Where to see flamingos in Nakuru County and the Rift Valley lakes

For decades, Lake Nakuru was famous for the pink rim of flamingos along its shore, sometimes more than a million birds at once. Today the picture is more complicated, but flamingos are still a highlight of a trip to the Rift Valley if you know where to look.

Why flamingos come and go

Most of the flamingos here are lesser flamingos, which feed on tiny blue-green algae that thrive in shallow, salty soda lakes. They are nomadic, moving between the lakes of the Rift Valley as conditions change. Since about 2010, heavy rains have raised the levels of Lake Nakuru and its neighbours, diluting the water and reducing the algae. As a result, flamingo numbers at Nakuru have fallen and now vary greatly from month to month.

Where to look

• Lake Nakuru: flamingos are sometimes present in good numbers, often far out on the water; great white pelicans are almost always there.
• Lake Elementaita: a shallow soda lake where both lesser and greater flamingos feed, especially near the southern end.
• Lake Bogoria: about two hours north, often the best bet for large flocks, with hot springs and geysers on the shore.
• Lake Oloiden: a small, salty lake next to Lake Naivasha, visited by flamingos at times.

The three soda lakes of Nakuru, Elementaita and Bogoria together form the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected largely for its birds.

Tips for seeing flamingos

• Ask your guide or lodge where the flocks are this month before you set off.
• Bring binoculars and, for photos, a long lens.
• Early morning and late afternoon light shows the pink colour best.
• Keep your distance on the shore; flocks take flight if approached.

More birds

Even without flamingos, the lakes are superb for birds: pelicans, storks, fish eagles, avocets and hundreds of other species. Read the best time to visit.