Lake Magado which is located at the bottom of Magado Crater in Igembe, Meru county is the only multi-coloured lake in Kenya.
The lake is made up of orange, red, purple and green puddles which are separated by salt moulds. Locals regularly go there to collect soda.
It has different hues (colours) due to the alkaline nature of the water and this makes the area have an acrid smell.
The source of the unique colour combinations is thought to be openings in the earth’s crusts which are known as fumaroles.
The colour changes as a result of chemical reactions resulting from the minerals contained in the lake - perhaps triggered by volcano gas activity.
According to scientists, it is however more accurate to refer to the colours as being driven by oxidation-reduction chemical dynamics.
The Ameru people have been collecting soda from the lake for thousands of years and they have also been sharing the crater with Boran and Somali people who mainly go there to water their animals during the rainy season and collect soda during the dry season.
The Magado Crater rises 73 meters above the surrounding area and has an average diameter of 800 meters. Debris blasted out during the crater eruption and formed a rim 80 to 100 metres thick and a crater with an average depth below the rim of 140 meters.
The lake, however, is not the only multi-coloured lake in the world. Other craters including Kelimutu Volcano have lakes which have different hues.
Due to their uniqueness, the multi-coloured lakes including Lake Magado attract tourists and geologists on yearly basis.
This has led to hotel prices in the area to significantly rise and this has led to more visitors booking airbnbs which are a cheaper options.
Kenyans who have visited the place say it is a sight to behold and advice those planning for trips to visit the lake.
