Covering an area of 68,800 square kilometers, Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake, found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, making it one of the best lakes to visit in Kenya. The second largest freshwater lake in the world, it is named after Queen Victoria! Tourists can spot mongooses, otters, reedbucks, shrews, water mantises, and hippos. The scenic area is surrounded by beautiful hills, a great view that tourists can enjoy from relaxing excursions. They can enjoy fresh seafood or join the locals in fishing for Nile perch. Nile perch fishing is Lake Victoria's biggest draw, and it's also a great place to relax on a safari. Other activities include trips to local villages, nearby islands, and great bird watching.

As well as being an attraction for adventurers, Lake Victoria is an integral part of the livelihoods of millions of East Africans. Lake Victoria contains more than 200 species of fish and haplochromine cichlids are the main endemic group. However, many species have become extinct in the last 50 years, and scientists estimate Lake Victoria's native fish species have declined by 80%. The Nile perch is Lake Victoria's most notorious invasive species. The Luo community, Kenya's fishing community, lives in the area around the lake.

• Location: African Great Lakes - Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

Not only on the list of best lakes to visit in Kenya, but also one of the largest lakes of Kenya's Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru is famous for its flamingos, and the amazing Lake Nakuru National Park, where inhabited by breathtaking wildlife such as black and white rhinoceros, giraffes, giraffes, wild dogs, baboons, lions, cheetahs, zebras, galloping horses, African buffaloes, leopards apricot blossom, vervet and monkey colobus, and waterbucks. Lake Nakuru is one of several alkaline lakes found in the Great Rift Valley and has been a National Park since 1961. Bird watching is amazing, with the lake being home to starlings, weavers, eagle fish, storks, hammer birds, and yellow-billed pelicans. Alternatively, visitors can also walk to the spectacular Makalia Falls.

Famous for thousands of flamingos, Lake Nakuru is one of those places that any visitor would not want to miss. In particular, visitors come to Lake Nakuru mainly to witness first-hand what has been described as the greatest bird sight in the world. Surrounded by waterfalls, cliffs, and forests, Lake Nakuru is an important source of water for rhinos, zebras, buffalo, and Rothschild giraffes. For the best views of Lake Nakuru, visitors are advised to hike to the Out of Africa viewpoint along a short, steep trail. Hiking is another activity that takes place in Lake Nakuru national park and it takes place as tourists visit the viewpoints around the national park.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Located just north of the equator, Lake Bogoria is a narrow, shallow alkaline lake that has been declared a Ramsar site due to its primary ecological importance. Located about 60 kilometers from the town of Nakuru, this saltwater lake is a mystery of all kinds. The steam geysers and hot springs of Lake Bogoria are its main attraction. The water is so hot that an egg can be boiled in minutes and can be eaten immediately. Located about 250 km from Nairobi, Lake Bogoria is a 4–5 hour walk from the capital, and many visitors combine a visit to Lake Bogoria with Lake Baringo. Bogoria's remote location means it attracts fewer visitors than nearby national parks.

Along with the other lakes of the Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria is a nesting ground for flamingos, and more than 2 million flamingos have been known to nest on its shores. Visitors can expect to see flamingos in Lake Bogoria at any time of the year. In the Rift Valley, tourists can visit beautiful Lake Bogoria, a photogenic saltwater lake that is a protected national wetland reserve. The volcanic region has hot springs and geysers along the coast. Tourists can relax on the beach, watch the flamingos or watch the geysers erupt. They can also visit Lake Bogoria National Reserve, which is a sanctuary for kudus and a rare species of antelope. Thanks to its excellent conditions, Lake Bogoria deserves to be one of the best lakes to visit in Kenya as well as Kenya's best tourist attractions.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Another great Kenyan lake is Lake Turkana, the largest permanent desert lake in the world, the largest alkaline lake in the region, and the fourth-largest salt lake in the world. Therefore, this lake deserves to be on the list of best lakes to visit in Kenya. Tourists can take a trip to nearby Lake Turkana National Park or Sibiloi National Park, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visitors can find amazing animal life, including Nile crocodiles, hippos, Turkana mud turtles, zebras, antelopes, and giraffes. Lake Turkana is rich in fish such as puffer fish, tilapia, and Nile perch. And in terms of the area of all lakes, it is the 24th largest lake in the world.

