This article covers the Best Things To Do In Lake Nakuru National Park. Located in the Great Rift Valley, the park is surrounded by marshes, woodland, and grassland. The Kenya Wildlife Service manages it and covers 73 square miles. The park includes the lake, savannah, forests, and swamps, and Makalia Falls is at the southern end. Famous for its rhinoceros sanctuary, Lake Nakuru National Park is an ideal place to visit in Kenya.
Established in 1961, Lake Nakuru Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an excellent spot for wildlife spotting and is home to water-loving animals like hippos. The park is renowned for its incredibly vast flamingos, which turn the lake pink. It is supposed to be the greatest bird spectacle in the world and is one of the most famous parks in Kenya.
The lake varies in size from five to 30 square kilometres depending on rainfall and is rich in birdlife; there are 400 resident species on the lake and in the surrounding national park. In addition to its 400 species of birds, Lake Nakuru National Park is home to 50+ mammal species and over 500 species of flora. Recently, the park has gathered more tourists because of its leopard sightings and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe. The acacia and euphorbia forests are a haven for animals during the day, making Lake Nakuru an excellent wildlife destination in Kenya.
A Brief History of Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru is a shallow, alkaline lake recognized as a conservation area since 1957. In 1961, it was declared a bird sanctuary, and in 1968, it was officially announced as a national park, extending its boundaries to cover a total area of 188 sq km. In 1977, endangered Rothschild’s giraffes were introduced from western Kenya to protect their population, and in 1984, it was designated as Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary.
The lake, which is 1,754m above sea level, became a wetland site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990. 2011, it was awarded Unesco World Heritage status, along with nearby Lake Bogoria and Lake Elementaita. It’s also internationally recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), home to 450 bird species.
Until 2012, Lake Nakuru was renowned for its vast flamingo population (sometimes exceeding 1.5 million), which covered the lake in a blanket of pink. Since 2012, rising water levels from heavy flooding have drastically reduced this phenomenon, shrinking the flamingos’ breeding and feeding grounds. More recently, there have been promising signs of flamingos returning, which bodes well for the park’s biodiversity and the tourism industry’s health.
How to Reach Lake Nakuru National Park
Getting from Nairobi to Nakuru by car is very straightforward—you follow the A104 road the whole way. From Nakuru town, the entrance to the national park is 4km to the south. If you’re coming from Maasai Mara National Reserve, it’s a five-hour journey on tarmacked and gravel roads.
It’s also possible to fly from Nairobi to the Naishi airstrip at the southern end of Lake Nakuru National Park, which takes only half an hour. However, this route doesn’t always operate, so it’s worth checking the schedules closer to your visit if you intend to fly.
Top Things To Do In Lake Nakuru National Park
1. Game drives
Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the most popular destinations for game drives in Kenya after Masai Mara and Amboseli. Upon your visit, you can book a guided tour or self-drive through the park to see a wide range of wildlife, including the famous flamingos, rhinos, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and more. Game drives in Lake Nakuru usually occur early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the wildlife is most active. Due to the many things to do while in Lake Nakuru, expect to spend a few hours exploring the park, stopping to observe and photograph animals along the way. In addition to the wildlife, game drives in Lake Nakuru offer the chance to see the park’s diverse landscapes, which include woodlands, grasslands, and acacia forests.
2. Bird watching
Lake Nakuru is a renowned birdwatching destination in Kenya. The lake’s shallow waters and surrounding forests, grasslands, and acacia woodlands provide habitats for various bird species, including resident and migratory birds.
Some bird species commonly seen in Lake Nakuru include flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets, kingfishers, eagles, and vultures. The best time to birdwatch in Lake Nakuru is during the dry season, between July and October, when the lake is at its lowest, and the birdlife is concentrated in smaller areas.
You can take a guided birdwatching tour or explore by yourself. You can also visit the nearby Lake Naivasha, another popular birdwatching destination. Birdwatching is always refreshing as you step out of the car and feel the grass beneath your feet while strolling through the park. The cool breeze and the gentle sounds of birdsong create a serene atmosphere. This setting offers a wonderful chance to explore the diverse flora and fauna up close. Experienced park rangers lead guided nature walks, sharing valuable insights about the park’s wildlife, various plant species, and ongoing conservation efforts.
During your nature walks, you can explore different parts of the park, including the lake’s shoreline, acacia woodlands, and grasslands. Along the way, you may spot various wildlife, such as giraffes, buffalos, zebras, baboons, and bird species.
Nature walks in Lake Nakuru provide a unique and intimate experience of the park’s ecosystem, allowing you to appreciate its beauty and complexity more personally. You can also learn about the park’s conservation efforts and its challenges in preserving its biodiversity. We recommend wearing appropriate clothing and footwear for walking on uneven terrain and bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, and plenty of water.
4. Visit the Makalia Falls
Makalia Falls is a stunning sight located on the park’s southern end. Visitors can hike to the falls and enjoy a picnic while enjoying the beautiful scenery. The falls are a popular attraction for park visitors, providing a stunning backdrop for photography and sightseeing. Visitors can view the falls from a nearby viewpoint or take a short hike to get closer to them.
5. Visit the Baboon Cliff
Baboon Cliff is a popular viewpoint located in Lake Nakuru National Park. It forms one of the must-visit places in Lake Nakuru due to what it has to offer. It is named after the baboons often seen climbing and playing antics on the cliffs. The Cliff is situated on the lake’s eastern side, offering visitors a stunning panoramic view of the lake and its surroundings.
From Baboon Cliff, visitors can see the lake’s shimmering waters and pink flamingos in their thousands, often seen wading in the shallows. The view from the Cliff is particularly beautiful at sunset when the lake is bathed in golden light. The area around the Cliff is a popular spot for birdwatching, and you can also see birdwatching zebras, giraffes, and buffalos. The Cliff is accessible by road, and you can drive.
