Lake Nakuru National Park

Scenic Lake Nakuru is Kenya’s most popular national park. The park’s main feature is a large, shallow lake supporting great birdlife, including big flocks of pelicans and variable flocks of flamingos. The lake was once famous for its flamingos, however, since 2012, conditions have become unfavorable for these birds and most have moved to other Rift Valley lakes.

Pros & Cons

Good wildlife viewing
Easily accessible
Stunning Rift Valley scenery
Varied habitats support an excellent range of wildlife
Excellent birding with big flocks of pelicans and flamingos
The park gets very busy in high season
A limited game-drive circuit

Most big safari animals are present in Lake Nakuru NP with the exception of elephants. The park is known for its populations of black and white rhino. White rhino is particularly conspicuous, and different groups can be encountered throughout the day. Hippo, waterbuck, Burchell's zebra and Thomson's gazelle are common on the floodplains.

Wildlife Highlights

The park is an important stronghold for the rare Rothschild's giraffe. It was introduced to the park in the 1980s and has now become locally common. Aside from the widespread vervet monkey and olive baboon, the beautiful black-and-white colobus monkey can sometimes be found in the acacia forest. A highlight, if you’re lucky enough, are the tree-climbing lions – Lake Nakuru NP is the best place in Kenya to see them.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Lake Nakuru can be visited throughout the year, but wildlife viewing might be more difficult in April and May, which are the wettest months. At this time, rain might interfere with your game drives and the grass tends to be very high making animal spotting more difficult.

Wildlife Viewing

There are no safety issues with wildlife viewing in Lake Bogoria National Reserve. There are almost no dangerous animals in the reserve. There are some buffalo but they are rarely, if ever, seen. The main attraction is the flocks of flamingos that feed in the shallow waters. If you’re lucky, you might see some antelopes as well.

Further advice on limiting dangers and annoyances when traveling:

• Wildlife Viewing Safety Precautions

• General Travel Safety Precautions

• Cities & Urban Areas: Safety Precautions

• Safety & Security – Kenya

• Malaria & Vaccinations – Kenya

Lake Nakuru is a great birding destination with more than 500 species recorded. The soda lake is a birding hotspot and supports a lot of birdlife, including large flocks of pelicans. Unfortunately, flamingos are no longer the drawcard here as unfavorable conditions have driven many of them to other Rift Valley lakes. Nakuru is also one of the best places in Kenya to see the striking, long-tailed widowbird. There is a good variety of raptors including Verreaux’s and long-crested eagle.

Birding Specials–Treats for Avid Birders

(E) endemic = only lives in Kenya
(NE) near-endemic = also lives in neighboring countries

Best Time for Bird Watching

The best time to visit the park for birders is from November to April. This is the breeding season and many birds are in full plumage. This is also a good time to tick of extra species as migrants from Europe and north Africa are present as well. Most interesting species are present throughout the year and therefore bird watching is good at any time. Although it’s good for birding, April tends to be very wet, and is a less productive time for general wildlife viewing.

Lake Nakuru offers good wildlife viewing throughout the year, but the rains might interfere with your game drives in the wettest months, April and May. Although there is great birdlife at the lake, conditions in recent years have become unfavorable for flamingos, which used to be a real attraction here. As a result, the flamingos have moved to other lakes in the Rift Valley.

Best Time June to March is best for general wildlife viewing (Little rain)

High Season July to March (The park gets very busy)

Low SeasonA pril to June (The park is less crowded and low season rates might apply)

Best Weather June to March (Little rainfall)

Worst Weather April to May (Wettest months)

June to February –Dry Season

It is sunny and dry, but it rarely gets hot
Short grass and few water sources make animals easy to spot
The park gets very crowded and good sightings tend to attract a lot of vehicles

Wildlife Photos

March to May –Wet Season

Less crowded and low-season rates may apply
The park is green, the skies are clear, and there are lots of flowers
Newborn animals can be seen
Wildlife viewing is still fine in the Wet season as the park is fenced and animals can’t move out
Best time for bird watching with migratory birds present
April can be very wet and rain might interfere with your game drives
Grass is long and animals are more difficult to spot

Dry season–June to February

The pleasant days are usually sunny, but do not get too hot. It rarely rains, although don’t be surprised if there is an occasional shower at any time. It is recommended to wear warm clothing on early morning game drives.

June, July, August, September, October, November & December – Conditions are sunny with the occasional shower. Temperatures climb to around 25°C/77°F in the afternoon, but the beginning and the end of the day is cold with the temperature hovering around 9°C/48°F.
January & February – These months, before the rains break, are the driest and warmest in the calendar. Temperatures climb to 28°C/82°F and push higher. Be aware of the chill factor in the early morning when the temperature only crawls up to 9°C/48°F.

Wet season–March to May

There are many overcast, cloudy days in the Wet season, but it rarely rains all day. Temperatures in the afternoon are pleasant at around 27°C/81°F. Early mornings are a bit milder at 11°C/52°F. April is the wettest month.

March – March or April see the beginning of the rains, although it is rare for March to see much rain. Expect temperatures in the afternoon to reach around 27°C/81°F.
April – The wettest month, but it doesn't rain for long stretches very often.
May – The rains are already tapering off, but afternoon showers are still common.

Lake Nakuru is located 155km/96mi northwest of Nairobi and 5km/3mi from Nakuru town. Nakuru is an easy destination by car via a tar road from Nairobi.

International flights arrive in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), 15km/9mi southeast of Nairobi.

