Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari; Top birders haven and wildlife destination in Africa

Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari

Into Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari at -0.40349°S, 36.09617°E on the floor of the great rift valley, the park is surrounded by a woody and bushy grassland; Lake Nakuru- a small shallow alkaline lake is most famous for the spectacle flocks of up to tens of thousands of greater and lesser flamingos that nest on its shores. The wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment, gorges and ridges.

Notably, lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic, forest/ nature walks and game drives. Also Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley lakes, located at an elevation of 1,754 m above sea level. It lies to the south of Nakuru town, in the rift valley of Kenya and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park.

Diversity at Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru’s abundance of algae attracts a vast number of flamingos and other birds that famously line up along the shore. Other birds also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large mammals. Eastern black rhinos and southern white rhinos have also been introduced. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink.

The number of flamingos on the lake varies with water and food conditions and the best vantage point is from Baboon Cliff. Lake Nakuru national park is a UNESCO heritage site with an area of 188 km around the lake fenced off as a sanctuary to protect giraffes as well as both black and white rhinos in Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari.

Packages with Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari tours

3 DAYS LAKE NAKURU BIRDING KENYA SAFARI

The 3 days lake Nakuru birding Kenya safari starts from Nairobi on a 4 hours drive for a focused flamingos, rhinos and wildlife game drives. Lake Nakuru is popular for harboring tens of thousands of flamingos and as a rhino sanctuary. The park is premier destination in East Africa for watch black and white southern rhinos that are protected in the park. Along the flamingos, other bird endemics include white pelicans, yellow billed storks, geese, grey headed gulls, shrikes, rollers, sunbirds, bee-eaters, cuckoos, lack-winged stilts, teals, buzzards, eagles, kites etc. Mammals and primates in the park are bush babies, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, lions, leopards, antelopes, hippos, rhinos, Rothchild's giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, antelopes etc.

6 days Lake Nakuru Masai mara safari

6 days lake Nakuru Masai Mara safari combines birding and wildlife/ wildebeest migration in the same itinerary. The 6 days lake Nakuru Masai Mara safari starts from Nairobi with a game drive in Nairobi national park before heading to the rift valley floor. Day 2 finds you at lake Nakuru for wilderness game drives along flamingos & bird watching. 3rd day finds you in Ol Pejeta conservancy and the rest of the days engaging you in Masai Mara game reserve. Wildlife game drives get you to encounter wildebeests, Africa's big 5 (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos), giraffes, zebras, hippos, antelopes, cheetahs, hyenas etc. Other experiences are air balloon tours, photography, camping, horseback riding and Masai culture tours.

7 DAYS BIRDING KENYA SAFARI EXPERIENCE

A focused 7 days birding Kenya safari is only complete with a visit at lake Nakuru national park. 7 days start at Nairobi via Nairobi national park and then continues to lake Nakuru national park and finally to Masai Mara and Amboseli game parks. Kenya is also a popular destination of palearctic European immigrant bird species that set in from around November to April and spread in all game parks. When out for birdwatching, be expectant of grassland birds, water birds, papyrus endemics, acacia woodland species and forest bird species for example flamingos, pelicans, fish eagle, martial eagles, kites, falcons, kingfishers, vultures, warblers, sunbirds, bee-eaters, secretary birds, kori bustards, ostriches, cranes etc. While birding in game parks, you also enjoy scenes of Africa's big 5 (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos), cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests etc.

23 days RWANDA, UGANDA, KENYA SAFARI

23 days' East Africa safari combining Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya national parks on itinerary for the best encounters in the region. Along L. Nakuru game par, other game parks exciting national parks await you on this slow travel experience for example Bwindi impenetrable, Kibale forest, Queen Elizabeth game park, Nyungwe forest, Volcanoes, Murchison falls, Nairobi, Masai Mara and Amboseli national parks. Experiences on this safari include gorilla trekking, golden monkeys, chimpanzees, Murchison falls, source of the Nile, flamingos, great migration, white sand beaches etc.

10 days Kenya birding experience

The 10 days birding Kenya safari also has lake Nakuru game park on its itinerary being one of the world's top birding spots with tens of thousands of birds in the park. 10 days Kenya birding safari also includes exploration of Ol Pejeta, Nairobi, Masai Mara and Amboseli national parks. Great bird species on this safari include flamingos, secretary birds, kori bustards, egrets, ostriches, eagles, falcons, pelicans, fowls, warblers, sunbirds, bee-eaters, pigeons etc. Along bird watching, you'll enjoy rhino tracking, chimpanzees, wildebeests migration, Africa's big 5 (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos), giraffes, zebras, antelopes etc. Finally head out to Diani for white sand beach relaxation break, scuba diving, snorkeling, kite rafting, sea foods etc.

