| LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK: | | | | - View-points: Lion hill, Baboon cliff and Out of Africa |
| Ref: Lake Nakuru National Park | Safaris | Attractions | | | | provide vintage views of lake Nakuru and the |
| Despite having one of the best rhino sanctuaries in the | | | | surrounding National Park. |
| world, Lake Nakuru’s fame still revolves around its | | | | - Hills: Lake Nakuru has several hills including Enasoit, |
| bird spectacle of a million flamingos. The fame of Lake | | | | Honeymoon and Lion hill. |
| Nakuru National park is further enriched by presence | | | | - Waterfalls: Makalia |
| of all the big five except the elephant, the absence of | | | | - Unique vegetation: About 550 different plant species |
| which does not make Lake Nakuru less rewarding in | | | | are found in Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru |
| terms of game watching. The presence of big cats, | | | | boasts of the largest Euphorbia cnadlebrum forest in |
| more so lions and leopards in the vicinity of large | | | | Africa, Picturesque landscape and yellow acacia |
| concentrations of ungulates, the backdrop of the pink | | | | woodland. |
| shoreline and escarpments makes lake Nakuru not | | | | - Bahrain springs |
| only a nature lovers but also a painters paradise. | | | | - Reptiles: A large number of reptiles inhabit Lake |
| Flamingos: | | | | Nakuru including the python and tortoise. |
| Two species of flamingos exists in the lake Nakuru | | | | A morning game drive in Lake Nakuru is likely to reveal |
| National Park- the lesser flamingo with deep red | | | | the elusive leopards which are a very rare nocturnal |
| carmine bill and the greater flamingo with black tip. The | | | | animals while late evening game drives offers the best |
| flamingos feed on Blue green algae, created from their | | | | chance to spot the white rhinos. |
| droppings mixing in the warm alkaline waters, and | | | | Accommodation facilities in Lake Nakuru National Park |
| plankton. You can easily distinguish these from their | | | | Lake Nakuru National Park is served by two lodges |
| feeding habits, with the lesser flamingos feeding on the | | | | and a number of bandas and campsites. Bandas |
| top of the water surface and the greater from the | | | | include Naishi banda; Rhino banda; Chui banda; |
| lake bed. | | | | Reedbuck banda; KWS Isikon banda; Nyuki banda; |
| Lake Nakuru National Park was established as a bird | | | | Soysambu banda; Makalia Falls banda; KWS Guest |
| sanctuary in 1960, to protect the "greatest bird | | | | House; WCK Education Centre & KWS |
| spectacle", for natural beauty and posterity. In 1968, | | | | Education Centre bandas. Three lodges serve the |
| lake Nakuru was upgraded to a National Park. In 1974 | | | | park. Lake Nakuru Lodge, Lion hill Sarova Lodge and |
| a northern extension was added to Lake Nakuru | | | | Flamingo hill. Campsites Besides Enjoro campsite, one |
| National Park increasing its area to the current 188 | | | | can camp at the main gate. |
| Km2. In 1990 Lake Nakuru National Park was | | | | Budget accommodatin is available in Hotels in Nakuru |
| designated a Ramsar site- a signatory of the Ramsar | | | | Town: The include Hotel Genevieve, Midland hotel, |
| convention, for protection of wetlands of international | | | | Pivot hotel, Eros guest house, Stem hotel. |
| importance. The park is managed by KWS on behalf | | | | Picnic sites in the park include Makalia Falls Enjoro |
| of the central government. | | | | River Mouth near the main gate, Baharini, Acacia, |
| Lake Nakuru Safaris: | | | | Baboon Cliff, Out of Africa, Lion Hill Summit. |
| A safari to lake Nakuru can take from one to several | | | | Activities: |
| days. The safari is enhanced by visit to other | | | | Lake Nakuru offers one a variety of activities. Besides |
| attractions in the vicinity like Menangai crater, Hell’s | | | | game viewing, in Lake Nakuru there exists unrivalled |
| Gate National Park, Mt Longonot, and other Rift Valley | | | | bird watching experience, picnics and photography |
| lakes- Baringo, Bogoria and Naivasha. Lake Bogoria is | | | | opportunities. Other places one can visit while in Lake |
| a fresh water lake, the home of the Maa speaking | | | | Nakuru are- Lakes Bogoria, Baringo and Naivasha, |
| Jemps. The Jemps occupy the islands in the lake and | | | | Menengai Crater and the archeological site of Hyrax |
