Adventure in Lake Magadi...

Maasai dancers who welcome visitors at Lake Magadi Adventures. PHOTO BY NANJINIA WAMUSWA

Located about 130 kilometres in the Rift Valley Southwest of Nairobi, Lake Magadi Adventures is the latest leisure spot for nature and bird lovers and adventure camping.

I recently joined a group of local tourists to Lake Magadi. To access Magadi, one can use Magadi Road, take a plane from Wilson airstrip or use the train.

We settled on train for it was touted as the most interesting of all the other options.

We used public transport from the city to Kajiado, where we met our tour guide Duncan Ole Kitipa, clad in Maasai regalia.

He led us into two old coaches sandwiched between the engines and empty cargos used to carry soda ash, ready for a train ride dubbed ‘Jaza train Safari’.

At 12.20pm, the engines roared to life and our journey started. It was merry-making in the train as we moved from one coach to the other, and made several stop-overs; alighted and took photos of the spectacular vast and scenic wilderness and animals like giraffe, hyenas, antelopes, zebras and birds.

We came to an interesting bridge made of metal steels at Kenya Marble Quarry, nicknamed after the company that existed in the area. “This bridge is over 100 years,” he said.

After three hours, as we neared Magadi, we could see heaps of mining dredges, dark patches of soda ash remains and the general view of the beautiful saline lake.

It was hot, temperature read 41 degrees centigrade.

A group of Maasai dancers welcomed us. The cold juice at the sports club was timely.

After checking into tented camps, some people went straight to swim into the pool, and refresh while others just relaxed in the camps.

That evening, we had dinner in the bush under bonfire, nyama choma and an open bar set the bar as blaring music had visitors dancing till late.

The following day at 5am was Game drive around the Lake. We watched birds such as flamingos, herons, ostriches and pelicans and wildlife such as zebras, giraffes, antelopes, hyenas and wild beast.

Although we did not see lions and elephants, Kitipa said they can be seen very early in the morning, or at night when temperatures are low. We also visited the hot spring; naturally bubbling pools and basin-shaped.

Kitipa disclosed: “This water is medicinal and can cure skin rashes, pimples and dry skin in addition to strengthening bones in the body. It is also a good massage.”

In some places the hot springs are very hot, boiling at about 90 degrees celsius, where tourists can boil an egg.

We also trekked and hiked the slopes of Magadi which offered a spectacular landscape scenery.

Guests at Lake Magadi Adventures can stay in the four self-contained annexes with bigger beds and entertainment like Dstv and self-contained tents made of canvas and fitted with air conditioners.

Since there’s still challenge of accommodation due to the high demand, Karigo advises visitors to call and reserve booking to avoid unnecessary inconveniences.