Lake Nakuru National Park: Kenya’s Diverse Ecological Hotspot

It is a place where one can see the most fabulous bird spectacle in the world. It is a national park where one can spot most of Africa’s rich wildlife. It is one of Kenya’s two premium national parks and is a bird lover’s paradise. I am talking about Lake Nakuru national park, a Ramsar Wetland that is nestled in the vast great Rift valley.
   
     
    
Designated by UNESCO as one of Kenya’s lakes system world heritage sites, Lake Nakuru National Park is home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of the Black Rhinoceros. It’s ecosystem is comprised of lake surrounded by wooded and bushy grasslands. The lake is saline, which allows growing of many types of algae and the surrounding grassland is made up of highly adaptable alkaline grasses.   
   
     
    
It is this diverse ecosystem that makes it an important pitstop on the African – Eurasian migratory flyway. The star bird attractions are the Greater and the Lesser Flamingos, but one can also see yellow-billed storks, marabou storks, hammerkops, fish eagles, helmeted guineafowls, great white pelicans, African spoonbills, grey headed gulls, super starlings and close to 400 species of birds .
   
     
    
In terms of the other wildlife, one is guaranteed to see white rhinos, African buffalos, Rothschild giraffes, zebras, impalas, olive baboons, velvet monkeys, waterbucks, hippopotamuses, hyenas and jackals. And if you are lucky, you might even get to see lions, leopards, black rhinos, wild dogs, colobus monkeys and cheetahs. Apart from the African elephants, one can almost see all of Africa’s rich wildlife if they are staying inside the park for a few days.    
   
     
    
It is this insanely beautiful combination of plants, birds and rich wildlife that make Lake Nakuru national park so special. Add to it, its dusty jeep safaris and the panoramic vistas from Baboon cliff, Out of Africa and lion hill and you have a stunning African wildlife destination.    
   
     
    
A wildlife safari at Lake Nakuru national park begins by the lake side at around sunrise. As the mist lifts from the surface of the water, you get to see a large maze of pink in the horizon. As the mist goes up and the golden rays of the sun fall on it, your eyes get treated to millions of lesser and greater flamingos that feed on the algae. And when you get closer to these gorgeous birds, you will see them take to the air, in the thousands together before descending on another stretch of the lake to continue feeding there. And this process continues, making for a fabulous spectacle.    
   
     
    
Once you move your attention away from the flamingos, you will notice the thousands of other water birds sharing the waters of the lake. They might not be as great a spectacle as the pink flamingos, but they offer diversity and fill up new colours in your viewfinder. And then there are the water buffalos that can be seen sharing the waters too.
   
     
    
And you make your way into the woodlands, you will come across more grazers like the impalas, the black and the white rhinoceros and finally the gorgeously printed Rothschild Giraffe chomping on the juicy leaves of the trees in the woods.

     
    
In between, you can also lay your sights on rowdy olive baboon families or the more playful black velvet monkeys. And if you get lucky, you might be able to spot some apex predators such as the leopards, cheetahs, lions or wild dogs.
   
     
    
And if you have some snacks or a picnic lunch with you, you can drive to the panoramic view points and enjoy the beautiful views at high noon while relishing a much needed bite after a whirlwind morning full of bird and animal sightings. These view points are also a great place to get a bird’s eye view of this diverse ecological hotspot while enjoying the cooler breeze during the hot part of the day.
   
     
    
As the sun starts making its way down, you can return to the woodlands, grasslands or the lake for more wildlife action before retiring to your place of stay within the national park or head out of the gate to the land beyond. And did I tell you that you can also go on a hike to a waterfall here. It is called Makalia falls and it carries decent amount of water during the wet season.
   
     
    
Lake Nakuru national park is nothing short of wild miracle. It is one of Kenya’s most diverse ecological hotspots and a place that I much recommend for all wildlife and bird lovers. Do ensure that you stay here for at least two days so that you give yourselves the best chance to see all of its magic.     
   
     
    
Fees and permits:

The fee per foreign national adult is USD 60 and USD 35 per foreign national child or student. If you are foreign adult residents of Kenya, the fee is KSH 1030 and KSH 515 for child or student.



In addition to the entry fees, there is a vehicle fee too and that depends on the vehicle and its number of seats. 
   
    
    
How to reach:      
     
If you are driving from Nairobi, take the Naironi-Nakuru highway. This is a scenic route and will give you good views of the Rift valley and the volcanoes. The total distance is 168 kms and will take you about 3 hours. It is best to have your own mode of transportation.

