenjin . Accommodation, (hotels, self-catering cottages and camping sites) as well as boating services are available at and near Kampi-Ya-Samaki on the western shore, as well as on several of the islands in the lake. A Kenyan Government report in 2021 estimated that
341-547: Is the most important feeding area for lesser flamingos in the world. The system is home to globally important populations of black-necked grebe , African spoonbill , pied avocet , little grebe , yellow-billed stork , black-winged stilt , grey-headed gull and gull-billed tern . The Kenya lake system is a key location on the West Asian-East African Flyway , a route followed by huge numbers of birds in their annual migration from breeding grounds in
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#1732781068215372-597: The Cherangani Hills Forest . The De Brazza's monkey has been sighted here. The monkeys are confined to small areas in the Cherang'any Hills that offer them little protection. This Kenya location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lake Baringo Lake Baringo is, after Lake Turkana , the most northern of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes, with
403-655: The Nguruman Escarpment is around 50 kilometers long and elongated in N-W direction. Its northern edge is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Nairobi, while the southern edge is near the Tanzanian border, at the northwestern corner of Lake Natron . The Aberdare Range forms a section of the eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley to the north of Nairobi. Mount Satima lies at the northern end of
434-645: The plateau that rises to the slopes of Mount Elgon . The Cherangany Hills span three counties namely Trans Nzoia , Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot . The highest point of the range is the summit of Nakugen at 3530 m, which can be ascended from the south from a parking space at a Kenyan Wildlife Service station, located at 1°09′46″N 35°29′36″E / 1.16284°N 35.49325°E / 1.16284; 35.49325 . Other notable peaks include; Chemnirot (3520 m), Kameleogon (3500 m), Chebon (3375 m), Chepkotet (3370 m), Karelachgelat (3350 m) and Sodang (3211 m). They are home to
465-564: The Aberdares and is their highest point, and Mount Kinangop at the southern end is the second highest. The mountains form a ridge between these two peaks. Ngong Hills are peaks in a ridge along the east of the Great Rift Valley, located southwest near Nairobi. Kenya is home to 64 (9.50%) of the total lakes found within the continent of Africa. Eight of these make up the main lakes in the Kenyan Rift Valley. From north to south,
496-627: The Major Tributaries of River Nzoia. Visible are forested ridges and stark, rocky gorges. The hills form the source of Moiben River, one of the two tributaries of the Nzoia River , the other being Mount Elgon . The Cherang'any Hills are monitored by the United Nations Environmental Programme as one of the five most important water catchment areas in Kenya. As of the last report, monitoring
527-492: The change in forestation between 2000 and 2003, the Cherang'any Hills were the least affected of the forests monitored, with 174.3 hectares deforested, this loss is occurring within Marakwet District and West Pokot District . Since this forest cover is indigenous , the report recommends that the area be closely watched to prevent further destruction. The thirteen forest reserves there are collectively known as
558-590: The country in the neighbourhood of the lake are the “hills” of the termites (white ants). They are hollow columns 10 to 12 ft. high and from 1 ft. to 18 in. broad. The greater kudu , almost unknown elsewhere in East Africa, inhabits the flanks of the Laikipia escarpment to the east of the lake and comes to the foot-hills around Baringo to feed. A recent study showed that there were both positive and negative relationships between some water quality parameters and
589-480: The lake. The Laikipia Escarpment lies to the east. Water flows into the lake from the Mau Hills and Tugen Hills. It is a critical habitat and refuge for more than 500 species of birds and fauna, some of the migratory waterbird species being significant regionally and globally. The lake also provides a habitat for seven fresh water fish species. One, Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (a Nile tilapia subspecies),
620-448: The names of these lakes are Lake Turkana , Lake Logipi , Lake Baringo , Lake Bogoria , Lake Nakuru , Lake Elmenteita , Lake Naivasha , and Lake Magadi . Of those eight, only Lakes Baringo and Naivasha are fresh water. Lake Turkana, at the northern end of the rift, is 250 kilometres (160 mi) long, between 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and 30 kilometres (19 mi) wide and is 125 metres (410 ft) at its greatest depth. Most of
