Lake Elementaita

After our arduous journey from Masai Mara to Lake Elementaita, which took 6 hours, 2 hours of horrible dirt road with potholes etc, we arrived into Lake Elementaita, passing through Nakuru.
The three lakes, which lie in the closest proximity to Nairobi have little similarities. Naivasha (main lake) being fresh water, while Elementaita and Nakuru are both alkaline.
Our stay was at Lake Elementaita, this lake is on private land and it is not possible to drive down to the waters. We stayed at Sentrim Elementaita on the lake so was able to walk to the waters edge. The residents call This lake a dead lake due to the huge salt residue, which comes from the sediments of the rocks. If you go swimming which is not advised, you come out white due to the high salt residue. There is only one fish that can exist in this lake, Taita and is suitable only for the pelicans.
The lake also attracts hundreds of flamingos during certain periods of the year. The shoreline often looks as if it has been attractively iced with pink sugar icing.
There are an estimated 300 bird species to be found.
The scenery is spectacular with a backdrop of broken caldera walls of several volcanoes.
On arrival it was raining, so our planned walk around the village and lake was delayed until later.

 Lake Elementaita

 Our young guide Edward who walked us around the lake and village and yes it started raining and we got soaked, quite refreshing in the heat.

 The caldera is locally known as Delameres Nose, land was once owned by Lord Delamere, one of Kenya’s first settler.

Elementaita Sentrim was a very nice hotel with bungalow style rooms, very cosy.
We also took a 2 hour walk around the village, Edward explained to us everyday life in the village, I cannot remember the tribes name. But the children all ran out to see the white people in their village and just wanted to touch us.

 The children were lined up along the roads, to see us walk by.

 The village, no running water, electricity or toilet facilities.

 It was a Sunday, so all dressed up in Sunday best to go to church, 80% are Christian, Presbyterian.

 This young man was sorting the bad Maise from the good maise so it can be milled into flour, all the village people bring their maise here to be grinded into flour to make bread

 the maise kernels being put into the grinder.

 Milled into the bucket a white flour

 Edward is explaining the process.

 plenty of cows and calves around.

 I bought 10 lollipops from a shop with bars on the windows for some of the village children, most of them could spread English.

 this is typical, a young woman carrying a water container on head with a young baby on their back, even the very young girls are expected to do their chores and carry the younger siblings.

 African women walking long distances to collect water, they even scoop up water from the side of the road after a heavy downpour.

The kids giving me the thumbs up and thank you for their lollipop.

That evening we enjoyed a buffet dinner, then retired early for our big drive to Amboseli National Park, more rough roads and raffertys rules on the roads.
More adventures to follow.