THE ROAD TO LAKE NAKURU
This details my trip from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and about Lake Nakuru when I get there. The trip lists information about the Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita and finally culminates at the end at Lake Nakuru. So, sit back, relax and read away as I take you through my drive down.
The travel route from Nairobi to Nakuru takes us over hills and navigating through S-shaped roads as we descend in to the Rift Valley. The drive begins through Nairobi’s Waiyaki way, a highway that leads on to the outer rims Kenya’s Western Provinces and Districts and imminently to the highlands of Kenya.
To get in to the Rift Valley using this road, there are two distinct routes to take. The first would be the Mai Mahiu route and second would be the Di- rect Nairobi – Nakuru Highway. We will be using the latter.
The van departs Nairobi at 11AM from town, and the initial impression I get as we leave Nairobi is that we’ll never get to Nakuru before 7PM. The traffic is horrendous, but, public transport does have it’s benefits. The drivers are no strangers to back-routes and navigating through heavy traffic in order to get to their destinations.
The drive is arduous, and I can see the driver getting frustrated as he continuously engages the passengers as well as the tout on his rants about the situation on the road that’s definitely a reason to get worked up about.
The descent in to the valley using the more scenic Mahi Mahiu route takes us right down to the Mount Longonot and we get to circumnavigate it seeing most of the facets of the mountain and it’s sheer volume.
Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano. an ash and cinder mountain, which was created when the acidic lava erupted vi- ciously causing major and frequent eruptions.The name Longonot is derived form a word in the Maasai Language ( Maa ) called oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges”.
The mountain was thought to have last erupted around the 1860’s. Though dormant at the moment, it’s crater has life being sustained within. Some say it may even have the elusive leopard in it’s confines.
Stay tuned for the next chapter as I get to Lake Naivasha en route to Lake Nakuru
