Magadi, Kenya is a town in the

Kenya Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley is part of an intra-continental ridge system that runs through Kenya from north to south. It is part of the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift, which starts in Tanzania Tanzania, officially the ...

Lake Magadi Lake Magadi is the southernmost 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 known for its wading birds, including f ...

, located southwest of

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, in southern

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. Magadi is northeast of

Lake Natron Lake Natron is a salt lake, salt or soda lake, alkaline lake located in north Ngorongoro District of Arusha Region in Tanzania with its far northern end crossing into Kenya. It is in the Gregory Rift, which is the eastern branch of the East A ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

.It takes about 2.5 hours to drive from Nairobi to Magadi. The general population of Magadi, Kenya is 980 people, with an elevation of . Magadi township lies on

's east shore, and is home to the

Magadi Soda Company The Magadi Soda Company manufactures soda ash at the Kenyan town of Magadi, Kenya, Magadi, which is in southwestern Kenya. It is the largest manufacturer of soda ash in Africa. The company was founded in 1911 and mines trona from Lake Magadi, in ...

, now owned by Tata India. This factory produces soda ash, which has a range of industrial uses. Magadi is the central town of Magadi division in Kajiado County. Magadi has gained organized access to the Internet, and computer usage, through the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

-Kenya for solar-powered laptop computers, begun in July 2002: by the end of 2003, about 10,000 residents (48%) had visited the five E-Centers for Internet computer access, developed by the UN project."Community Solar Powered E-Centers, Magadi, Kenya" (computer access),

, 2004,
UNDP-Solar-Magadi
. Magadi was a filming location for

Fernando Meirelles Fernando Ferreira Meirelles (; born 9 November 1955) is a Brazilian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for co-directing the film ''City of God (2002 film), City of God'', released in 2002 in Brazil and in 2003 in the Un ...

's film '' The Constant Gardener'', which is based on the book of the same name by

John le Carré David John Moore Cornwell (19 October 193112 December 2020), better known by his pen name John le Carré ( ), was a British author, best known for his espionage novels, many of which were successfully adapted for film or television. A "sophist ...

, although in the film, the shots are supposed to be at

Lake Turkana Lake Turkana () is a saline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume it is the world ...

, which are actually at

Tourism

Tourists visiting Kenya can visit Magadi and the lake by motorbike. Together with a guide, on the back of a

boda boda Boda bodas are bicycles and motorcycle taxis commonly found in East Africa. While motorcycle taxis like boda bodas are present throughout Africa and beyond, the term ''boda boda'' is specific to East Africa. In Kenya, they are more frequently ca ...

, they can explore the dusty terrain surrounding the lake. Most tourists decide to spend the night in this vast landscape. Even though it is unusual, some wild animals can be spotted here.

Notes

External links

Photo of Great Rift Valley
showing vegetation and desert ull web page from PBase.com Populated places in Kajiado County {{RiftValleyKE-geo-stub