Camping at Lake Magadi

Camping at Lake Magdi is not for the fainted hearted. Lake Magadi is a moonscape of soda-washed flats, shallow saline puddles, and the heat resistant, Lesser Flamingo. In March, the temperature at midday hits 49 degrees and the parched country shimmers with exhausted heat.

Camping at Lake Magadi

Only a fool would go camping at Lake Magadi in the summer, or so many people told us. As we left Nairobi, the temperature skyrocketed as we descended into the Rift and we began to agree with them. But Magadi has a secret that it was finally ready to share. A secret that allowed us to spend the entire weekend with smugly satisfied smiles and a secret that makes me reluctant to share this post at all.

Camping at the Ewaso Ngiro

You see, high on the escarpment that borders Lake Magadi flows the River Ewaso Ngiro which flows from the Mau Forest into Lake Natron in Tanzania. The river, the only non-saline water for miles around, sustains life all along this scorched land. The Maasai use it as their major water source for themselves and their cattle. The game is nourished by and this weekend; we were sheltered and cooled by it.

Lake Magadi Club House

Upon arriving at the Lake Magadi Club House we sourced a guide and headed out towards the escarpment. The Club will offer you a campsite at the springs but don’t be tempted. Even in winter, they are a pretty hardcore option. Whilst the pink lake, flamingos and salted flats make for good photo opportunities, I can’t imagine camping would be pleasant at all. Unless you like punishingly hot temperatures in the day and salt in your sleeping bag by night. Also worth noting that the springs themselves are small pools that bubble up at 40 degrees, so no refreshing bath to be had there.

Up the Magadi Escarpment

So head to the escarpment and the river. A half an hour drive takes you through scrubland filled with thorn and acacia trees. The ground is totally flat; the trees appear placed by an invisible hand. God playing lego in the sandpit. Then, through a haze of dust, you see a bank of green.

The acacia trees that border the Ewaso Ngiro river are the largest I’ve ever seen. They better resemble old oaks with their twisted branches and gnarled skin. Even the Maasai are in awe of the trees. They warn us the leopards favour them too and the area is full of them. “Watch the children,” they say “Leopards snack”.

Leopards and Crocodiles

Our guide, in search of his secret place, leads us along the river. We arrive upon a shaded dream, a bank of sand which slopes down to a lazily trickling stream. We stare greedily at the coolness of the river and enquire with trepidation about crocodiles. “Yes, there are lots in the river”. Our guide declares enthusiastically, “but none here…. I think.” The kids clammer to swim, but I can’t just throw them to the crocs. The guide sticks a foot in and declares it safe, so I go first. It’s so deep I can’t stand. I’m freaking out, scrambling for the other side. Suddenly the kids descend into the water…all their tiny lives flash before my eyes.

We are ok. No crocs surface. After a while, the grown-ups join us with wine and beer as we sit in the shallows. The water is an idyll of soft coolness flowing over us. For the first time all day, we aren’t sweating.

The kids spend 4 hours jumping from the high banks into the waters. We wallow and wallow and can’t get up to build the tents. It’s a curious mixture of utter relaxation and fear. Will a crocodile appear down the river? Is there a leopard in the bushes? The Maasai bring their cows to water. Small Maasai schoolboys run along the bank and stare in wonder at the crazy Mzungu’s. The sun fades and the tents are up… bbq is roasted, and we are cooked…Crazy days lead to early nights.

Camping at Lake Magadi Hot Springs

In the morning, we swim and then head out to the hot springs. We speed at breakneck pace through an imaginary road, dust billows and zebra flee as our cars dodge Acacia trees and we remember what 40 degrees feels like. We stop to give some Maasai people some of our water. They are so grateful, this country is in drought and the people walk for hours every day for water. We head to the springs for toe dipping in the water and photos. Then we head home via the Olorgesailie Prehistoric site.

Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site

Olorgesailie Prehistoric site is a fabulous stop en route from camping at Lake Magadi. Halfway down the Magadi Road about 70 km from Nairobi lies the world famous ‘Factory of Stone Tools’. The largest collection of prehistoric man made hand axes in the world. Approx 150,000 years ago, this was a lake basic which has since dried up. The kids were fascinated. They have a small museum with early man skulls, a winding pathway where you can see hand axes, some still poking out the earth and the bones of an early elephant, which is more than double the size of elephants nowadays. Whilst the sun beats mercilessly upon our heads, the children screamed in joy and spent an hour and a half digging holes looking for ‘caveman weapons’. Child No.1 finds one which has to be confiscated. We head home, with suntans and smiles.

Worth noting that there are campsites and bandas there. It’s a desolate place but one of the best for stargazing… so perhaps worth checking out.

This was one of my favourite camping trips. The varied scenery from desert to shaded river. The extremes of temperature. The danger. The time spent with Maasais learning about their culture. The sense of being completely off the beaten track. I utterly loved it.

Practicalities for Camping at Lake Magadi

• This is totally wild camping with not even a toilet, so bring everything you need, especially drinking water
• You need a 4×4
• It’s advisable to employ an askari to guard your camp at night
• It’s HOT, come prepared
• Click here for information on where to buy camping items in Kenya

Further Reading

Kids Nairobi : 34 Ways To Smash Those Fun Days Out

Where is the Giraffe Centre Nairobi Kenya?

?Nairobi Nightlife: A Vibrant Experience for Expatriates

33 Best Restaurants in Nairobi – UPDATED 2023

The Ultimate 10 Days in Kenya Itinerary

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