Ihimba Hot Springs

About

The Ihimba Hot Springs are named for the Bahima people who occupy the area, and use the hot springs for their healing properties. Reaching temperatures as high as 120 °C (248 °F), the spring water is rich in chemicals and minerals like Lithium sulfate, Potassium chloride, Calcium phosphate, Sodium chloride, and Calcium chloride. Having created something of a wetland, the springs have a primordial beauty to them, like a bubbling swamp from a time before man. Though of course, since this is the time of man, the hot springs see a constant stream of visitors from as far away as Rwanda coming to heal skin ailments, rheumatism, backache, and other ailments. Along with getting to see a slice of everyday life, the area around the springs is a great place for bird watching, and the locals have set up a small craft shop offering souvenirs.