A tour to Lake Nakuru National Park : Lake Nakuru is located in the Great Rift Valley and is surrounded by marshes, woodlands, and grassland. Kenya Wildlife Service is in charge of managing the park. The park’s 73 square miles not only contain the lake but also savannah, woodlands, and wetlands. Its southern portion also has Makalia Falls. Lake Nakuru National Park is a great Safari destination in Kenya since it is well-known for being a rhino sanctuary. Hippos and other water-loving creatures can be found in the park, making it a great place to see wildlife. Lake Nakuru Park, which was created in 1961, is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is well known for the enormous flamingos that populate the area and give the lake a pink hue.
One of the most popular parks in Kenya, it is rumoured to have the best bird display in the entire globe. Depending on rainfall, the lake can range in size from five to thirty square kilometres. The lake and the nearby national park are home to 400 resident species of birds. In addition to its 400 bird species, Lake Nakuru National Park is home to 50 or more animal species and more than 500 plant species. Due of recent leopard sightings and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe, the park has attracted more visitors. Lake Nakuru is a fantastic wildlife location in Kenya because the acacia and euphorbia woodlands serve as a daytime shelter for animals.
Lake Nakuru
A shallow, alkaline lake, Lake Nakuru. As early as 1957, Lake Nakuru was designated as a conservation area. The area was expanded to cover a total of 188 sq km after it was first designated as a bird sanctuary in 1961 and then as a national park in 1968. To preserve their population, Rothschild’s giraffes, which are endangered, were brought from western Kenya in 1977. In 1984, it was recognised as Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary.The lake itself, which is 1,754 metres (5,755 feet) above sea level, was designated a wetland site of international significance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990. It was also given UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2011, along with Lake Bogoria and Lake Elementaita, which are nearby.
Before 2012, Lake Nakuru was well-known for its enormous flamingo population, which occasionally exceeded 1.5 million and covered the lake in a pink blanket. The flamingos’ breeding and feeding areas have shrunk significantly since 2012 as a result of persistent floods that has caused rising water levels. Recently, there have been encouraging signs of flamingos coming back which is encouraging for the park’s biodiversity and tourism sector.
Game drives
Just after Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park is one of Kenya’s most visited places for game drives. During your stay, you can reserve a guided tour or explore the park on your own to observe a variety of animals, including as the well-known flamingos, rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and more. Game drives in Lake Nakuru often take place in the early morning or late afternoon when the wildlife is most active. Be prepared to spend a few hours wandering the park, stopping occasionally to watch and take pictures of the animals, due to the variety of activities to do when visiting Lake Nakuru. Besides to seeing wildlife, game drives in Lake Nakuru provide the opportunity to view the park’s many landscapes, which include woodlands, grasslands, and acacia forests.
Bird watching
Over 400 different bird species can be found at Lake Nakuru, a popular birdwatching Destination in Kenya. Since Lake Nakuru National Park is a birding hotspot, bird watching is undoubtedly the most popular activity among visitors while on a safari. Numerous bird species, both resident and migratory, can be found in the shallow waters of the lake and in the nearby grasslands, acacia trees, and forests.
Flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets, kingfishers, eagles, vultures, and a wide variety of other bird species are just a few of the species that are frequently observed in Lake Nakuru. Between July and October, when Lake Nakuru is at its lowest level and the bird population is concentrated in smaller areas, is the finest time to go birdwatching in the area. To see the birds, you can either go on a guided tour of the park or go on your own. The lakeshore, the acacia woodlands, and the cliffs that overlook the lake are a few of the park’s popular areas for birdwatching. Additionally, you can go to Lake Naivasha, which is a popular place for birdwatchers too.
Makalia Falls
Makalia Falls, which can be found on the park’s southern edge, is a magnificent sight to witness. Hikers can travel to the falls and take in the breath taking environment while picnicking. The falls are an attraction of choice for park visitors and offer a stunning backdrop for sightseeing and photography. Visitors have the option of hiking a short distance to the falls or viewing them from a nearby overlook.
Baboon Cliff
A well-known vantage point in Lake Nakuru National Park is called Baboon Cliff. Due of what it offers, it ranks as one of Lake Nakuru’s must-see locations. Baboons, which are frequently observed climbing and engaging in antics on the cliffs, are the source of the name. Visitors may enjoy a breath taking panoramic view of the lake and its surroundings from the cliff, which is located on the lake’s eastern shore.
Visitors can view the lake’s glistening waters from Baboon Cliff as well as the thousands of pink flamingos that frequently can be spotted wading in the shallows. At dusk, when the lake is illuminated by golden light, the view from the cliff truly lovely. The cliff’s surroundings are a well-known location for birdwatching, and you may also view other animals including zebras, giraffes, and buffalos there. Road access to the Cliff allows for either self-driving or guided tours.
Rhino sanctuary
The Lake Nakuru Rhino Sanctuary is a crucial conservation area that offers a secure habitat for the threatened rhinos and supports regional conservation efforts generally. The top activity in Lake Nakuru National Park should definitely be a trip to the rhino sanctuary.
The sanctuary has one of East Africa’s highest rhino concentrations and is home to more than 70 black and white rhinos. You can go on a guided tour and a game drive to see the rhinos and other wildlife, including buffalo, baboons, and many kinds of birds. You might have the chance to watch new born rhinos with their mothers grazing around since the sanctuary serves as an important rhino breeding area.
Camping
Camping is a thrilling experience that lets you spend the night outside under the stars to get a close-up view of nature and the wild. One of the best places to camp in Kenya is Lake Nakuru National Park, which offers visitors more than just a place to sleep under the stars in a tent. Visitors can also take advantage of the park’s distinctive vegetation, the semi-humid climate, and, if they’re lucky, the chance to see a few animals up close. Campers can anticipate moderate night time temperatures, lovely sky views, and stunning vistas at the seven operating campsites that are distributed throughout the northern and southern regions of Lake Nakuru National Park.
The Enjoro campground is the most popular among park visitors because it is right near to the entrance gate. Nakuru Tented Camp is one of the peaceful and tranquil campgrounds in Lake Nakuru National Park. Mbweha Camp is renowned as the most delightful campsite with the most adorable game viewing, watching, and nature experiences. Mbweha Camp is also the most sought-after campsite because it offers campers the best birding vantage points.
Out of Africa lookout
A generation of tourists was motivated to go on safari in Africa by the movie Out of Africa. Many of the pictures for this iconic film were taken from a tall hilltop that has come to be known as “The Out of Africa Lookout,” which is where some of the filming took place in Lake Nakuru National Park. Experience the romantic scenes that served as inspiration for the movie by driving to the top of this steep hill for spectacular views of Lake Nakuru and the surrounding area.
