Kerio Valley

The Kerio valley runs between the Elgeyo escarpment on the west and the Tugen hills on the east, a trough over a thousand metres deep where the temperature climbs sharply as the road drops from the cool highland town of Iten into thorn scrub and heat. The escarpment viewpoints along the rim are the main draw, looking straight down and across at the far wall, and paragliders launch from them; the road down is a sequence of switchbacks with places to stop. On the floor are the Kerio river, Lake Kamnarok with its crocodiles, the Kamnarok and Rimoi reserves holding elephant, and the Torok waterfall dropping off the cliff. Communities here have farmed the slopes and floor for generations, and the valley produces mangoes and honey sold along the road.

What you actually see

• Escarpment viewpoints - overlooks from the Elgeyo rim into the trough.
• The switchback descent - the road dropping from highland to valley floor.
• Kamnarok and Rimoi - reserves on the floor with elephant and crocodile.
• Roadside produce - mangoes and honey from the valley farms.

When to go

Dry seasons for the roads; the valley floor is very hot year-round and mornings are the sensible time to be down there. The rim is cool and often cloudy in the afternoons. Paragliding conditions are best in the dry months.

Honest expectations

The descent road is steep with sharp bends and heavy truck traffic in places. Reserve infrastructure on the floor is minimal and Lake Kamnarok has suffered from siltation and shrinking. Accommodation is concentrated in Iten and Kabarnet on the rims rather than in the valley.

Nearby

Iten is on the western rim; Lake Baringo lies east beyond the Tugen hills.