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Lake Nakuru National Park

Imagine driving over the hills of the Great Rift Valley, turning a corner and seeing a shimmering lake between the hills. Welcome to Lake Nakuru! Just a four hour drive from Nairobi, this 45 km² lake lies at the foot of Lake Nakuru National Park. At 88 km², this national park is relatively small, but it is home to four of the Big Five.

Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the soda lakes in the Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley is an intracontinental rift whose East African part also runs through Kenya. The soda lakes in the Great Rift Valley are special because they are usually filled with algae, which attract many flamingos.

Wildlife

Lake Nakuru used to have millions of flamingos, but ten years ago rising water levels caused these birds to move elsewhere. For a time, they all but disappeared. They slowly returned, but there are not the numbers as there used to be. Still, Lake Nakuru, with its more than 50 species of mammals such as the rare Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo, zebra, leopard, lion and more than 400 different species of birds.

In collaboration with the Rhino Rescue Charitable Appeal Trust, the Kenyan government established the first rhino sanctuary here in 1987. When the sanctuary was officially opened, 17 rhinos from a private ranch in Solio joined the 2 rhinos already in the park, and later 11 more rhinos were added to the sanctuary. Since the rhinos require water on a daily basis, the lake is an ideal habitat for the rhinos. There are currently 150 rhinos living in Lake Nakuru National Park, 80% of which are white rhino and 20% black rhino. It is especially easy to spot the white rhino at the edge of the lake – a unique sight.

Great view

If you like viewpoints, you can take a trip to Baboon Cliff – a rock formation where baboons cavort. However, hold on to your camera and personal belongings tightly, as baboons are excellent thieves!

Lake Nakuru National Park is a good stopover on the way from Nairobi to the Masai Mara. It is also possible to go there for just one day/night. Stay in one of the lodges on the edge of the hills surrounding the lake and enjoy the magnificent view!

Common Animals in Lake Nakuru National Park

  • Rhino
  • Buffalo
  • Lion
  • Leopard
  • Giraffe
  • Zebra
  • Flamingo
  • Pelican
  • Antilope
  • African Wild Dog
  • Eland
  • Waterbuck

Lake Nakuru National Park Highlights

  • Watch thousands of flamingos on a mesmerizing lake
  • Possibility to spot rhinos on the edge of the lake
  • Leopards spotted on a regular basis

Facts about Lake Nakuru National Park

  • The flamingos were gone for some time, but now almost back to their old levels
  • The national park has a successful breeding program for rhinos
  • Great views on the lake from the surrounding hills
  • Menengai crater, one of the largest volcanic craters in the world
  • Largest Euphorbia forest in Africa
  • Makalia Waterfall

Activities in Lake Nakuru National Park

  • Watch the flamingos on this beautiful soda lake
  • Pay a visit to Baboon Cliff
  • Pass by Makalia Falls

How to get there

Lake Nakuru National Park is a four hour drive or a twenty minute flight from Kenya’s capital Nairobi.

Climate

The climate at Lake Nakuru is rather mild and temperatures are more or less constant throughout the year. Daytime temperatures are comfortably in the mid to upper twenties, although it is much cooler at night. Warm clothing for early morning game drives is a must! The wettest months are April and May. The rest of the year is relatively dry with scattered rains.

Best time to visit Lake Nakuru National Park

The best time to spot flamingo’s is between November and May, when there are enough algae in the lake. Besides, the dryer months (January, February) are good to also spot other animals due to lower grasses.