The Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley is about 3,700 miles long stretching from near the Middle East down to Mozambique. The Rift Valley was basically formed as a result of lithospheric plate pulling and causing faults. These forces caused a chunk of the crust to sink between parallel fault lines which in turn, forced up molten rock in volcanic eruptions. The result is that you basically have parallel raised (rifts) landforms with a wide floor that strips along for thousands of miles.

I still have memories of driving along the Rift Valley, particularly the Escarpment in Naivasha, Kenya. Here you get to experience one of the most spectacular views of the valley – the breathtaking panoramic land formations that include a dramatic gradient drop, lakes, mountains, craters, and green hills; all in one view. And if you love taking pictures or videos of landscapes, the Rift Valley gives you one of the best scenery.

You also get to experience the wildlife of the Rift Valley – just by driving along the main roads - no need to veer deep into the wild. The most common wild animals that you are almost guaranteed to see as you are driving along are: zebras, giraffes, gazelles and baboons. And if you are lucky, you might see a cape buffalo here and there. If you are a bird watcher, you will not be disappointed either. You may be able to see, yellow-billed and maccoa ducks, pelicans, egrets and herons, black kites, white-crested turacos, verreaux's eagles, and of course, flamingoes.

However, I do recommend that you visit the many lakes and national parks along the Rift Valley for a more exciting wildlife experience. Some examples include, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru National Park, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Masai Mara, and Hell’s Gate National Park, among others. And by the way, Lake Bogoria is also known for its beautiful hot springs and exciting geysers.