Lake Magadi

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