Lake Nakuru National Park
Kenya's Pink Flamingo Paradise
Imagine a lake turned pink. Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya's Rift Valley is famous for its extraordinary flamingo spectacles, where hundreds of thousands of lesser and greater flamingos transform the alkaline lake's shores into a shimmering sea of pink — one of Africa's great natural wonders.
Quick Facts
- Location: Nakuru County, Kenya's Rift Valley
- Size: 188 km²
- Distance from Nairobi: ~157 km (2.5 hours by road)
- UNESCO status: World Heritage Site (as part of Kenya's Lake System in the Great Rift Valley)
- Best time to visit: Year-round; flamingos may vary seasonally
Why Lake Nakuru is Special
- Flamingos: Up to 1 million lesser and greater flamingos can gather at the lake — one of Africa's finest bird spectacles
- Rhino Sanctuary: Lake Nakuru is a protected sanctuary for both black and white rhinos
- Rothschild's Giraffe: One of the best places in Africa to see this rare, endangered giraffe subspecies
- Scenic Landscape: The lake is set within an escarpment of yellow fever trees and acacia woodland
Wildlife You'll See
- Flamingos: Lesser and greater flamingos in enormous numbers (seasonal)
- Rhinos: Both black and white rhinos in their protected sanctuary
- Lions and Leopards: Predators that feast on the abundant prey
- Rothschild's Giraffe: Critically endangered — one of only ~1,600 remaining
- Pelicans and waterbirds: Great white pelicans, African fish eagles, cormorants
Top Things to Do
- 🦩 Flamingo Viewing: Watch and photograph the iconic pink spectacle
- 🦁 Game Drives: Track lions, leopards, rhinos, and giraffes
- 🦜 Bird Watching: Over 450 species recorded in the park
- 🌿 Baboon Cliff Viewpoint: Panoramic views over the entire lake and escarpment
Where to Stay
- Luxury: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
- Mid-range: Lake Nakuru Lodge, Flamingo Hill Tented Camp
- Budget: Nakuru Town hotels (short drive to the park)
A Pink Horizon You'll Never Forget
Lake Nakuru's flamingo spectacle is one of those rare wildlife experiences that defies description. The sight of the lake's horizon blurring into a sea of pink, punctuated by the trumpeting of elephants and the screech of fish eagles overhead, is something no photograph can fully capture.
It must be seen to be believed. Plan your visit to Lake Nakuru.
Recommended Tours
2-Day Lake Nakuru & Naivasha Rift Valley Safari
Discover Kenya's spectacular Rift Valley lakes on this 2-day safari — photograph hundreds of thousands of flamingos at Lake Nakuru alongside rhinos and Rothschild's giraffes, then...
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Visit Kenya's Flamingo Paradise
Add Lake Nakuru to your Kenya safari — flamingos, rhinos, and Rothschild giraffes in one spectacular park.