Framed by the Tugen Hills to the west and the Laikipia Escarpment to the east, Lake Baringo is one of the northernmost of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes. It’s fed by the Molo, Perkerra and Ol Arabel rivers, with its fresh waters providing a refuge for over 470 species of birds amidst an otherwise hot and dusty landscape.

The remote setting of Lake Baringo keeps the crowds away, offering adventurous travellers a more exclusive wildlife-spotting experience than popular Lake Nakuru and Naivasha. Hiking along the shores and cruising the reflective waters offer sightings of hippopotamus and Nile crocodiles, as well as migratory waterfowl and flamingos who come to rest and refuel before their onward journey.

Several small islands dot the waters of Lake Baringo, including Ol Kokwe that’s renowned for its hot springs and fumaroles. The shores are scattered with settlements of pastoralist ethnic groups while the surrounding hills harbour archaeological and palaeontological sites of international significance.

Why not discover this little-visited corner of Kenya during an off-the-beaten-track safari crafted by Vencha Travel.