The flooded salt plains were covered with hundreds of wading birds. The beautiful stark landscape of the area is best appreciated on foot. Of course, visitors can get to Lake Magadi by car, but this would take a lot away from the experience of visiting the region. A stunning collection of wading birds feeding in the overflow of Lake Magadi Getting to Lake Magadi I had read a lot about East Africa’s soda lakes and was very excited to get to see the flocks of flamingoes in feeding in bright pink water. Our hike to the lake was the last portion of our six-day trek through the Loita Hills region in South Western Kenya. In 2020, we saw for ourselves how climate change was affecting Lake Magadi during our trip to Kenya. Flamingoes and other wading birds came to the Lake Magadi overflow to feed Our Hike to Lake Magadi This dilutes the salinity of the soda ash lakes which the flamingoes depend on to survive. This water, trapped under the ground for millennia, is being released rapidly and increasing precipitation levels on the other side of the Indian Ocean, in East Africa. Some climate scientists have proven that this results from excessive groundwater exploitation in India for agriculture. In Kenya, the climate change experienced is not drought but rather increased rainfall. The area was flooded over with caustic water that had a pretty light green sheen to it However, scientists can only speculate on the exact cause. Our Kenyan guides were quick to identify climate change as the culprit. However, the landscape of these lakes is changing, significantly affecting flamingo populations and their movements. The salt covered shoreline of the Lake Magadi overflow How Climate Change Affects Lake Magadi Lake Magadi, Lake Natron and many other smaller alkaline lakes in the area are specialised homes for flamingoes, including the threatened Lesser Flamingo. These soda ash lakes form due to volcanic activity and high precipitation in the Great Rift Valley region. The flooded plains of Magadi – notice the flock of flamingoes feeding at the lake’s edge The Geology of Lake Magadi However, the most famous one is Lake Natron, which we haven’t visited and hope to do soon. Lake Magadi, a soda ash lake, is one such ecosystem.

Along the Great Rift valley lies a type of unique ecosystem particular to this part of Africa.

What happens if you touch lake natron