By air
Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi (NBO), ~3 h by road
Africa · Kenya
Lake Nakuru, Kenya
Flamingos and rhinos
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to October — dry
Don't miss
Lake Nakuru
Baboon Cliff
Makalia Falls
Things to do
Game drives for rhinos
Flamingo watching
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Jasper1976 at Dutch Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Binoculars
A quieter corner
Baboon Cliff's view over the lake
Questions travellers ask
What wildlife can I see at Lake Nakuru?
Flamingos and rhinos. Go on game drives for the rhinos and spend time flamingo watching.
When should I plan a Lake Nakuru safari?
June to October, when it's dry. Bring binoculars.
Is there a good viewpoint at Lake Nakuru?
Yes, Baboon Cliff has a view over the lake. Make time for Makalia Falls too.
How far is Lake Nakuru from Nairobi?
About 3 hours by road from Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi (NBO). Meals are at the lodges.
About Lake Nakuru
- Lakeside
Where it is
Lake Nakuru is a shallow alkaline lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley in Nakuru County, central Kenya, just south of the city of Nakuru, and is surrounded by a fenced national park.
History
A national park was created around the lake in 1961, and it was later enlarged and fenced as a sanctuary for rhinos, making the park a stronghold for black and white rhinos. The lake is part of the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, and in recent years rising water levels have pushed many flamingos to other lakes.
People
The city of Nakuru, on the lake's northern edge, is home to Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Luo and many other communities, and Swahili and English are widely spoken. The surrounding highlands are farming country, growing maize and wheat and raising dairy cattle.
Known for
- Flamingos on the lake shore
- Black and white rhinos
- Rothschild's giraffes
- Baboon Cliff's view over the lake
- Makalia Falls
Did you know?
Lake Nakuru's shores can turn pink with lesser flamingos that feed on the blue-green algae thriving in its alkaline water, though their numbers rise and fall with the lake's level.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.