6. Visit the Rhino Sanctuary
The Lake Nakuru Rhino Sanctuary is an important conservation area that provides a safe habitat for the endangered rhinos and contributes to the overall conservation efforts in the region. A visit to the Rhino sanctuary should be a top priority among the things to do in Lake Nakuru National Park.
The sanctuary, which is home to more than 70 black and white rhinos, is one of the largest concentrations of rhinos in East Africa. You can take a guided tour and game drive to see the rhinos and other wildlife, such as buffalo, baboons, and various bird species. The sanctuary is also an important breeding ground for rhinos, and you may have the opportunity to see young rhinos with their mothers grazing nearby.
7. Camping
Camping is an exciting adventure that allows you to sleep under the sky in the wild to experience nature and the wild first-hand. Lake Nakuru National parsing one of the top camping destinations in Kena; it gives campers more than just sleeping under the r sky in ten.s; campersLakelake Nakuru National Park gets to enjoy the unique vegetation in the park, the semi-humid weather, and if one is lucky, they get to see a few animals up close Lake Nakuru national park has seven operational camping sites that spread in the northern and southern parts of the campers can expect to enjoy cool weather in the night, beautiful sky campers can expect to enjoy cool weather in the night, beautiful sky views, magnificent views of the concentrated flamingos resembling a pink blanket covering the surface of Lake Nakuru national park and scenic views of the surrounding in the park.
- Enjoro Campsite is the most accessible and frequently used campsite by visitors, situated right next to the park’s main gate.
- Nakuru Tented Camp is one of the quietest campsites in Lake Nakuru National Park, providing a peaceful retreat for its guests.
- Mbweha Camp is celebrated for being the most delightful campsite, offering some of the best game viewing and nature experiences available.
- Flamingo Hill Tented Camp, located on the shores of Lake Nakuru, is recognized as a luxury campsite and is highly sought after for its excellent birding viewpoints.
- Lakira Camp is also a luxury campsite located within the park at the edges of Lake Nakuru.
- Rhino Camp represents the most traditional camping experience in Lake Nakuru National Park, allowing visitors to observe endangered rhinos in their natural habitat. This basic campsite aims to provide guests with an authentic camping experience without extra frills.
- Finally, Makalia Falls Camp presents an exhilarating experience with the soothing sounds of the waterfall and opportunities for game viewing, particularly for herds of buffalo.
8. Picnicking
Picnicking is one of the activities that Lake Nakuru National Park offers in its full splendor. Several designated picnic sites within the park offer beautiful views of the lake and surrounding landscapes—the picnic sites have tables, benches, and basic amenities such as toilets and trash cans.
You and your friends can bring your food and drinks to enjoy a picnic or order meals from the park’s restaurants and cafes. Some popular picnic sites in Lake Nakuru include the Baboon Cliff Picnic Site and the Makalia Falls Picnic Site, which offer takis of the park’s landscapes and wildlife. Picnicking in Lake Nakuru provides a relaxing and enjoyable way to experience the park’s natural beauty and wildlife.
9. Pink Flamingos on the lake
The sight of thousands of pink flamingos feeding on the surface of Lake Nakuru is one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles. A few years ago, millions of these elegant, colorful birds could be seen at any one time on the lake. Then, mysteriously, they disappeared altogether. They have returned, but in diminished numbers, as they also migrate to other lakes across the Rift Valley. At Lake Nakuru, though, there are still thousands of flamingos. This majestic sight is best observed at the height of the dry season in January and February when the birds are most numerous.
10. The Out of Africa lookout
Out of Africa was the film that inspired a generation of travelers to undertake safaris in Africa. This classic movie was filmed partly within Lake Nakuru National Park, and many shots were taken from a lofty hilltop that became known as ‘The Out of Africa Lookout.’ Drive to the top of this steep hill for excellent views across Lake Nakuru and the surrounding land, and immerse yourself in the romantic scenes that inspired the film.
Best Time To Visit Lake Nakuru National Park
Given that Kenya sits directly on the equator, temperatures don’t tend to fluctuate much throughout the year. Due to Lake Nakuru National Park’s high altitude usually avoids the scorchingly hot weather you might expect elsewhere in the country, with temperatures typically hovering around 25-28C during the daytime and dropping overnight to around 10C.
The best time to visit is during one of the dry seasons—between July and early October or January through early March—as these months provide optimal conditions for wildlife viewing. April and May are the wettest months and should be avoided. Many animals seek shelter during heavy rains, and dirt tracks used for drives are unfit for wildlife.
Where To Stay
There is an excellent variety of places to stay within and outside Lake Nakuru National Park. It depends on your budget and what kind of experience you’re after. Most lodges and camps offer safari experiences, including game drives, bush walks, and bird-watching excursions with experienced park rangers.
Within the park, Lake Nakuru Lodge is a delightful eco-friendly retreat surrounded by wilderness. You can spot wildlife directly from your accommodation. Facilities include a large outdoor pool, a spa, and an on-site restaurant serving delicious Kenyan and Indian cuisine, as well as traditional bush barbecues.
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, overlooking the eastern shore of Lake Nakuru, is another outstanding choice. It features 67 luxurious villas, a panoramic terrace bar, and an organic vegetable garden that provides fresh ingredients for the on-site restaurant. Flamingo Hill Tented Camp and Mbweha Camp, both on the park’s outer edges, are also options worth considering.
Suppose you don’t mind staying just outside the park. In that case, there are plenty of hotels in Nakuru town, such as Sarova Woodlands Hotel and Spa, which offers spacious, air-conditioned rooms, two restaurants serving an eclectic mix of cuisines, and an outdoor pool. You can spend a night there and enjoy a game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park.