If you wish to fly, it is a 25 minute flight from Nairobi to the Naishi airstrip inside the national park.    
   


Best season to visit:    
    
The best season to visit Lake Nakuru national park is between July to December or January to March. These months also happen to be the peak tourist season and the dry season.

If you don’t mind some rains, you can visit during the other months of the year. These months also happen to be the low season.   
   


Where to stay:    
    
If you wish to stay inside the park, your only options are five star hotels. If you are okay with staying outside the park boundary, you will find budget hotels and backpacker hostels. There are also special and public campsites where you can pitch in your own tents. These campsites are basic, but they offer a stay in the wild experience.

If you are on a full on wildlife experience, I would recommend staying at the five star hotels so that you don’t have to drive long distances every day and can spend more time spotting and photographing wildlife. If budget is an issue, then you will have to stay outside the park. But, you can compensate by walking up real early in the morning to make it to the core of the national park at sunrise.   
   


Where to eat:    
    
There are a few restaurants outside the park boundary where you can find some basic food options. Your best bet for food would be your place of stay. And self-cooking in case you are camping.

Nakuru town is a good option in case you wish to indulge in local cuisine at local prices.
   


Other wildlife reserves nearby:    
    
1) Hell’s Gate National park: A small national park known for its wide range of wildlife and for its cliff scenery

2) Lake Naivasha: A fresh water lake that is part of the Great Rift valley and that is home to more than 400 species of birds and a sizeable population of hippos



3) Aberdare National Park: A high altitude national park that is home to a large variety of birds and mammals

4) Mount Kenya National park: A high altitude national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site

5) Maasai Mara: The 8th wonder of the world and home to one of the greatest wildlife migration in the world

6) Samburu National Reserve: An oasis of wildlife in arid North Kenya

7) Lake Elmenteita: It is a Ramsar site, an UNESCO World heritage site and home to over 400 species of birds
   


Other tourist attractions nearby:    
   
1) Nairobi: The capital city, commercial and cultural hub

2) Nanyuki Equator Point: A great place to keep one step in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern hemisphere



3) Hyrax hill: It is a prehistoric site in the Rift valley province of Kenya

4) Menengai crater: It is a massive shield volcano with one of the biggest calderas in the world

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Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve: A Photo Story of Wild Riches

Africa is the place to go for that ultimate wildlife experience. While Maasai Mara, Kruger National Park, Okavango Delta, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Etosha National Park and Serengeti National Park are considered the best safari parks in Africa, there are so many lesser known places where one can have an absolutely amazing wildlife holiday.

Samburu National Reserve, located in the northern part of Kenya is one such mesmerizing and rich wildlife zone in Eastern Africa. Not only does this place allow you to see amazing African wildlife, but it also allows you to experience one of Kenya’s colorful tribes. Usually, visitors to Kenya explore Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Amboseli National Park and the country’s East Coast, but if you have some time on hand, head north towards Lake Turkana (near the Somalia border) and enroute visit Samburu National Reserve for a landscape full of wild riches.

From the big five to muscular antelopes and from colorful birds to dazzling primates, Samburu has it all. Here is a photo story of the wild riches of this place from my last visit there. I hope these pictures give you ideas for a surreal wildlife holiday to Kenya.

Above photo: The gorgeous Beisa Oryx, a large antelope, is big, has beautiful stripes and has eye catching horns.



Above photo: A Eastern yellow billed hornbill sitting on a fruit tree. These birds love their fruits and are an essential cog in maintaining the health of the forests.



Above photo: The gerenuk, another large and muscular antelope loves to stand on its hind legs to reach the juicy shoots on small desert shrubs and trees.



Above photo: The cobalt blue Vulturine guineafowl is in my opinion one of the prettiest large birds of Africa.



Above photo: A small herd of African elephants in monochrome. Both the male and the female elephants have tusks unlike the Asian elephants where only the males have tusks.



Above photo: The D’Arnaud’s barbet is a very pretty bird that can be seen in shrubs and bushes, especially close to human civilization.



Above photo: The Kirk’s Dik Dik is one of the smallest antelopes of Africa.



Above photo: The beautifully patterned crested francolin on the floor of the Samburu forest.



Above photo: The spotted leopard is may be keeping an eye on its prey.



Above photo: The reticulated giraffe (one of the 3 types of giraffe found in Kenya) crosses the jeep track.



Above photo: The crested bustard, a flightless bird found in drier regions of Kenya.



Above photo: The antics of the usually rowdy and rough olive baboon.



Above photo: The vividly colorful yellow necked spurfowl on top of a small plant.



