The Lake Nakuru National Park, home to the “best bird (ornithological) spectacle on the globe”, has its trademark in millions of pink flamingos’ habitat at Lake Nakuru banks. Established in 1961 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968, the 188km² area fully fenced park is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service or KWS. For safari in Africa enthusiast, this is one place you have to visit.
It is 2km away from the capital of Rift VALLEY – Nakuru and 164km from Kenya’s capital Nairobi. It is an ecological marvel which sustains diverse ecosystem on its woody and bushy grasslands and UNESCO has realized it as World Heritage Site. There are 550 plant species recorded and its Euphorbia candelabrum forest is the biggest of its kind in Africa. Due to the warm climate here deciduous trees like yellow acacia are commonly witnessed.
However, Lake Nakuru is the biggest draw for adventure lovers on a safari to Kenya due to the abundance of flamingoes. The extremely saline lake occupies around 27% of the park and supports varieties of aquatic flora and fauna. Due to drop in its water levels in the 90s, it became a signatory to the Ramsar Convention that preserves wetlands.
With the lesser flamingo with deep red carmine bill and greater black tipped, the lake has two flamingo species habitat here. They live on green blue algae made when their droppings combine with the lake’s warm alkaline waters. Other than flamingos this park features 56 mammal species, and almost 400 other bird species like ducks, grebes, pelicans, avocets and cormorants that migrate here each and every year. Baboon cliff is the best place to view the birds.
The park is a dream come true for wildlife filmmakers, scientists and ornithologists. Among the wildlife creatures that are part of this warm rugged habitat are tortoise, leopard, python, leopard, waterbuck, Rothschild’s giraffe, Thompson gazelle, clawless otter, hippo, eland, Columbus monkey, rhino, baboons and others. They make their homes in the thick woodlands bushes, forest, cliffs and rocky escarpments. Several times, pythons have been seen swinging from trees.
The park has become a restocking sanctuary for the endangered black and white rhinos that were almost wiped out because to poaching from 1983. Today in (2010) the park has about 70 white rhinos and 25 black rhinos and is the largest Rhino concentration in Kenya. Picnicking sites like the Lion hill, Makalia falls, Enjoro River Mouth and Out of Africa make game spotting easier, and are perfect viewpoints of the entire park and the spectacular Rift Valley.
The park’s perpetual water source lies in the Bahrain springs since River Makhalia and Nderit are almost dry owing to degradation of the Mau forest. The park’s ecosystem also suffers from pollution due to its close proximity with Nakuru town whose 212,000 population’s sewage drains to the park. Being only two hours drive from Nairobi, the park may be visited within a day.
The Naishi Airstrip at the southern part of the park lands flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. For visitors and tourists there are ample bandas, campsites and lodges for accommodation. The more famous lodges include Sarova Lion Hill, Lake Nakuru lodge, Naishi House and Annex and Flamingo Tented Camp. Nakuru Town, located nearby, also has reasonably priced accommodation facilities. {If you have more questions~Should you have more questions, you can {post~ask} them {in~at} various Kenyan safari forums found on {cyberspace~the internet}.
