Location of Lake Nakuru National Park.
Lake Nakuru national park is strategically located in the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley, that is approximately 156 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, the capital city making it an easily accessible safari destination for both local and then the international tourists, the park is located at an elevation of 1754 meters (5,755 ft.) above sea level. Nakuru means ‘’Dust or dusty Place’’ in the Maasai language. The park was established in 1961, as it started small, only with the popular lake and the surrounding mountainous vicinity then kept extending that included a large part of the savannahs. Lake Nakuru is a protected under the Ramsar Convection on wetlands.
Lake Nakuru national park’s proximity to the town of Nakuru allows the visitors to combine their wildlife adventure with the cultural experiences and amenities, while its position within the Rift Valley provides a unique geological backdrop, characterized by the scenic hills, valleys and the iconic lake itself, which is a shallow alkaline body of the water renowned for its stunning sunsets and gorgeous landscapes, and the park’s location along the migratory route of various bird species, including the pink flamingo, makes it a haven for the birdwatchers not only the flamingos, Lake Nakuru national park is a home to over 400 bird species that includes African fish eagle, Slender-billed greenbul, Cape pigeon duck, Tiff-tailed Maccoa duck, Shining sunbird, and among many others, and then the nature enthusiasts, and with its diverse habitats, including the grasslands, woodlands and lake shores. Lake Nakuru National Park supports a rich variety of the wildlife including the big four mammals of the big five mammals that includes the rhinos, buffaloes, lions and then the leopards.
The park has other animal species that includes Rothschild’s giraffes, black and white rhinos, waterbucks, hippos, zebras, baboons, monkeys, giraffes and among others that offers the visitors an unparalleled opportunity to witness the majesty of Africa’s natural heritage and the park’s well maintained roads and then the infrastructure make it an ideal safari destination for the guided safaris, or luxury lodge stays, catering to a wide range of the preferences and budgets and with its stunning scenery, diverse wildlife and rich birdlife, Lake Nakuru national park is must-visit safari destination for anyone interested in exploring Kenya’s natural wonders and experiencing the beauty and majesty of the Africa’s wildlife and landscapes.
Lake Nakuru national park was first set in Nakuru town as a bird sanctuary, only encompassing Lake Nakuru area but then later the park was expanded to include the savannah lands to inhabit the animal species as well that is now the park is a home of over 50 animal species. Lake Nakuru National Park is wonderful for bird watching and game drives though the park has got its perfect scenic viewpoints that also add to the outstanding beauty of the park. Tourists to Lake Nakuru national park can enjoy the relaxing and then refreshing picnics on these viewpoints as they watch the beautiful bird species, animal species in the beauty of the park.
At about 10,000 years ago, Lake Nakuru, together with neighboring Lake Elementaita and Lake Naivasha (60 km further south) formed one single, deep freshwater lake that eventually dried up, leaving the three lakes as remnants. Water levels in Lake Nakuru have since varied considerably, the lake almost drying several times over the past years. The latest significant drop happened in the early 1990’s. Then in 2013, the water levels again increased highly, that leads to the migration of many flamingos to Lake Bogoria in search of food supply. Lake Nakuru national park is a 3 to 4 hour drive from Nairobi city while using Nairobi Nakuru highway through Nakuru town, while on your road heading for the safari you will use Nairobi Nakuru highway that is 159 km tarmac road connection with Nairobi and Nakuru that connects to Nakuru and the nearby towns. From Nakuru Town’s trading centre, Lake Nakuru national park is only 4 kilometers that means you should note that its 3 to 4 hours is the perfect time for you to reach the park’s gate so that you be sure about the right time from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya to Lake Nakuru national park. As you enter Lake Nakuru national park you can use your preferred route that is either using the main gate, Lanet gate or Nderit gate to enter the park, though when you use Nairobi Nakuru road you can enter the park through using the Lanet gate. The Nderit gate is famously used by the tourists to enter the park mostly when they are coming from Elementaita and Maasai Mara national reserve.
As well tourists can access the park through using the air transport that takes you only 30 minutes flight that is Jomo Kenyatta airport to Lake Nakuru national park’s Naishi airstrip. Then once you land on the airstrip, your safari guide from African Vacation Safaris will pick and welcome you then he will drive you to the park then that’s when you will start your safari.
On a Kenya safari, the location of Lake Nakuru national park is very accessible and convenient for tourists especially for the short trips like the one day safari that would like experience the park in only one day that is because it’s very close to Nairobi city, though however for the tourists who would like to explore the park are as well advised to stay more than one day in the park. The location of the park is also best for the exceptional experiences, vacations, filming, photographers, work retreats, honeymooners and among other different groups for the tourists, that you can visit Lake Nakuru national park for the various safari activities that is from the excellent birdwatching to the awesome game drive safaris. Lake Nakuru national park is also accomplished by its fancy its climate that is dry-humid then to the semi-arid type of climate that is not too hot and too cold so that makes it the park to the marvelous safari destination to have a safari at any time of the year that offers you unforgettable safari memories.