Lake Elmenteita

Elmenteita is the smallest and least developed of the three Rift lakes in the World Heritage listing, a shallow soda pan whose level swings dramatically between years. Its distinction is breeding: the rocky islets in the lake hold one of the few great white pelican breeding colonies in East Africa, and the birds commute daily to feed at Lake Nakuru nearby, so the two lakes function as one system. Lesser flamingos gather here in numbers that rise and fall with algae. The skyline behind the lake is the Eburru volcano ridge, whose profile is known locally as the sleeping warrior or sleeping Maasai, and it appears in most photographs of the lake. The shores are largely private, held by conservancies and lodges rather than a national park, so access is mainly through those or from the highway viewpoints.

History

The first white settlement here came when Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Baron Delamere, set up the Soysambu ranch on 190 square kilometres on the western side of the lake; he gave land on the other side to his brother-in-law Galbraith Lowry Egerton Cole, who is buried on his Kekopey ranch, part of which is now the Lake Elementaita Lodge. Soysambu, still owned by the Delamere family, covers two-thirds of the shoreline and holds more than 12,000 wild animals, and the lake has been a Ramsar site since 2005 (Wikipedia, Lake Elmenteita).

The landscape

• Pelican breeding islands - one of the region's few great white pelican colonies.
• Flamingo flocks - numbers varying with algae and water level.
• The sleeping warrior ridge - the Eburru skyline behind the lake.
• Conservancy game - zebra, gazelle and giraffe on the surrounding land.

When to go

Dry seasons for access. Bird numbers depend on water conditions rather than the calendar, and the lake has nearly dried and then flooded within a few years. Morning light on the lake with the ridge behind is the classic view.

What to expect

There is no national park here, so casual shore access is limited and most visits go through a lodge or conservancy with its own fees. Water levels change the lake completely from year to year. Flamingos and pelicans may be distant, so bring binoculars.

Nearby

Lake Nakuru is northwest; Lake Naivasha lies southeast.

Key facts