Thursday, December 29, 2016

Kenya: Olkaria Geothermal Spa is Only One of its Kind on the Continent

Did you know: At just 400 bob you can soak in Africa's one-of-a-kind spa at Olkaria, Naivasha (Standard Digital)

Olkaria Geothermal Spa, by Benedict Steingrimsson. Olkaria II 105 MW power plant in the background. Taken 2 March, 2014. GRC Photo Contest 2016.
This spa belongs to KenGen which runs the Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant - Africa's largest geothermal installation, and whose spa is also the only one of its kind on the continent. 

The spa is five feet deep and 3,600 square metres wide. It cost $300,000 (Sh30 million) to put up it's thee cascading blue lagoons, including the kid's pool.

Did you know that this spa's pool has brine water (a solution of sodium chloride, salt and water) which passes through the pipes at 150°C, but cooled twice to 60°C then 30°C by the time it reaches the pool? For health buffs, the sulphur in the water is good for the skin after undergoing hydrotherapy sessions. Indeed, the sulphur and silica minerals in the water that gushes underground can cure psoriasis (silvery skin scales), fibromyalgia (bodily pain) and arthritis.