LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK – WORTH A VISIT!! – By GARETH JONES

For many years we have enjoyed occasional weekend visits to Lake Nakuru National Park. It is indeed a wonderful place to escape from the hectic city life of Nairobi. The park is not too far; being located about 160km from Nairobi (about 2.5 hours drive), so even a day trip is possible. However, if going for a weekend it is best to pre-book accommodation at a lodge or banda or camping, to try and spend a night either in the park or at suitable accommodation near the park. We normally like to leave Nairobi very early in the morning before 5 am so that we arrive at the entrance gates at just after 07h00. This ensures minimal traffic en-route and also allows time for an early morning drive in the park.

Game drives in this small park can be very rewarding. In recent years the lake levels have increased dramatically, resulting in some of the lake perimeter roads flooding as well as the previous main entrance gate. Due to the deeper waters, flamingoes no longer visit the lake in great numbers like they used to. However, there is still much to see, as we have never been disappointed. On our last visit, we were rewarded with a number of lion sightings, as well as wonderful rhino sightings. The bird sightings were particularly rewarding, even in the camps. We chose to stay at Sarova Lion Hill Lodge on our last visit and enjoyed a comfortable stay there, with great food. There are also a number of other lodges within the park that including Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge & Lake Nakuru Lodge. KWS also offers the same basic banda/cottage type of accommodation.

Lake Nakuru National Park (188 km 2), was gazetted in 1961 near Nakuru. It was best known for its thousands of flamingos nesting along the shores. The number of flamingos on the lake varies seasonal with water levels and food conditions and the best vantage point is from baboon cliff. The park has been enlarged partly to provide the sanctuary for the black rhinos. This undertaking has necessitated a security fence to keep out poachers rather than to restrict the movement of wildlife. The park parallels for 12.1 km on the south-eastern boundary with the Soysambu conservancy which represents a possible future expansion of habitat for the rhinos and is the only remaining wildlife corridor to Lake Naivasha area.

The park has eastern black rhinoceros, plus southern white rhinos. There are also a number of Rothschild’s giraffes, that were relocated for safety from western Kenya in 1977. Waterbuck are common and both the Kenyan subspecies are found here. Large mammals like buffalo and hippo are also well represented. Among the predators are lions, cheetahs and leopards, the latter being seen much more frequently in recent times. On one occasion we had a rare sighting of a striped hyena, spotted hyena also frequent the park. Bat-eared foxes are found on the open plains and are best seen in the early mornings or late afternoon. The park also has large sized pythons that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can occasionally be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees.

As well as flamingos, there are many other bird species that inhabit the lake and the area surrounding it, such as African fish eagle, Goliath heron, hamerkop, kingfishers, sunbirds, starlings, storks, pelicans and  Verreaux’s eagle plus many other species. Basically, the Lake Nakuru National Park is a photographer’s dream place with so many opportunities for unique photos of species against the wonderful backdrop of the lake and the thousands of huge Acacia xanthophloea (fever trees) in the tree forest.

After spending a relaxing weekend in the park, inevitably the time comes to have returned to Nairobi. My personal recommendation is to have lunch in the park and then leave not later than 3 pm to drive back, as the traffic on a Sunday evening can be quite hectic and jam-packed if driving later. Pray you take care when driving. Yes, of the many places to visit in Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park is still definitely worth a visit.

The park is open daily from 04h00 to 18h00.

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