HomeDestinationsLake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is the rift lake in Kenya known for flamingos, rhino, and a short, busy park.
Get a quote
Experience a Lake Nakuru Safari
Lake Nakuru in Kenya is just a three-hour drive from Nairobi in the Great Rift Valley. It boasts an abundance of wildlife and spectacular landscapes. Think black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and hippo occupying euphorbia forests, acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands and rocky escarpments around a shallow, alkaline lake.
Up until 2014, Lake Nakuru was renowned for its vast flamingo population (sometimes more than 1.5 million of them at one time), which covered the lake in a blanket of pink plumes. However, rising water levels from heavy flooding have drastically reduced this phenomenon, shrinking their breeding and feeding grounds. Flamingos may not be as abundant as they once were, but a safari at Lake Nakuru still delivers some of the best wildlife viewing in Kenya.
A Famous Soda Lake
Lake Nakuru is one of the most famous soda lakes in Eastern Africa’s Great Rift Valley lake system and is the heart of Lake Nakuru National Park. The richness of wildlife lends itself to incredible photographic opportunities from captivating landscapes to emotive wildlife portraits. After a day of adventure, you can retreat to the delightful eco-friendly retreat, Lake Nakuru Lodge, enveloped in untamed wilderness.
Highlights:
- Eco-conscious accommodation options
- Ideal destination for a photographic safari
- Birdwatching mecca with an estimated 450 species
- Enjoy stunning Rift Valley scenery
A Rich Diversity of Wildlife
Over 50 mammal species call Lake Nakuru home, and the adjoining Lake Nakuru National Park is a great destination to see black and white rhinos, as well as Cape buffalo, African wild dog, zebra, eland, waterbuck, and lion. The large frequency of leopard sightings and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe have made Nakuru famous in recent years.
Baboons, Impalas, colobus monkeys, hyenas, zebras, gazelles, and pythons are also among the abundance of wildlife here. The guaranteed close-up wildlife encounters are just one of the reasons why nature lovers visit Kenya and choose Lake Nakuru National Park.
Highlights:
- Morning and afternoon game drives & bush walks
- Diverse array of lake and savannah wildlife
- Walk to the panoramic Baboon Cliff lookout point
- One of the best places in Kenya to see rhinos in the wild
Easily Combined with Other Destinations
Usually built into a longer Kenya safari itinerary and only a three-hour drive from the cultural hub, Nairobi, Lake Nakuru is often combined with other Great Rift Valley lakes – Lake Naivasha for example – and other conservation areas such as the nearby Aberdare National Park. Before embarking on a safari sojourn, make sure to have a look at the best time to go to Kenya and choose the time that is right for you and what you want to experience.
Highlights:
- Fantastic itineraries across Kenya with fly-in convenience
- Comfortable, authentic safari accommodation throughout
- Add a safari extension in the famed Masai Mara National Reserve
- End your safari with a beach finale in Zanzibar
What travellers most enjoyed about Lake Nakuru
Bird watching
Scenery
Wildlife and safari
Where to go
- The baseA lodge inside the park or on the edge. One night is the usual stay.
- The pairingThe Mara for the cats, or Lake Naivasha if you want another rift day.
When to go
When to go
The birds depend on the water level. June to October and January to February are the usual safari months around it.
Travel advice
Before you travel
Nakuru is a malaria area. The park gets crowded at the famous viewpoints. Go early.
Popular tours and safaris in Lake Nakuru
Priced itineraries that pass through this place. Nights can still change when the quote is drawn up. Nothing is paid until you accept it.
From KSh776,443 to KSh1,012,752 pps
Kenya's Big Five, Ol Pejeta & Mara
7 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Masai Mara | Nairobi | Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ask for the rate
Kenya Big 5 & Rhino Tracking Safari
7 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Masai Mara | Samburu
Ask for the rate
Family Kenya's Samburu & Masai Mara
7 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Masai Mara | Samburu
Ask for the rate
Fly-in Kenya's Lake Naivasha & Mara
7 daysHighlights
A hot-air balloon flight can be arranged. The quote confirms the fare.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Lake Naivasha | Masai Mara | Nairobi
From KSh776,443 to KSh1,012,752 pps
Kenya's Big Five, Ol Pejeta & Mara
7 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Masai Mara | Nairobi | Ol Pejeta Conservancy
From KSh1,541,201 to KSh2,082,634 pps
8-Day Luxury Nairobi, Laikipia & Mara
8 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Laikipia | Masai Mara | Nairobi
Ask for the rate
Kenya’s Laikipia & Mara Conservation & Wildlife Safari
8 daysHighlights
A rhino outing where this itinerary includes one.
Destinations visited
Kenya | Laikipia | Masai Mara | Nairobi
From KSh928,486 pps
Kenya’s Amboseli & Masai Mara’s Hidden Gems Safari
8 daysHighlights
Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.
Destinations visited
Amboseli National Park | Kenya | Masai Mara | Nairobi
Accommodation
A named stay for Lake Nakuru is not on a published itinerary yet. Get a quote and the camp can be written in.
Costs
Nakuru is a smaller line on a Kenya quote than the Mara. The park fee is still worth seeing on the quote.
International flights, visas, and tips sit outside the sample price. Nothing is paid until you accept the quote.