16 DAYS GORILLA TREK LAKE NAKURU MASAI MARA SAFARI

2 weeks/ 16 days Uganda Kenya safari features great highlights of mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, tree climbing lions, source of the river Nile, flamingos and wildebeest migration. Track mountain gorillas in the world's highest populated destinations in Bwindi impenetrable forest. Track chimpanzees also in the world's most concentrated haven in Kibale forest national park. Visit the river Nile source in Jinja. Catch up with the wildebeest migration and Africa's big 5 in Masai Mara game reserve. Still lake Nakuru stands out unique on this safari with its tens of thousands of flamingos.

Activities at lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari

Entry fees in lake Nakuru national park are $90 for adults and $45 f0r children (3-17 years). While in Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari you will be able to enjoy numerous sightings of;

Greater and lesser flamingos
Pelicans
Giraffes
Africa’s big 5 game (lions, buffalos, elephants, leopards, rhinos)
Hyenas
Antelopes
Wild dogs
Birding & bird watching
Lodges and sightings

Lake Nakuru birding, wildlife & Africa's big 5 safaris

Moreover, lake Nakuru game park has recently been enlarged partly to provide a sanctuary for black rhinos. This endeavor has necessitated a fence- to keep out poachers rather than to restrict the movement of wildlife that stretches for 12.1 km on the south eastern boundary with the Soysambu conservancy, which represents a possible future expansion of habitat for the rhinos and the only remaining wildlife corridor to Lake Naivasha.

On record, lake Nakuru national park now has more than 25 eastern black rhinoceros, one of the largest concentrations in the country, plus around 70 southern white rhinos. There are also a number of Rothschild’s giraffe, Waterbucks are very common and both the Kenyan subspecies are found here. Among the predators are lions, cheetahs and leopards, the latter being seen much more frequently in recent times and also has large sized pythons that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees.

Flamingos on lake Nakuru birding safaris

There are two types of flamingo species: the lesser flamingo (shorter and lighter) and the greater flamingo (taller and darker). The lesser flamingos are more commonly pictured in documentaries mainly because their larger numbers. The flamingos feed on algae, created from their droppings into the warm alkaline waters, and plankton. But flamingos are not the only avian attraction; also present are two large fish eating birds, pelicans and cormorants.

Despite the tepid and alkaline waters, a diminutive fish, Alcolapia grahami has flourished after being introduced in the early 1960s. The lake is rich in other bird life too. There are over 400 resident species on the lake and in the surrounding park. Thousands of both little grebes and white winged black terns are frequently seen as are stilts, avocets, ducks, and in the European winter the migrant waders.

Best time to visit lake Nakuru national park

The best time to visit lake Nakuru national park is from November to April with January and February towards the end of the short summer time being the best moment to watch flamingos. During January and February water levels are low thus exposing more algae that attract vast flamingo numbers at the lake.

Where to stay at lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari

Sarova woodlands

Sarova woodlands is located at -0.28199° S, 36.08918° E in lake Nakuru national park. This lodge gives some of the best scenic views of lake Nakuru and its wildlife wilderness.

So Sarova woodlands offers various rooms and rates;

Superior rooms starting at $200
Twin rooms starting at $200
Suites starting at $310
Executive suites starting at $350

Lake Nakuru lodge

Lake Nakuru lodge is located at -0.42241° S, 36.12999° E in lake Nakuru national park with ceremonial sceneries of wildlife game while relaxing in the restaurant/ bar area, swimming pool area and sites of the lake.

Thus lake Nakuru lodge offers numerous rooms/ occupation options and rates starting from $317 such as;

Single rooms
Double/ Twin rooms
Triple/ Family rooms

Sarova lion hill game lodge

Sarova lion hill game lodge is located at -0.34644° S, 36.12165° E in lake Nakuru national park.

At Sarova lion hill game lodge, offers a range of standard accommodation and rates such as;

Single rooms starting at $468
Double rooms starting at $468
Suites starting from $603
Executive rooms starting from $1,305

Lake Nakuru Sopa lodge

Lake Nakuru Sopa lodge is located at -0.42653° S, 36.05312° E with scenic views over looking lake Nakuru.

For a stay at lake Nakuru Sopa lodge, numerous accommodation offers and rates for its guests include;

Single rooms starting at $249
Double rooms starting at $409
Triple rooms starting at $560
Family suites starting at $615

Lake Nakuru national park on Kenya safari; Top birders haven and wildlife destination in Africa