On the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, lies the beautiful and spectacular Lake Nakuru National Park. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges.
It has been a blazing sea of deep pink flamingos – millions of them! Their intense fuchsias bursting against Lake Nakuru’s deep blue alkaline waters. Quite simply… it has until some few years ago been the most brilliant show of birdlife on earth. However, due to some progressive natural factors, the flamingo numbers have been reducing but the park itself remains stunning – one of Kenya’s finest. The few quantity of flamingos is accompanied by other birdlife – pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers, ostriches, storks as well as herons and eagles. The scene here is bountiful, busy and full of color.
Additionally, Lake Nakuru is known for hosting some endangered but beautiful species. You’re sure to see rare Rothschild’s Giraffe along with white rhino, especially along the lakeshore.
The park is also sanctuary to one of Kenya’s largest populations of black rhino. Another aspect to the active wildlife viewing here is observing the park’s zebra, hippo, olive baboon, vervet and colobus monkeys, waterbuck and hyena. Other big safari wildlife to be on the lookout for includes lion, cheetah, leopard and buffalo.
The park is fenced to protect the rhino and giraffe, so it can’t support elephants – the only large mammal you won’t find here. Moving through the park’s dense acacia forest you’ll likely come upon herds of impala and waterbuck. Also, in the woodlands you may see large pythons hanging from the trees. This is the infamous African rock python that’s capable of swallowing animals whole.
Those who have been to Lake Nakuru will attest to the park’s beauty with its rich topography of hills, grasslands and forests. There are several easily attained vantage points from which to enjoy wonderful views of the landscape and especially the lake with its undulating pink population of birdlife. Though the park is not large in size, a visit to Lake Nakuru will be a very full and colorful safari experience.
