Chalbi Desert

In the language of the Gabbra people, Chalbi means "bare, salty area".

The preserved fossils of the area have been critical to the understanding of the Quaternary climate in East Africa.

[3] At the edge of the desert, there are numerous springs,[8] which create oases of water and grasses.

[1] This happened during 1978, for example, when a temporary lake of 50 centimetres or 1 foot 8 inches in depth was formed long enough for waterfowl to make use of it.

The area sustains for over 50 days per years wind speeds of over 50 kilometres per hour (14 m/s; 31 mph; 27 kn).

The following herbivores can be found in the region: oryx, African elephant, Somali ostrich, Grevy's zebra, and reticulated giraffe.

Finally, one can also find plants on the edges of the desert, such as Dasysphaera prostrata or Hyphaene coriacea.

[6] The largest wind farm in Africa is located in the west edge of the desert.

[4] The area has seen a rise in desert tourism since the beginning of the 2020s, and is increasingly seen as one of Kenya's new and upcoming tourist destinations.