Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is a shimmering soda lake in the Great Rift Valley, at the heart of a compact and rewarding national park. Long world-famous for the vast flocks of flamingos that once fringed its shores in a shifting band of pink, drawn by the algae of its alkaline waters, it is also a vital rhino sanctuary, one of the best places in Kenya to see both endangered black and white rhinos, alongside lions, leopards, giraffes and abundant birdlife.

What you actually see

• The flamingos - the flocks of flamingos on the soda lake, when present.
• The rhinos - the black and white rhinos of the sanctuary.
• The wildlife - the lions, leopards, giraffes and buffalo.
• Baboon Cliff - the viewpoint over the lake and park.

When to go

Wildlife is good year-round; the dry seasons concentrate animals. The famous flamingos, however, are unpredictable, their numbers rising and falling with the lake's changing water levels, so the great pink flocks of old are not always present.

Honest expectations

The lake's water levels have risen and changed in recent years, so the vast pink flamingo flocks it was famous for are now unpredictable and often far fewer, which disappoints those expecting the classic image. It remains excellent for rhinos and other wildlife, though, in a compact, easily explored park. It is an easy trip from Nairobi.

Nearby

Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate and the wider Rift Valley lakes are nearby.