Lake Nakuru is one of our favourite places to take first-time safari travellers. It is a compact park, the roads bring you close to the animals, and it sits in the Rift Valley a few hours' drive from Nairobi, which makes it the natural second day of our 2-Day Nairobi & Lake Nakuru Safari.
Why Nakuru
Three things make this park special. The first is rhino: Lake Nakuru is one of the best places in Kenya to see them, and on a good day you can watch them grazing right beside the track. The second is the Rothschild's giraffe, taller and paler than the Maasai giraffe you will see elsewhere. The third is the lake itself, ringed by acacia woodland and, depending on the season and water level, coloured pink by flamingos along its shore.
How the day runs
After day one in Nairobi National Park and at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, we leave the city and drive down the escarpment into the Rift Valley. The road itself is part of the trip, with viewpoints over the valley floor on the way down. Once inside the park we spend the day on game drives, stopping wherever the wildlife is, before the return journey to Nairobi.
Tips from our drivers
- Bring binoculars. Flamingos and the birdlife along the shoreline reward a closer look.
- Layers, not one thick jacket. Rift Valley mornings can be cool and the afternoons warm.
- Ask about the lake level. Flamingo numbers vary with the water level and season, so we will give you an honest picture when you book.
- Extend it. Nakuru sits close to Naivasha, so a weekend escape or a Maasai Mara safari can be added on.
A rhino on the road, giraffe among the acacias and the lake glowing pink below the cliffs: that is a Nakuru day.
Ready to see it for yourself? The two-day itinerary is priced as a total for two guests, and we can adjust it to your travel dates.