651-527: The north to wintering places in Africa. The lands around the lakes include large populations of black rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs. The Kenya lake system is surrounded by the steep escarpment of the Rift Valley, which provides a spectacular backdrop. Other lakes are Lake Chew Bahir , in the northeast extension. This lake lies mainly in Ethiopia but extends into Kenya in
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#1732781068215682-568: The northern end of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. There are also volcanoes in Lake Turkana. The Suguta Valley , or Suguta Mud Flats, is an arid part of the Great Rift Valley directly south of Lake Turkana . The shield volcano Emuruangogolak straddles the valley to the south of Suguta, and further south Mount Silali and Paka rise from the valley floor. Paka is a shield volcano, with widespread geothermal activity. South of Paka are Mount Korosi , Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria . Menengai
713-402: The other lakes are shallow and poorly drained, and therefore have become alkaline. They have waters that are rich in blue-green algae, which feed insect larvae, small crustaceans and lesser flamingos . The larvae and crustaceans are food for fish and greater flamingos . Massive flocks of these birds have been found to have an effect on the lakeside sediments also. Their numbers cause trampling of
744-540: The prevalence of recovered parasites. O. niloticus baringoensis from Lake Baringo also recorded high parasite prevalence and this calls for sensitization of the public on the risks that may arise from the consumption of undercooked infected fish. The lake has several small islands, the largest being Ol Kokwe Island . Ol Kokwe, an extinct volcanic centre related to Korosi volcano north of the lake, has several hot springs and fumaroles , some of which have precipitated sulfur deposits. A group of hot springs discharge along
775-471: The rainy season. Lake Kamnarok is another small lake. Cherangani Hills The Cherang'any Hills are a range of hills in the western highlands of Kenya . The hills are one of Kenya's five main forests and catchment areas. The highlands, the large central plateau, is divided by the Mau Escarpment which rises from the border with Tanzania up to the Cherang'any Hills. The escarpment bounds
806-551: The shoreline at Soro near the northeastern corner of the island. Several important archaeological and palaeontological sites, some of which have yielded fossil hominoids and hominins , are present in the Miocene to Pleistocene sedimentary sequences of the Tugen Hills. The main town near the lake is Marigat, while smaller settlements include Kampi ya Samaki and Loruk . The area is increasingly visited by tourists and
837-626: The silts in certain areas, while the feeding grounds are oxygenated due to probing beaks in the mud. Their nest mounds can also be preserved and cemented as the lake's water levels change. These form irregularities in the lakeside topography. Trona , an evaporative mineral, used for sodium carbonate production, has been mined at Lake Magadi for nearly 100 years. It produces about 250,000 metric tonnes per year. Other precious minerals like rubies and pink sapphires have been found and mined from areas around Lake Baringo. In 2004, over 2 kilograms of Corundum were collected. Three shallow alkaline lakes and
868-563: The smaller peaks of Cherangani was found to be containing Iron Ore. White Quartzite rocks are found in Lelan in West Pokot. Other minerals that have been recorded before by Geologists in Cherangani Hills include Red Garnets near Talau in West Pokot and Beryl in Sebit. Chromite has also been found by Geologists in the colonial era. The Cheranganyi Hills are a source to River Moiben and Chepkaitit,
899-473: The success of another, the marbled lungfish ( Protopterus aethiopicus ) which was introduced to the lake in 1974 and which now provides the majority of fish from the lake. Water levels have been reduced by droughts and over-irrigation. The lake is commonly turbid with sediment, partly due to intense soil erosion in the catchment area, especially on the Loboi Plain south of the lake. A characteristic of
930-422: The surrounding lands make up the Kenya lake system: Lake Bogoria at 10,700 hectares (26,000 acres), Lake Nakuru at 18,800 hectares (46,000 acres) and Lake Elmenteita at 2,534 hectares (6,260 acres). This system has one of the most diverse populations of birds in the world, and is the home of thirteen globally threatened species of bird. It is an important nesting and breeding site for great white pelicans , and
961-586: The western wall. The Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo escarpment at an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) There are large deposits of Fluorite in the Kerio Valley area. Further south the Mau Escarpment is a steep natural cliff approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high, running along the western edge of the Great Rift Valley about Lake Naivasha . Yet further south