Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park: Background Info

Located in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru sits at an elevation of 1,745 m, and it is famous for the vast numbers of flamingos that feed off its algae. Lake Nakuru varies in size according to rainfall, and its surface area varies between 5-45 km². The park lies south of Nakuru, the fourth-largest settlement in Kenya. Feeding pressures and pollution have reduced the flamingo population in recent years, but there are now signs of recovery. Lake Nakuru National Park is also home to a large rhino population. These beasts can often be spotted lazing under the shade of the luscious acacia trees that surround the lake. Surrounded by waterfalls, cliffs, and forests, the lake is a vital water source for zebra, buffalo, and the endangered Rothschild giraffe.

Lake Nakuru National Park: Destination Preview

The Experience: Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru’s flamingos are the park’s primary attraction. However, you also have the chance of seeing a broader variety of species, including rhinos, giraffes, and leopards. Centered on a large, shallow lake that supports great birdlife, including big flocks of pelicans and flamingos, the park is known for its black and white rhinos and big cats. Lake Nakuru offers easy wildlife viewing of most big safari animals with the exception of elephants. Black and white rhino were reintroduced in the 1990s and have bred to healthy populations. White rhino are usually easy to see on the lakeshore. Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo and hippo are numerous as well. Lucky visitors might see lions, which occasionally climb trees. Leopard are present, but not often encountered. The scenery of Lake Nakuru is breathtaking. The Rift Valley escarpment, dotted with euphorbia trees, rises up from the lakeshore. Heavy mist sometimes shrouds the lake and surrounding yellow fever trees in the early morning.

Wildlife

Over 50 mammal species call Lake Nakuru home, and the adjoining Lake Nakuru National Park is a great destination to see black and white rhinos, as well as Cape buffalo, African wild dog, zebra, eland, waterbuck, and lion. The large frequency of leopard sightings and the rare Rothschild's giraffe have made Nakuru famous in recent years. Baboons, Impalas, colobus monkeys, hyenas, zebras, gazelles, and pythons are also among the abundance of wildlife here. The guaranteed close-up wildlife encounters are just one of the reasons why nature lovers visit Kenya and choose Lake Nakuru National Park. There is a small number of hippo that can be found along the reeds of the lake. Along with the waterbuck, visitors might also see Reedbuck and Bushbuck.

Birdlife

Lake Nakuru National Park is a great birding destination with more than 400 species recorded. The soda lake is a birding hot spot and supports a lot of birdlife, including large flocks of flamingos and pelicans. Nakuru is also one of the best places in Kenya to see the striking long-tailed widowbird. There is a good variety of raptors including Verreaux’s and long-crested eagle. Birdwatchers can hope to see African fish eagle, Goliath heron, kingfisher, and of course an abundance of flamingos. It is a spectacular place for birdwatching with over 400 species. There are over a dozen different predator bird species. The flamingo population has earned the lake and national park the slogan, “the greatest bird spectacle on earth.” The shallow lake is rich in algae and according attracts the flamingos who eat around 551,155 pounds (250,000 kg) of algae per acre a year.