Hot springs major attraction for guests at Baringo hotel

 

Visitors swimming at the spa pool. which is the only one in the country that has natural heated water coming from the nearby hot springs. Courtesy 

In Summary

• The most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

A meandering road up the hills along the highway is the magnificent scenery that ushers visitors to Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort Hotel.

Set among the acacia surroundings on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, the resort overlooks Lake Baringo to the East and Lake Bogoria to the West, providing a serene environment for the visitors who love spectacular scenery.        

Placed at the heart of the larger Semi-Arid Baringo County, the resort is at a stone’s throw away from Lake Bogoria, which is home to millions of flamingoes that surrounds it, making the environment a breath taking one.

Natural spa

But the most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

“We are known as the therapeutic place for the simple reason that the resort is associated with hot spring geysers that are within the resort, feeding our swimming pool with warm water at body temperature all day and night,” says Lydia Dentewo, General Manager at the resort.

Many visitors have termed the resort as a healing place because of the health values associated with hot spring geysers which are believed to be medicinal.

The manager says the hot spa has been the centre of attraction for the many visitors who travel from all over the world to enjoy, among other things, a swim at the pool.

Bird species

The resort is 266 kilometres from Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru –Baringo highway, a journey that takes approximately three and a half hours.

Ms Dentewo says the geyser has been a key attraction for the tourists both local and international who throng the place to enjoy the natural hot spa.

“The first thing that our visitors do when they arrive here is to swim at the spa pool, which is a truly exciting experiences,” she says.

“We also have a rich history of bird life in the 119 acres where the resort is located. There is more than enough space for those who love nature walks,” says the manager.

The resort is famous for mursik (fermented milk) and the herbal soup (mwarubaini) which is served alongside the meals.

The facility also has a “nyama choma ranch” known for specialties that are not limited to “mbuzi choma.”

The hotel is fast growing with a current capacity of 70 rooms and arrangements are in place to complete 30 more rooms by December this year which come as standard, cottage and executive. 

High demand for the rooms has stretched the available accommodation at the facility which is the only resort that offers decent accommodation in that region.

“Our accommodation is inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner at a competitive rate of between Sh8,000 and Sh20,000 depending on the room status,” says the manager.

The hot springs and the number of flamingoes whose population in Lake Bogoria has increased to about 700,000 following migration of the birds from other Great Rift Valley lakes have been a great selling point for the resort.

Picnics

The facility also has activities such as team building, seminars and is popular for families on picnics, bird watchers and nature explorers. Its proximity to Lake Bogoria National Park has given it an edge in terms of visitors who seek accommodation close to the park.

The facility was elevated by (UNESCO) to a world heritage site two years ago.