Lovingly known as the Pearl Sea for its breathtaking turquoise color, Lake Turkana is the world's fourth-largest salt lake at about 320 kilometers in length. This saltwater lake is also home to three parks on the island. The three National Parks serve as a stopover for migrant waterfowl and are major breeding grounds for the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus, and a variety of venomous snakes. The Koobi Fora deposits, rich in mammalian, molluscan, and other fossil remains, have contributed more to the understanding of paleo-environments than any other site on the continent. Due to some progressive natural factors, the flamingo numbers have been reducing but the park itself remains stunning – one of Kenya’s finest. Great rocky escarpments tower over acacia forest, waterfalls, wooded hills and euphorbia trees dot the lake.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Another best lake to visit in Kenya is Lake Naivasha, one of two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley. The land around the lake is fertile, with many flowers and trees, so tourists can enjoy the natural beauty of the area. They can also spot wildlife like giraffes, zebras, and hippos. They can sail to Crescent Island, where they can find the rim of a part of the crater that has collapsed. This tourist spot is home to buffalo, conifers, giraffes, and birds such as ospreys, herons, and African fish eagles.

Located in Nakuru District, just outside the town of Naivasha, Lake Naivasha is a large freshwater lake easily accessible from Nairobi. Located at 1,884m, Lake Naivasha is the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley. The 98-kilometer journey from Nairobi takes around 2.5 hours, and its proximity to the lake's capital makes it a popular day trip or weekend getaway for city dwellers. Lake Naivasha is a great destination for wildlife viewing, and the surrounding area is home to 1,500 hippos. In addition, when visitors come to visit also expect to see an array of 400 species of lake birds, giraffes, zebras, galloping horses, and water horses along the shore. The lake is ideally located to relax at the beginning or end of your stay. It's also within easy reach of Hell's Gate National Park, which offers hiking in the breathtaking scenery.

• Location: Nakuru District, Naivasha, Kenya

Lake Baringo in remote central west Kenya is an attraction for geologists and nature lovers alike, with its exotic landscapes and birdlife making it one of the best lakes to visit in Kenya. Part of the East African Rift Valley, Lake Baringo is one of only two freshwater lakes of the Rift Valley, along with Lake Naivasha, in Kenya. It is located in the far west-central part of Kenya, with only Lake Turkana being further north. In what could be described as an oasis amid a harsh semi-desert landscape, this freshwater lake is truly one of Kenya's jewels. The lake is home to more than 400 species of birds, making it a paradise for aquarists.

Lake Baringo is fed by several rivers, but there is no visible outlet. It is thought that water seeps away faults in the bedrock. Lake Baringo's water levels have dropped to some of the lowest levels on record due to drought and agricultural irrigation, but flooding in Northern Kenya in recent years has pushed water levels up alarmingly. This has caused the water level to rise up to four meters, putting locals at risk and damaging the restricted tourist structure. The high water levels are thought to be the result of large amounts of sediment brought about by the floods. Most of the tourist facilities have been damaged by the rising water. In addition, Lake Baringo is a great bird habitat with over 470 bird species including flamingoes, pelicans, cormorants, and fish eagles, the lake also features islands that are visited on a boat ride.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Lake Elementaita or Lake Elmenteita is a freshwater lake in the Great Rift Valley region, right between Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru in the silhouette of a sleeping warrior on a local hill. The lake is located in central Kenya, about 120 km northwest of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, just off the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Lake Elementaita is home to over 400 species of birds including the famous flamingo, and for that reason, it is a reserve that helps preserve the lake's and lake's heritage-listed birds. Lake Elementaita is also a Ramsar site. Thanks to this special feature, Lake Elementaita has become one of the best lakes to visit in Kenya.

