African Natural Wonders For Kids To Know ( One of Them Is The Highest Mountain In The World )
Africa is full of many natural wonders that we could spend a lifetime discovering them. From vast swathes of land through to underground lakes! These wonders would inspire any child's imagination.
© Marcus Westburg
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Situated in Botswana, the Okvanga delta is believed to be the largest inland delta which peaks in July & August. It has the highest migration of wildlife in the world, displaying one of the richest varieties of animals in Africa
Lake Retba, Senegal
Situated an hour from Dakar, Senegal, there is an unusual lake that will capture your eyes because of its pink colour. Lake Retba (or Lac Ros as it is known by locals) is a lake that is high in salt content comparable to that of the Dead Sea of the Mediterranean . It's distinct pink colour is caused by the bacteria which is attracted by the lake's salt content. The bacteria produces a red pigment in order to absorb the sunlight which gives the lake its unique colour.
Lake Volta, Ghana
Lake Volta is a sight to behold. It is the largest man made reservoir by surface area in the world, and the fourth largest by water volume. It is behind the Akosombo Dam which provides electricity to Ghana and neighbouring countries such as Benin and Togo.
Mount Kenya, Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya & is the second highest in Africa. The highest peak of the mountain is about 17,057ft. Mount Kenya is a stratovolcano created approximately 3 million years ago & is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Farin Ruwa Falls, Nigeria
Farin Ruwa Falls is a waterfall found in the central region of Nigeria. The source of Farin Ruwa falls is found in the Jos Plateau from whence it gushes down. During the descent from the Jos Plateau, the water drops a total height of about 150 metres. This drop is higher compared to the more popular Victoria Falls, which drops at a height of around 108 metres during its descent. Farin Ruwa is a Hausa language phrase meaning 'white water' a description often used by the inhabitants of the area to describe the colour of the water during its descent.
The Dragon's Breath Cave, Namibia
copyright Namgrows 2010
The Dragon's Brath Cave is a cave located near the Kalahari Desert. Inside the cave lies the largest non sub glacial underground lake in the world with an area of almost 2 hectres. The lake is located around 100 metres below the surface
The Congo Rain Forest
© Thomas Einberger / argum / Greenpeace
Lake Natron
© Places To See In Your Lifetime
Lake Natron, in Africa's Great Rift Valley, located in Tanzania is truly awe inspiring. The bright red lake is the world's most caustic body of water. The lake derives it's colour of water from salt munching microorganisms that thrive in its alkaline waters.
The Baobab Avenue
Photo by jo_chen_w on Flickr | Copyright: Creative Commons
I actually only discovered this one Last year. It's called The Avenue of the Baobabs. It is located in Madagascar. The Baobab is a very famous tree from around Africa. It is also known as the upside down tree. They be up to between 700 and 800 years old.
Mt. Kilimanjaro
"Mount Kilimanjaro Dec 2009 edit1" by Muhammad Mahdi Karim (www.micro2macro.net) Facebook Youtube - Own work. Licensed under GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons -
I guess this one needs no introduction. The mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania! The worlds highest free standing mountain. A free standing mountain is one that is not part of a mountain range. It is also the highest mountain in Africa.
The Serengeti Migration
Copyright Naudefj
The Serengeti is a region in Africa between Tanzania and Kenya. The Maasai Mara is the Kenyan part of the Serengeti. The Seregenti is about 12,000 square miles in size. The largest migration of land based mammals takes place in this region. The Great Migration happens once every year around the same time.
Copyright Uspn
The River Nile
Copyright Bionet
The river Nile is generally regarded to be the longest river in the world. Did you know it had 2 major tributaries? The Blue Nile and the White Nile.
