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The shoreline of Lake Nakuru, with drowned trees standing in the water and forest along the shore

National park

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park surrounds a shallow soda lake on the edge of Nakuru city. It is one of Kenya’s best places to see rhinos, as the whole park is fenced as a sanctuary, and its acacia woods, grassland and lake shore hold Rothschild’s giraffes, buffalo, lions, zebras and a huge variety of birds, from pelicans to flamingos.

Why visit

Lake Nakuru became a bird sanctuary in 1960 and a national park in 1968, and in 1987 it became Kenya’s first fenced rhino sanctuary. Today it is one of the most reliable places in the country to see both black and white rhinos, and the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe has been reintroduced here. Because the park is compact and close to the city, it is easy to visit on a day trip, and it makes a good first taste of safari before the Masai Mara.

The lake itself is a soda lake, part of the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was once famous for vast pink flocks of flamingos. Since about 2010 the water has risen sharply, flooding the shore, drowning trees and diluting the lake, and flamingo numbers now go up and down from year to year. Great white pelicans are almost always there. Read more in where to see flamingos in Nakuru County.

What to see

  • Rhinos: white rhinos often graze the open grassland near the lake shore; black rhinos are shyer and keep to the bush.
  • Baboon Cliff: a viewpoint high above the western shore, with the classic view over the lake.
  • Makalia Falls: a seasonal waterfall in the south of the park, with a picnic site nearby.
  • The acacia woods: yellow-barked fever trees where giraffes browse and leopards sometimes rest.
  • Birds: more than 450 species have been recorded, including pelicans, fish eagles, storks and flamingos.

Getting in

The Main Gate is on the southern edge of Nakuru, a few minutes from the city centre. Lanet Gate is on the Nairobi side of town, and Nderit Gate is in the south. You need a vehicle to enter, as walking is not allowed in the game areas, so come with a tour, a hired driver or your own 4×4. Fees are paid electronically, so bring a card or mobile money rather than cash.

Tips

  • Enter when the gates open in the early morning, when animals are most active and the light is best.
  • Stay in your vehicle except at marked viewpoints and picnic sites.
  • Some tracks flood or close after heavy rain, especially along the shore.
  • Follow our one-day plan for the park.
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