kenya

Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

Quick Facts

Best Time to Visit: June–March (year-round wildlife); flamingo numbers vary with water levels
Country: kenya

Highlights

Rhino sanctuary for both black and white rhino
Famous flamingos and over 450 bird species
Scenic Rift Valley lake and acacia woodland
Endangered Rothschild's giraffe
Compact park, easy from Nairobi

Wildlife

Black and white rhinoRothschild's giraffeLion and leopardBuffalo and waterbuckFlamingos and pelicans450+ bird species

Lake Nakuru National Park surrounds a shallow alkaline lake in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley and is one of the country’s premier sanctuaries for rhino.

A rhino stronghold

The park is fenced and protected as a sanctuary for both black and white rhino, giving visitors a strong chance of seeing these endangered animals. It is also home to the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe.

Flamingos and birdlife

Lake Nakuru is world-famous for the flamingos that once gathered on its shores in their millions; numbers now fluctuate with water levels, but the park still supports more than 450 bird species, including pelicans and fish eagles.

Getting there

Lake Nakuru is around two to three hours by road from Nairobi, making it an easy and popular stop on a Kenya safari circuit, often paired with the Maasai Mara.