Lake Nakuru National Park Destination Guide

Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the best places in Kenya to see rhino. Black and white rhino live here in a fully fenced sanctuary, and most visitors see them within a few hours of arriving. Add Rothschild’s giraffe, lions, leopards and a soda lake that can turn pink with flamingos, and you have a small park that packs a big punch.

The park covers approximately 188 square kilometres of the Great Rift Valley floor, about 160km north-west of Nairobi. It sits on the outskirts of Nakuru City, Kenya’s fourth-largest urban area, but once you pass through the main gate, it is all wild.

Why go to Lake Nakuru

The short answer is rhino. In 1987, Kenya Wildlife Service designated Lake Nakuru a rhino sanctuary, and it is now home to one of the country’s largest populations of both species. White rhino graze in small groups on the open grasslands close to the lake shore. Black rhino are browsers and are harder to find in the acacia woodland and bushier southern areas.

The park is also a perfect stop on the way from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, or from Lake Naivasha to Samburu. As it is compact, one full day, or an afternoon and a morning, is enough to see the main attractions.

Wildlife highlights

• Black and white rhino: the main attraction. White rhino are almost certain to be seen.
• Rothschild’s giraffe: one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies, recognised by the white “stockings” on its legs and the absence of markings below the knee. Lake Nakuru has a healthy breeding herd.
• Lions: several prides live in the park. They sometimes rest in the branches of the yellow fever trees, so you can see tree-climbing lions without travelling to Uganda or Tanzania.
• Leopards: often spotted in the woodland near Makalia and along the southern tracks.
• Buffalo: large herds near the lake shore.
• Waterbuck, impala, Bohor reedbuck and zebra: common on the grasslands.
• Primates: olive baboons, vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys in the forest areas.

The main species missing is elephant, which does not live in the park.

Flamingos and birdlife

Lake Nakuru was once called “the greatest bird spectacle on earth”, with a million or more lesser flamingos covering the shoreline. The lake level has risen significantly over the last 15 years, reducing the salinity and changing the algae the flamingos feed on. Numbers now go up and down with the water level. In some months, large pink flocks are still present. In others, most birds have moved to nearby Lake Bogoria or Lake Elementaita.

We always check recent reports with our guides before you travel, and if flamingos are a priority, we can add a stop at Lake Bogoria or Elementaita.

Birders still enjoy Lake Nakuru regardless. Over 450 species have been recorded here, including great white pelicans, African fish eagles, marabou storks, long-crested eagles and a variety of waders along the shoreline.

Things to see and do

• Baboon Cliff: the classic viewpoint over the lake and the park. Stop for photographs and a picnic. The baboons live up to the name, so keep food in the vehicle.
• Out of Africa Lookout: a second viewpoint with panoramic views of the lake and the Rift Valley escarpments.
• Makalia Falls: a seasonal waterfall in the south of the park. Best after the rains, with a picnic site close by.
• Lion Hill: the ridge on the eastern side, home to Sarova Lion Hill Lodge and good leopard country.
• Euphorbia forest: on the eastern slopes, one of the largest stands of candelabra euphorbia trees in Africa.
• Game drives: morning and afternoon drives are the main activity. The road network is small enough to cover most of the park in a day.

Beyond the park

• Menengai Crater: one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas, just north of Nakuru City, with a walking trail along the rim.
• Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site: a small museum and archaeological site with Neolithic and Iron Age remains.
• Lake Elementaita: a smaller soda lake 30 minutes away, often with good flamingo numbers. Together with Nakuru and Bogoria, it forms the Kenya Lake System UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Accommodation in and around Lake Nakuru

Inside the park

• Lake Nakuru Lodge: one of the older lodges, in the south of the park, with views over the grasslands and a large swimming pool. Good for families.
• Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge: on the slopes of Lion Hill with views over the lake. Comfortable chalets and a good option for a one or two-night stay.
• Lake Nakuru Flamingo Hill Tented Camp: permanent tents in the south of the park with good access to rhino areas.
• Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge: on the western escarpment, with lake views from every room.

Outside the park

• Mbweha Camp: in the Congreve private conservancy next to the park, with stone cottages and a laid-back feel. Walks and night drives are available on the conservancy.
• Lake Elementaita Serena Camp: a tented camp on the shores of Lake Elementaita, 30 minutes from the park. An excellent base for flamingos and a quieter alternative.
• Sunbird Lodge: a small, owner-run lodge overlooking Lake Elementaita.
• Hotels in Nakuru City: several modern hotels suit a budget or self-drive trip, but park fees are charged each day you enter.

When to go

Lake Nakuru is a year-round park.

• June to October and January to February: the driest months. The grass is shorter and animals are easier to see.
• March to May and November: the rains. Tracks can become muddy, but the park is green and quiet, and birds are abundant, with migrant species present from October to April.

At around 1,760 metres above sea level, mornings and evenings are cool. Daytime temperatures are usually 22 to 26°C.

Getting there

• By road from Nairobi: approximately 3 to 3.5 hours on the Nairobi to Nakuru highway, passing the Rift Valley viewpoint.
• From the Masai Mara: approximately 5 to 6 hours by road.
• From Lake Naivasha: about 1.5 hours.
• By air: flights to Naivasha airstrip or a charter to Nakuru are available, but most guests travel by road.

Lake Nakuru fits naturally with Lake Naivasha and the Masai Mara on a classic 5 to 7-day Kenya safari, or with Samburu National Reserve and Ol Pejeta on a northern circuit.

Park fees

Lake Nakuru is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service and is in its premium park category. At the time of writing, non-resident adults pay US$90 (about £68) per day, and children pay less. Payment is cashless. All of our safaris include park fees, so there is nothing to pay on arrival. Sterling figures are indicative and subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

Practical tips

• Stay at least one night. Rhino and lions on the move are best seen early in the morning.
• Bring a zoom lens. Rhino are often close, but leopards and birds need reach.
• The park is fenced, so wildlife stays within a small area. This suits first-time safari-goers and families with young children who may not cope well with long drives.
• Evenings can be chilly. Pack a warm layer.

How long to stay

One night is enough to see the park’s highlights. Two nights let you add Lake Elementaita, Menengai Crater or a second full day with the rhinos.