Lake Magadi is a saline, alkaline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, lying in a catchment of faulted volcanic rocks, north of Tanzania's Lake Natron. During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well known for its surreal environment and beautiful fauna including flamingos.
Assuming you are coming from Nairobi, you can travel to Magadi Town by Matatu, private vehicle or hire a taxi. By car it is around a 4 hour drive depending on traffic, if you come from Nairobi by motorcycle you can shave an hour off that. Travelling by matatu takes a bit longer (+-6 hours) but it is the cheapest option, running you around 500-700 bob or shillings.
There is something magical about Lake Magadi.
Magadi Town is an interesting place that grew around Tata Chemicals production of Soda Ash. Established in 1911 as Magadi Soda Company, the company has been producing natural soda ash at Lake Magadi, Kenya, for over a hundred years.
Riding in Magadi is a challenging and thrilling experience. Fortunately your guide will explain to you how the motorcycle works and get you up to speed before things get dirty. I must say it's pretty tough, riding through the bush, trying to focus on the road ahead as the gorgeous surroundings try to steal your attention.
If you have never ridden a motorcycle before and are a bit worried, you can always sit on the back of a Masai's motorcycle, which actually let's you appreciate your surroundings a lot more. However, you can always give it a go and decide not to drive if you don't feel confident about it.
If you are going for 2 nights, you can spend the first night at the hot springs next to Lake Magadi. Depending on the season, you will see amazing colours caused by the soda and/or a huge amount of flamingo's pelicans and other birds. If you're up for it you can take a dip in the hot-springs, which can be uncomfortably warm, but are believed by local Masai's to have sacred healing powers.
Lake Natron is a salt and soda lake in northern Tanzania and partially in southern Kenya. The Shompole Conservancy, a large privately operated conservation area is home to a large variety of animals including lions and is a wonderful place to spend the night.
If you are into breathtaking landscapes, getting a little dirty and riding motorcycles, a trip through Lake Magadi has your name all over it.