:''Sabaki redirects here. For the
go term, see:
Go terms: Sabaki''
'Athi-Galana-Sabaki' River is the second longest river in
Kenya (after the
Tana River). It has a total length of 390 km, and drains a basin area of 70,000 km². The river rises in 1° 42' S. as 'Athi River' and enters the
Indian Ocean as 'Galana River' (also known as 'Sabaki River').
Athi River flows across the Kapote and Athi plains, through the
Athi River town, takes a northteast direction and is met by the
Nairobi River. Near
Thika it forms the
Fourteen Falls and turns south-south-east under the wooded slopes of the
Yatta ridge, which shuts in its basin on the east. Apart from the numerous small feeders of the upper river, almost the only
tributary is the
Tsavo River, from the east side of
Kilimanjaro, which enters in about 3° S. It turns east, and in its lower course, known as the Sabaki (or Galana), traverses the
sterile quartz-land of the outer
plateau. The valley is in parts low and flat, covered with forest and scrub, and containing small lakes and backwaters connected with the river in the rains. At this season the stream, which rises as much as 30 ft. in places, is deep and strong and of a turbid yellow colour; but navigation is interrupted by the
Lugard falls, which is actually a series of rapids. Onwards it flows east and enters the Indian Ocean in 30 12' S., just north of
Malindi.
The river flows through the
Tsavo East National Park and attracts diverse wildlife, including
Hippos and
Crocodiles.
References
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