| derive their livelihood from the Lake. Lake Boringo is a | | | | Hill. |
| spa resort with hot springs. It is the home of the | | | | Entrance into the park:The applicabel park entrance |
| greater Kudu and a bird watchers’ paradise. Lake | | | | fees are as follow |
| Naivasha, is famous for her flower farming. All these | | | | - Adult citizens Ksh 2000 pp, Children Ksh 100.00, |
| can be combined to form an enjoyable safari for any | | | | Students Ksh 50.00 |
| traveler. | | | | - Residents Ksh 1000.00 pp, Children Ksh 500.00 , |
| Within Lake Nakuru National Park, the best safari | | | | Students Ksh 100.oo |
| would involve game drives in the morning and evening. | | | | - Adult Non residents USD 50.00 pp, Children Usd |
| Please note that walking by the lake shore is now | | | | 30.00, Students Usd 10.00 |
| prohibited due to presence of bid predators. | | | | The rates are applicabel per day. A day is 24 hours. |
| Getting there: | | | | Lake Nakuru park gates/ Rules: Main Gate, Lanet and |
| The critical mass of lake Nakuru is worldwide. It is only | | | | Nderit. |
| 157 Km from Nairobi. Different people from all walks of | | | | All visitors must enter the park through the official |
| life visit the lake every year. Depending on where you | | | | gates. Park is open from 06:00Hrs-18:00 Hrs daily. No |
| are on the planet, your haste and preferences, getting | | | | person is allowed to drive in the park at night. Speed |
| to lake Nakuru can entail a combination of different | | | | limit in the park is 40Km per hour. No off track driving. |
| modes of transports. Most of visitors from outside the | | | | No feeding of animals and no littering the park. Do |
| country will first of fly into Nairobi from where they | | | | not entice any animals into your car. Do not get out |
| decide the next means to use. To most popular | | | | of your vehicle unless you are in a designated picnic or |
| means of transport from Nairobi to Nakuru is by road. | | | | observation site. Do not collect any animal |
| Being the centre of vast Rift Valley province, Nakuru is | | | | remains-feathers, horns etc as souvenirs. All these |
| well linked by public means from all the corners of the | | | | offences are punishable by a fine or a jail term. |
| country. | | | | Conservation Status: |
| The drive from Nairobi takes via the most scenic area- | | | | The main challenges of existence of Lake Nakuru |
| uplands in Limuru with well tended farmlands. The Rift | | | | National Park as a bird spectacle are fourfold- |
| Valley observation point at Limuru never fails to | | | | - the destruction of the Mau complex has led to drying |
| fascinate. From here you see the vast expanse of | | | | up of main rivers like Njoro and Makalia which has |
| great Rift Valley. | | | | greatly affected the level of the lake |
| Major Attractions and Physical Features of Lake | | | | - the pollution of the lake from domestic and industrial |
| Nakuru National Park | | | | wastes from Nakuru town |
| Flamingoes & Birds:- Lake Nakuru national Park is | | | | - large mammal population which tends to interfere |
| the home to over a million flamingoes. Fleets of Lesser | | | | with the lakeshore breeding grounds of birds. |
| and Greater Flamingos line the shores of Lake Nakuru | | | | - In addition the park is completely fenced hence |
| giving it a pinkish appearance. Besides flamingos, Lake | | | | animals cannot freely migrate in and out of the |
| Nakuru is home to other water birds including a variety | | | | sanctuary. Equally significance is the absence of the |
| of terrestrial birds numbering about 450 species in total. | | | | elephants which has resulted in some parts of the |
| - Mammals: 56 different species of mammals have | | | | being heavily forested and hence not ideal for game |
| been identified in Lake Nakuru National Park, including | | | | watching. |
| black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, cape | | | | In summary Lake Nakuru National Park is nature lovers' |
| buffaloes, Deffassa waterbucks, Thomson's and | | | | nivarna offering unparalled bird and game viewing |
| grant’s gazelles, impalas, lions, leopards, warthogs, | | | | opportunities. Accommodation is available either |
| olive baboons, black backed jackal, reedbucks, dik diks, | | | | inside the park or in Nakuru Town. |
| eland | | | | |