Kenya
Kenya Lake System
The Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley consists of three soda lakes in the valley basin, known for their high concentration of Lesser Flamingo.
Lake Elementaita, Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria are shallow, alkaline, and are hydro-geologically connected through sub-surface seepage of water. The alkalinity of the three lakes supports the abundant growth of the green algae which is the food of the Lesser Flamingoes which congregate in the lakes in great numbers, and also attract breeding Great White Pelicans and migratory birds.
Community Perspective: try to find out beforehand which lakes have flamingoes at that time. The active and regular geysers and volcanic fumaroles are worth visiting too. Lake Elementaita is the easiest of the lakes to visit without a 4WD/with public transport.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (ID: 1060)
- Country
- Kenya
- Status
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Inscribed 2011
Site history
History of Kenya Lake System
- WHS Type
- Natural
- Criteria
- vii
- ix
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Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- kws.go.ke — Lake Nakuru
News Article
- March 17, 2022 theguardian.com — A drowning world: Kenya’s quiet slide underwater
Community Information
- Community Category
- Natural landscape: Rivers, Wetlands and Lakes
- Urban landscape: Post-medieval European
Travel Information
Recent Connections
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New one by Els
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Extension Supported
"at the time of inscription, the World … -
Notable lakes
Lake Elementaita, Lake Nakuru and Lake …
Connections of Kenya Lake System
- Geography
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Geysers
Lake Bogoria -
Notable lakes
Lake Elementaita, Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria -
Hot Springs
The Kenya Lake System presents an exceptional range of geological and biological processes of exceptional natural beauty, including falls, geysers, hot springs (OUV) -
Lakes located in Rift Valleys
Great Rift Valley
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- Ecology
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Bovines
African Buffalo (UNEP-WCMC) -
Rhino habitat
The park now (2009) has more than 25 black rhinoceros, one of the largest concentrations in the country, plus around 70 white rhinos. (wiki) -
Over 300 bird species
diverse avifauna with 450 species recorded (AB ev) -
Endorheic Lakes
"These lakes are relatively shallow (except Bogoria which has a maximum water depth of 19 meters), alkaline and endorheic (not having any surface outlet)." (AB ev) -
African Wild Dog
"features sizeable mammal populations, including black rhino, Rothschild's giraffe, greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs" (UNESCO Web Desc) -
Bird Migrations
The African-Eurasian Flyway -
Swamps and Marshes
"exceptional natural beauty, including falls, geysers, hot springs, open waters and marshes" (OUV) -
Flamingos
The Kenya Lake System is the single most important foraging site for the Lesser Flamingo in the world with about 1.5 million individuals moving from one lake to the other (OUV Crit X) -
Lions
Lake Nakuru NP: 18-22 individuals in 2017 (see link) -
Hippos
"major breeding grounds for the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus and a variety of venomous snakes." (AB ev) -
Pelicans
"It is (...) a major nesting and breeding ground for great white pelicans." (Official description) -
Critically endangered fauna species
Black Rhinoceros - "Population size collapsed during the last century, from an estimated 65,000 animals in 1970 to a mere 2,300 in the 1990s. Rhino numbers are now increasing, but recovery is slow"
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- World Heritage Process
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Extension Supported
"at the time of inscription, the World Heritage Committee in its Decision 35 COM 8B.6 encouraged the States Parties of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, and other relevant States Parties, to cooperate regarding the effective conservation of Lake Natron and other lakes in the region, and to consider further potential serial extensions as part of a potential transnational serial World Heritage property" -
Natural sites filling gaps cited by IUCN
Rift Valley Lakes habitat -
Already inscribed still on T List
Lake Bogoria National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park
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- Human Activity
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Indigenous groups expelled
Bogoria: Endorois. “The Government of Kenya forcefully evicted them from their area of habitation on the shores of Lake Bogoria after the Lake Bogoria Game Reserve was created in 1973.” (WHS-IPR) -
Natural sites with indigenous human population
The Endorois people were forced by the Kenyan government to leave their traditional homeland around Lake Bogoria in the 1970s. See link for current state of their fight to gain recognition of their rights and criticism of UNESCO/WHC and IUCN for allowing the inscriptionSee www.iucn.org
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- Constructions
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New one by Els
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- WHS on Other Lists
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Ramsar Wetlands
Lake Nakuru (1990), Lake Elmenteita (2005), Lake Bogoria (2001)
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- Timeline
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Eocene
The East African Rift came into being approximately 40 million years ago as the African tectonic plate began to split
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News
- theguardian.com 03/17/2022
- A drowning world: Kenya’s quiet sl…
Recent Visitors
Reserved for members.Community Reviews
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I visited Lake Elementaita in March 2019 as this is the easiest lake to get to without paying high entrance fees and/or hiring a 4WD. I tried to go to Lake Nakuru as well with the National Park bus tour as well but after waiting for two hours in the bus at Nakuru bus station, only 10 passengers turned up which was not considered enough to run the bus.
Lake Elementaita I could visit by just getting off a matatu from Nakuru and then I walked down from the main road. I entered through a hotel gate and the friendly guard let me through, asking for a small fee if I happened to come back via the same path.
The alkaline gives a pretty reflection of the sun in the water, especially in late afternoon. Alongside the shore, the mineral deposits look interesting, with cracks running along it. I walked along the shore for perhaps five kilometers and encountered a few shepherds with their sheep, who were very kind and curious. I saw just a few flamingos in the lake in the distance, maribu storks are more abundant.
When the sun started setting, I walked back to the main road to wait for a matatu back to Nakuru which materialized within minutes.
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Across the years we have visited each of the 3 inscribed lakes. The photo is of Lake Bogoria and our visit there in 1991 is the one we remember best – for the flamingos of course, but also for the active and regular geysers and volcanic fumaroles and, finally the road to get there!! We had rented a 4x4 and were rough camping. The so-called “road2 we took into the lake from the south (we wanted the more remote southern camp site) was VERY boulder strewn with sharp volcanic rocks and we acquired punctures in 2 different tyres at the same time. Unfortunately we only had 1 spare wheel and no air pump! Ah well, all part of the “adventure”! Unless they have improved the road we recommend taking the northern entrance. Flamingos move around and cannot be guaranteed in large numbers at all sites but we were pleased with the numbers when we were there – if you can only visit one lake try to find out before hand which lakes have flamingoes at that time. From what we saw, Bogoria didn’t really offer much else in the way of wildlife viewing beyond birds – Nakuru on the other hand is presented as more of general “Wildlife park” with a wide range of mammals including Lion, Rhino and Leopard. I remember it as a bit “zoo-like” compared with e.g the Mara and Samburu as it is situated just down the road from the busy town of Nakuru (pop 300k).
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