Things to do and see in Lake Nakuru National Park : Lake Nakuru National Park is renown as home for thousand unique birds, that lies to the south of Nakuru in the rift valley of Kenya. More so, it sits at an elevation of 1,754 meter above sea level. The lake’s abundance of algae used to attract thousands of flamingos that remarkably lined the shore. Other birds to see around flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large animal species like Eastern black rhinos and southern white rhinos.
The word Nakuru means ‘’Dust or dusty place’’ in the Maasai language. The park lies close to Nakuru town and was established in 1961. Lake Nakuru National Park sits on land around 188 square kilometers and its known for millions of flamingos nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. Therefore, the number of flamingos on the lake varies with water and food conditions and the perfect vantage point is from Baboon Cliff.
Lake Nakuru National Park is also home sanctuary for black rhinos, hosting more than 25 eastern black rhinoceros and around 70 southern white rhinos. Other mammal species to see; waterbuck are very common, come along the predators like lions, cheetahs and leopards. The park is also habitat to large sided pythons which can be spotted in the dense woodlands.
There are two types of flamingo species; the lesser flamingo and the greater flamingo. Other bird species that inhabit the lake and the surrounding area include; African fish eagle, Goliath heron, hammerkop, Pied kingfisher, Verreaux’s eagle among others.
Note; Lake Nakuru National park is under the protection of Kenya Wildlife Service ‘’KWS’’.
Attractions in Lake Nakuru National Park
Wildlife species; The park is home to over 56 different animal species. Some of them includes; Black and white rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, Cape buffaloes, Deffassa waterbucks, Lions, Impala, Warthogs, Dik dik Olive baboon, Eland, Black backed jacked, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles among other. It also hosts primate’s species like vervet monkey, Olive baboon and black and white colobus monkeys.
Vegetarian Cover; Lake Nakuru National park harbors with the most beautiful vegetation of about 550 different plant species recorded.
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is a site owned by a RAMSAR, it is a rift valley Soda Lake from which Lake Nakuru National Park got its name. The Lake covers a surface area of 45 square kilometers covering a reasonable area of the park. Lake Nakuru is a best place to go view huge population of birds such as the lesser and greater flamingos which flood the shores of the lake.
Makalia Falls
The makalia falls are impressive features in Lake Nakuru National Park found on the southern end of park, the falls is magnificent sights on Makalia River with a drop of 10 meters off a beautiful cliff and forms a plunge pool.
Hills
Lake Nakuru National Park is made up of a rugged terrain that comprised of hills including; Enasoit, honey moon, lion hill many more.
Birds
Lake Nakuru National Park is a habitant to over 500 bird species which scatter around the park. They are comprised of threatened bird species, migratory bird species which can be present in the park in month of November to April.
Birds are the greatest attractions in the park. Apart from greater and lesser flamingos. Other bird species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Greater spotted eagle ,Grey-crested helmet-shrike ,Hildebrandt’s starling ,Kenya rufous sparrow ,Lappet –faced vulture ,Red-capped lark ,Rufous-throated wryneck, Ruppell’s Vulture ,Ruppell’s robin-chat, Slender-billed greenbul ,Sooty falcon ,Abyssinian thrush ,Arrow –marked babbler ,Bateleur ,Black-tailed godwit, Brimstone canary ,Brown-backed scrub robin ,Crab-plover ,Eastern imperial eagle ,European roller ,Grey crowned crane ,Grey-crested helmet-shrike, Long –tailed widowbird, Maccoa duck, Montane white-eye ,Northern Puff back ,Pallid harrier ,Red-capped lark among others.
Beautiful scenery
Lake Nakuru National park hosts a breathtaking scenery composed of rift valley escarpment which rises up from the Lake Nakuru shore and dotted with a gallery of Euphorbia trees and also filled with yellow fever trees on its banks. The lake is always filled by millions of flamingoes both greater and lesser which fill the park area. Because of the beautiful scenery Lake Nakuru National Park offers fabulous sites for photography and nature viewing.
Look out of Africa
The park acts as the lookout of Africa where the film that inspired a generation of visitors to undertake safari in Africa. Along your visit to the park, never leave without visiting the top of steep hill where you will have gainful view across the entirely of Lake Nakuru –the surrounding land is rewarding and immerse area that is rewardable for filming.
Best time to visit Lake Nakuru National park
Interestingly, Lake Nakuru National Park is among top visited destination on Kenya Safari. The best time to visit the park is during the dry season which happens from June to October and December to March.
Getting there;
Lake Nakuru national park is located in central Kenya about 150 kilometers north west of Nairobi city in the rift valley province.
You can choose to use either air or road transport. It takes a short drive from Nairobi to Nakuru town.
By air; You can use chartered flights from Wilson Airport to land Naishi airstrip.
Where to stay in Lake Nakuru National Park
The park has unique lodges set near and in the proximity of the park, offering you a home away from home, including Sarova lion hill game lodge, Flamingo hill tented camp, Lake Nakuru lodge, Lake Nakuru Sopa lodges, Sarova woodlands hotel, Iangas relax Inn Nakuru among others.
