Lake Turkana & Nabuyatom Crater
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L a k e Tu rk a n a Day trip by Helicopter - 2019 Suguta sand dunes © Sam Stogdale Highlights Suguta - Turkana - Mathews Low level over the wildlife rich landscapes of Laikipia Silali Crater ‘Hoodoo’ and ‘Painted’ valleys Suguta sand dunes Flamingo on the soda lake of Logipi Southern shores of Lake Turkana & Nabuyatom crater Cycad forests of the Mathews Range Ewaso Nyiro river and the savannah landscapes of Samburu Hoodoo Valley © Tullow Oil L a k e Tu rk a n a 6 hours From the wildlife plains of Laikipia, we head north west into the Gregory Rift. Our first stop is on the summit of Silale crater, and then we drop down into the Suguta Valley. The landscape is constantly changing - desolate salt plains, lava flows and crocodile pools, through the colourful ‘painted’ and ‘hoodoo’ valleys. We touch down on the sand dunes, fly over the soda lake of Logipi where flocks of flamingo paint the shores pink, and we finally arrive at the fresh waters of Lake Turkana. Besides Nabuyatom Crater we touch down for refreshments. We return following the most scenic route, over the Ndotos and Mathews - a dominant mountain range that rises from the arid plains, with mist forests and ancient cycads on its summit. Our final leg takes us low level over the savannahs of Samburu. Lake Turkana © Sam Stogdale Silali Crater, southern end of the Suguta Valley A vast caldera, carpeted by grasses and shrubs, located at the southern tip of the Suguta Valley. @ Michael Poliza Suguta Valley Geologists have long been fascinated with this part of the Great Rift Valley. They have studied ancient sediments and fossil remains, and pieced together the history of a lake that rose and fell multiple times over the past 18,000 years. © Richard Roberts Hoodoo Valley This picturesque valley is characterised by dramatic rock formations protruding several hundred feet from the valley floor, where troops of Olive baboon and the Greater Kudu antelope find refuge. @ Hilary Hurt ‘Painted Valley Layers of mineral-rich red and orange rock features, heavily eroded and cut through by the seasonal streams. @ Hilary Hurt Sand dunes of the Suguta Low level flight through the spectacular Suguta valley, to the southern tip of Lake Turkana in the north. Touching down on Silale Crater, besides the crocodile pools, on the sand dunes, over the flamingo shores of Lake Logipi, and finally to the southern tip of Lake Turkana. @ Hilary Hurt Lake Logipi, Suguta Valley Lake Logipi, a seasonal saline lake - often full of flamingo - lies at the southern end of Lake Turkana. The lake is about 6km wide by 3 km long, and very shallow. © Paolo Parazzi Andrew’s Volcano At the northern end of the Suguta, a range of volcanic cinder cones, called ‘the Barrier’ that include Teleki’s and Andrew’s volcanoes, separate the valley from Lake Turkana L a k e Tu rk a n a The largest desert lake in the world lies in Northern Kenya. One of the most remote and hostile places on Earth, with black volcanic rocks and soaring daytime temperatures, yet so scenically spectacular. @ Hilary Hurt Nabuyatom Crater The collapsed volcano of Nabuyatom lies at the southern end of Lake Turkana. Surrounded by jade waters, this is the most iconic feature on the lake’s shore. @ Hilary Hurt Mathews Range, Samburu Known as a ‘sky island’, the 150km long Mathews Range rises from the dry desolate country, exposing lush forested hills and craggy peaks. Untouched, a pristine ancient cycad forest grows here in abundance. @ Michael Poliza Sa mburu Samburu stretches from Laikipia and the Ewaso Nyiro River, to the southern end of Lake Turkana. 7000 elephant roam this entire ecosystem, within which lies Samburu National Reserve - one of Kenya’s most sought-after tourist destinations. @ Richard Roberts Tu rk a n a Lake Logipi End of Safari! @ Michael Poliza ETHIOPIA Central Island L a k e TURKANA T u r k a na Nabuyatum Lake Logipi UGANDA Suguta Valley Ndotos Mathews Range Ewaso Nyiro River Silale Crater SAMBURU Start & End LAIKIPIA LEWA GREAT RIFT VALLEY nanyuki Mt. Kenya L a ke Victoria nairobi kenya TANZANIA indian ocean Tropic Air, Kenya Tropic Air is based in Kenya, and offers a broad range of professional air services using helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Areas of operation: 16 African countries, covering more than 10 million square kilometers: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo, Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. [email protected] Painted Valley, Suguta © Richard Roberts.