Kenya / Rift Valley & Maasai Mara / Lake NakuruLake Nakuru
Rhinos, Flamingos and Tree-Climbing Lions in the Rift Valley
A soda lake in a compact, fenced national park on the Rift Valley floor, one of the best places in Kenya to see both black and white rhinos. Flamingos still gather in some months, though fewer than before the lake rose after 2013, and the yellow-barked acacia woods hold Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo, leopards and lions. Two and a half hours from Nairobi, it fits in a day on the way to or from the Mara or Laikipia.
Highlights
- Black and white rhinos
- Flamingos and pelicans on the shore (numbers vary)
- Baboon Cliff view over the lake
- Rothschild's giraffe
- Makalia Falls
- Leopards in the acacia woods
- Menengai Crater above Nakuru town
Things to do
- Game drive round the lake for rhinosMorning · 4h
- Baboon Cliff viewpointAfternoon · 1h
- Afternoon game drive to Makalia FallsAfternoon · 3h
- Menengai Crater rimMorning · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: June – October, December – March
Worth knowing
Long Rains: Muddy Roads, Some Camps Closed
⚠️ The long rains fall from about April to May: heavy afternoon storms, black-cotton soil roads that trap vehicles, and some tracks and river crossings closed. Many seasonal camps in the Mara, Samburu and Laikipia close; those that stay open cut their prices. Allow extra time on the roads, and bush flights can be delayed.
Heads up
Short Rains
The short rains bring brief showers, mostly in the afternoon, from about November into early December. Game drives still run; tracks can be muddy for a day after a storm.