Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru in Kenya is just a three-hour drive from Nairobi in the Great Rift Valley. It boasts an abundance of wildlife and spectacular landscapes. Think black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and hippo occupying euphorbia forests, acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands and rocky escarpments around a shallow, alkaline lake.

Up until 2014, Lake Nakuru was renowned for its vast flamingo population (sometimes more than 1.5 million of them at one time), which covered the lake in a blanket of pink plumes. However, rising water levels from heavy flooding have drastically reduced this phenomenon, shrinking their breeding and feeding grounds. Flamingos may not be as abundant as they once were, but a safari at Lake Nakuru still delivers some of the best wildlife viewing in Kenya.

Lake Nakuru is one of the most famous soda lakes in Eastern Africa’s Great Rift Valley lake system and is the heart of Lake Nakuru National Park. The richness of wildlife lends itself to incredible photographic opportunities from captivating landscapes to emotive wildlife portraits. After a day of adventure, you can retreat to the delightful eco-friendly retreat, Lake Nakuru Lodge, enveloped in untamed wilderness.

Highlights: 

• Eco-conscious accommodation options
• Ideal destination for a photographic safari
• Birdwatching mecca with an estimated 450 species
• Enjoy stunning Rift Valley scenery

A Famous Soda Lake

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.

Highlights: 

• Morning and afternoon game drives & bush walks
• Diverse array of lake and savannah wildlife
• Walk to the panoramic Baboon Cliff lookout point
• One of the best places in Kenya to see rhinos in the wild

Usually built into a longer Kenya safari itinerary and only a three-hour drive from the cultural hub, Nairobi, Lake Nakuru is often combined with other Great Rift Valley lakes – Lake Naivasha for example – and other conservation areas such as the nearby Aberdare National Park. Before embarking on a safari sojourn, make sure to have a look at the best time to go to Kenya and choose the time that is right for you and what you want to experience.

Highlights: 

• Fantastic itineraries across Kenya with fly-in convenience
• Comfortable, authentic safari accommodation throughout
• Add a safari extension in the famed Masai Mara National Reserve
• End your safari with a beach finale in Zanzibar