Olorgesailie is a Masai word which means "A place where sacrifices and prayers were made." e.g. prayers for rain and victory in wars with other communities. These sacrifices were made on the nearby 1,760m sacred mountain, Mount Olorgesailie.
Located in semi-arid country 65km southwest of Nairobi, the Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site is a key hotspot for birders who wish to do a day trip from Nairobi and back. With a fascinating variety of thornbush birds, driving down this beautiful escarpment rewards you with some of Kenya's most picturesque landscapes of the Rift Valley.
The typical habitat at Olorgesailie features grass and scattered acacia bushes, including Acacia tortilis and Acacia mellifera. These plants grow on white silica sediments made up of the skeletons of algae deposited during repeated floods in ancient times in the Olorgesailie area.
Visiting birders will be treated to a host of unique species, including D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Crimson-rumped and Black-cheeked Waxbills, Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, Green-winged Pytilia, Cut-throat Finch as well as Grey-headed and African Silverbills.
