Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru national park is truly a birders haven with over 500 bird species nesting along the shores. This Park is located at the edge of the rift valley in central Kenya and was established in 1961 as a national park to protect wildlife species. Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya’s Rift Valley lakes, and the vast diversity of birds are attracted to the high levels of algae in the water. In addition to millions of flamingos, the beautiful African fish eagle, Verreaux’s eagle, pelicans, cormorants, the Goliath heron and hamerkops can frequently be spotted around the lake. However, it’s not only a location for birders but also a home for over 56 mammal species such as the Eastern black rhinos, southern white rhinos, baboons, zebras, eland, waterbucks, predictors like leopards, lions, cheetahs among others which can be encountered in dense woodlands.

What to do at Lake Nakuru National Park

Game drives

The best way to explore and experience wildlife in the park is through engaging into game drives. The Park has over 56 mammal species such as; Eastern black rhinos, elephants, southern white rhinos, baboons, zebras, eland, Impalas, waterbucks, giraffes, predictors like leopards, lions, cheetahs among others. Furthermore, this park has got beautiful savannah and woodland vegetation which covers about 550 different plant species recorded during the drives.

Bird watching

The park’s unique geography and climate supports diverse avifauna. Discover Lake Nakuru’s famous pink flamingos and over 400 other bird species for example, great white pelicans, weavers, sunbirds, king fishers, eagles, marabou stork, bee-eaters, European rollers, lesser masked weavers among others. Best birding spots in this park include; Lake Nakuru shorelines, acacia woodlands, grasslands and baboon cliff viewpoint. Please note early morning and late afternoon are best times for birding therefore don’t forget binoculars for spotting birds at a distance.

Cultural Experiences

Lake Nakuru national park offers a rich cultural heritage with various experiences that showcase the traditions and way of life for the local communities around the park. Visit the Masai villages and learn more about their customs, traditions and their daily day to day activities like Masai dance performances, crafting, storytelling and myths. Furthermore, visit the park museum and learn more about the park history, geology as well as wildlife. However, tourists are advised to dress decently and remove shoes when entering traditional Manyattas to show respect and appreciation to the local culture.

Camping

This Park offers several camping options for adventurers and nature lovers. Lake Nakuru National Park being the best camping destination in Kenya it gives more than a sleep under the tents through its different camping sites with opportunities to spot majestic animals and birds. These include; main campsite located near the headquarters, naishi campsite, chui campsite, rhino campsite and public campsite basically for budget-conscious travelers. Meanwhile, park rangers and security personnel are available for safety but still keep in mind, follow the park rules and regulations for camping and be prepared for changing weather conditions.

Hiking

Lake Nakuru offers several hiking trails for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Hiking trails include; Lake Nakuru circuit, baboon cliff trail, lion hill trail, out of Africa view point and njoro river trail. During this interesting activity, tourists have a greater chance of viewing the scenic views of Lake Nakuru, wildlife encounters such as zebras, gazelles and giraffes, diverse flora and fauna as well as the panoramic views of the surrounding. The best time to hike is early morning and late afternoon however endeavor to stay in designated trails.

When to visit the park

Lake Nakuru national park is open all year-round but the best time to travel are; dry seasons “June-October” ideal for clear wildlife viewing and green seasons November-May to witness the parks lush vegetation.

Getting to the park

The Park is located 160km northwest of Nairobi and can be accessible by road from Nairobi to Nakuru which takes approximately 2-3 hours and by air; one can fly from Wilson airport from Nairobi to Nakuru in less than 1 hour.