Lake Nakuru can also be reached from several other parks. The distance from the Masai Mara is 235km/150mi and the driving time is about six hours. The distance from Samburu in the north is 300km/190mi and the drive takes about five and a half hours. Driving time from Laikipia Plateau hugely depends on which reserve you are coming from, but should be between three to seven hours.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner, or for multiple-destination flights check Expedia, to see which airlines can take you to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), and what tickets would cost.

Domestic Flights

There are currently no scheduled flights to Nakuru. Your tour operator will usually take care of charter-flight bookings between parks.

Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements

Please check our Getting There – Kenya page to learn more about passport, visa and other entry requirement

Safety

Lake Nakuru is a very safe park to visit, in our opinion. There are virtually no crime issues in the Kenyan parks. As is the case throughout the world, the crime that does occur mostly happens in cities. Therefore, normal safety precautions should be taken in urban centers (see ‘Cities & Other Urban Areas: Safety Precautions’ below). However, when visiting on a guided tour, you’re very unlikely to have any problems at all.

Several vaccinations are required before a trip to Kenya. Lake Nakuru is a shallow soda lake in the Rift valley and malaria is present. Apart from bringing antimalarials, the use of DEET-based mosquito repellent and covering up exposed skin in the evening is highly recommended.

In our opinion, Kenya is generally safe to visit. The tourist industry is very established and visitors are very well looked after. Several governments have advised against traveling to some cities and remote border areas, but tour operators will only take you to places that are considered safe. For more info on these travel warnings, see the advisory links below. There is crime in big cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa, but most issues can be avoided by following basic safety precautions. More than a million tourists visit Kenya every year, and the vast majority of visits are trouble-free.

Below are tips on staying safe in Kenya.

Staying Safe on Wildlife Viewing Activities

Your safari guides will ensure your safety at all times – all you have to do is follow their instructions and always keep your distance from wild animals. When on a self-drive safari, only leave your car where it has been designated as safe to do so. For additional tips:

Wildlife Viewing Safety Precautions

Staying Safe in Cities and Towns

As is the case all over the world, big cities tend to be crime hotspots. Although most issues are minor, such as petty theft and pickpocketing, some areas of Nairobi and Mombasa are best avoided unless on guided activities. When venturing out in the city, you should follow a few simple safety precautions: seek advice from your hotel before heading out; don’t wear valuables and only take the money you need with you; don’t walk after dark, rather take a taxi. For more safety tips that apply to African cities in general:

Cities & Urban Areas: Safety Precautions

Other Tips on Staying Safe

Please read the pages below regarding malaria and vaccination information for Kenya and general travel safety precautions.

Wildlife viewing is generally very safe in our opinion. A professional guide will ensure your safety on a guided safari. Self-drive safaris are safe as well, as long as you treat animals with respect and follow all park rules. It is extremely rare for incidents to occur. Below are some general safety guidelines and tips.

Always follow your guide’s instructions and guidelines
Always keep your voice down when close to animals
Stay in the car during game drives except at designated areas where you are allowed to get out
Don't stand up in the car, hang out of the window or sit on the roof
Don’t drive too close to animals if you are on a self-drive safari and back off if the animals seem disturbed
Don’t drive between elephants in a herd, especially females and their young
Stay together as a group close to your guide on a walking safari and always walk in single file
Never run or jog in a wildlife area as it entices predators to attack
Never walk between a hippo and water; it may panic and charge because its safety route to the water is blocked
Never leave food in your tent; it will attract wildlife
Cover your arms and legs in the evening and use insect repellent to protect against mosquitoes
Wear a hat, use sunscreen and drink plenty of water
Don't wear bright and colorful clothes or too much perfume – especially on walking safaris
In tsetse-fly areas it is recommended not to wear dark-colored clothing – such as black or dark blue – since it attracts these stinging flies
Bring warm clothes for morning game drives in open vehicles

African safaris are generally safe in our opinion. Especially if your visit is primarily an organized tour. Your tour operator and guide will ensure your safety at all times. Self-drive safaris are generally safe as well, but it is recommended to seek advice about the safety of the areas you intend to visit. Below are some general safety tips:

Buy good travel and health insurance
Check the passport and visa requirements for your destination
Get all the required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and insect repellent (those containing DEET are most effective)
Lock all your travel bags and keep all valuables in your hand luggage
Make duplicates of important travel documents or keep copies online
Bring appropriate clothing to protect against the sun, mosquitoes and to stay warm on open vehicle game drives
Check luggage restrictions on all your flights (including domestic flights)
Don't drive at night
Put your valuables in the safety deposit box of the hotel
Always be polite and respectful to police officers and military personnel. In the rare instance that you might get asked for a bribe (on a self-drive safari only), a light attitude and a joke might well get you off the hook.

Travel in Africa is generally safe in our opinion. Especially if on an organized tour or safari. However, as is the case all over the world, there is an increased risk of crime in large cities and urban areas. Visitors on guided activities are mostly shielded from these risks and their guide will ensure their safety. When unguided, normal safety precautions and common sense should keep you safe. Below are some general tips:

Ask at your hotel if it is safe to walk around the local area; when new in a place it’s always good to seek local advice on safety issues
Don’t wear jewelry when walking in cities and leave all valuables in a safety deposit box at your hotel
Avoid walking alone in a large, unfamiliar city
Don’t walk around at night; take a taxi
Avoid getting engaged with people approaching you in the street
Be careful when drawing money from an ATM; go elsewhere if you suspect people hanging around
Always lock your car doors and close windows when driving in busy towns
Never leave a car unattended with valuables or luggage visible