Above photo: A female African elephant and her young one.



Above photo: The metallic blue Superb Starling is superb indeed!



Above photo: The black faced velvet monkey chomping on some grass from the floor of the Samburu forest.



Above photo: The grey headed kingfisher found close to the Ewaso Ngiro river inside Samburu National Reserve.



Above photo: The pretty Impala antelope looking out for danger.



Above photo: You definitely want to stay far away from the sharp horns of the Beisa Oryx antelope.



Above photo: The Grant’s gazelle, one of the many types of antelopes seen at Samburu National Reserve.



Above photo: The grey crowned crane, another beautiful bird found in Kenya.



Above photo: The grey headed kingfisher stays steady in spite of the elephant trunk disturbing the branches it is sitting on.



Above photo: The African elephant raises a trumpet warning call upon approach of a jeep.



Above photo: A Cheetah lazily looks up from under a tree, where it is taking its afternoon nap.



Above photo: A lioness resting in the shade during mid day.



Above photo: The Martian Eagle, a beautiful raptor seen at Samburu National Reserve.

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Lake Nakuru National Park: The place to see the most fabulous bird spectacle in the world

Small in size, but rich in bio diversity, Lake Nakuru is known for its birdlife, with more than 500 species listed. The avian highlights are the the millions of flamingo that gather along its shore and the pelican that cluster on the southern floodplain. Nakuru is a stronghold for both of Africa’s endangered rhino species, and there is probably no better place in East Africa to observe the white rhino. While flamingo and rhino top most visitors’ wish list, Nakuru offers excellent game viewing and bird watching, with all the Big Five present, alongside Giraffe, waterbuck, gazelle and baboon.


Following are some of the key specialties of Lake Nakuru National Park:

1) Flamingoes on Lake Nakuru
The shallow algae rich waters of Lake Nakuru attracts more than 2 million flamingoes. The biggest numbers can be seen during the dry season. When the lake is full, the flamingoes are known to migrate to another Rift valley lake, Lake Bogoria or sometimes Lake Turkana.


2) Rhino Sightings
A dozen white and 20 black rhino were translocated to Lake Nakuru in the 1990s and have since bred to form populations of around 50 of each species. The white rhino in particular is common on the lake’s southern floodplain.

3) Acacia Forest
The southern part of the park supports a cover of lush acacia woodland dominated by the fever tree. This is the best place to look for the black rhino, lion, leopard and woodland birds.


4) Baboon Cliff
This view point, situated in the middle of the park offers great vistas of the lake and the surrounding hills and forests.


5) Rothschild’s Giraffe
Lake Nakuru is one of those few places in East Africa where one can see the Rothschild’s giraffe in the wild. The population of this Giraffe at Nakuru is the second highest after Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda and the largest in Kenya.

6) Euphorbia Forest
The Rift Valley escarpment rising to the southeast of Lake Nakuru supports Kenya’s largest concentration of the cactus-like euphorbia, a striking tree-sized succulent whose thick sap is poisonous to most animals.


Since Lake Nakuru is a small park, one can easily cover all of its routes within a single day. But, personally, I would recommend that you stay here for at least a couple of days to soak in the pristine beauty of this rift valley lake. Either people visit this lake as a day or weekend trip from Nairobi or visit enroute to Maasai Mara Game Reserve or Samburu National Reserve.


As with most other parks of Kenya, no one is allowed to get down from their vehicles during the safari. But, a small exception is made at 3 spots in this national park. One is the place near the lake, where birders can park their tripods and photograph the flamingos and pelicans. The other is the area around Baboon’s cliff and the third is the ‘Out of Africa’ view point. Both Baboon’s cliff and Out of Africa are popular picnic spots for the locals.


In terms of accommodation, the park has two wildlife lodges, Lion Hill Lodge and Lake Nakuru lodge. Apart from these, one can also pitch in their own camps, though mosquitoes and baboons can cause a racket.


The safari timings remain sunrise to sunset, but unlike the other parks, most of the park stays dark due to the extremely tall tree cover. Hence it is my recommendation that you spend the sunrise and the sunset hours towards the southern side of the park where the golden hues will form a beautiful glow on the animals and the birds feeding in the floodplains.


If hippos interest you, go near the mouth of the Makalia, Njoro or Enderit rivers as the hippos like the freshwater that the river brings. The best place to see the cape buffalo is in the swamps next to the lake. In all probability, you will see the buffalo wallowing in the mud.


This is one place that you should not miss while planning a wildlife holiday in Kenya. Just the sheer number of flamingos are enough to keep you enthralled for a couple of days.

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