Located near the town of Gilgil, Lake Elementaita is the only known breeding ground for pelicans in East and Central Africa. Flamingos are also a sight to behold here, although in much fewer numbers than at Lake Nakuru. The lake can be seen from as far away as the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway running along the nearby cliffs. Lake Elementiata is part of the Soysambu reserve, the residence of the British Lord-Lord Delamere during the colonial period in Kenya. On the other side of Soysambu is the Kekopey Farm which was occupied by Hon Galbraith Lowry Egerton Cole Between 1881 and 1929. Currently, the Soysambu reserve covers about two-thirds of the shoreline of Lake Elementiata and is home to about 10,000 species of animals. Mammals include Rothschild giraffes, herons, leopards, jackals, Elands, antelopes, zebras, and others.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Lake Magadi is a lake in the Great Rift Valley, southern Kenya. Lake Magadi is 32km long and 3km wide and is located about 240 km east of Lake Victoria. This salty, alkaline lake, about 100 square kilometers in size, consists of a concentrated brine of sodium carbonate that precipitates large amounts of the mineral trona, the raw material for soda ash or simply sodium carbonate. In some places, the salt layer is up to 40 meters thick. This trona is collected and purified by the Magadi Soda Company and the resulting soda ash is sold for a variety of purposes including glass production, fabric dyeing, and papermaking. Lake Magadi is one of the few places in the world where trona forms naturally and is the largest source of natural soda ash in Africa. Therefore, Lake Magadi cannot miss being mentioned in the list of best lakes to visit in Kenya.

With salt flats stretching to the horizon, Lake Magadi is surrounded by vast salt flats that sparkle in the intense heat typical of the region. The soda water turns pink in the light and the freshwater springs on the shore offer a natural spa for visitors. The lake has shrunk in size over the past 15 years, and experts warn it won't exist in another five years if no measures are taken to protect it.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

In the north of Kenya, Lake Logipi, one of the best lakes to visit in Kenya, is a gem of incredible beauty that looks like an oasis in the midst of lunar nothingness and magnificence, surrounded by incredible animals and colors. Small lake north of the Rift Valley, it lies at the northern end of the arid Suguta Valley, one of the hottest places on earth, nicknamed the "Valley of Death", where the rocks Giant granite perches atop volcanic ash heaps, deep gorges of multi-layered rock giving way to kilometers of sand dunes created by the relentless winds that blow through the valley.

Lake Logipi is saline and alkaline land that is green, streaked with pink by the plumage of the flamingos that live on its barren shores, browned by layers of soft alluvium. In the middle is a rocky island, Naperito Rock, about 370 meters high, known as Cathedral Rock, from which salty hot springs help maintain the presence of water even during periods of extreme drought. In recent years, an increasing number of lesser and larger flamingos have migrated from Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria to these remote waters because of the presence of cyanobacteria and the plankton they forage, especially in abundance. The water in the lake comes from the Suguta River during the rainy season, but can also be from the salty hot springs that flow on its northern shore.

• Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Lake Challa, an ancient crater lake, is located about 30km southeast of Kilimanjaro (52km from Moshi), and is 95m deep, making it deeper than Lake Victoria. It is believed to be the crater of the first volcanic eruption about 3/4 million years ago. Recent geological research assumes that a magma chamber under Lake Challa collapsed following an eruption of a nearby volcano and that the collapse created space for the crater lake. During the year, depending on the season, the watercolor of this beautiful lake changes from turquoise, and deep blue to green. It is said that the lake is supplied through underwater streams from Mount Kilimanjaro and drained back into neighboring Lake Jipe also through underground tunnels.

Lake Challa and the surrounding area are a definite must-visit, not only because Kilimanjaro can be seen on clear days but also because it thrives with life. Walking around visitors can spot more than 200 different species of birds. And small mammals like green monkeys, colobus monkeys, and baboons, jump from tree to tree. In addition, Lake Challa tilapia is found only in Lake Challa and is critically endangered. With the wonders that nature brings, Lake Challa deserves to be on the list of best lakes to visit in Kenya.

• Location: Straddles the border between Kenya and Tanzania