Destination guide
Lake Nakuru: flamingos and rhinos
Reviewed 16 Oct 2026 · Each statement is labelled.
The park
Lake Nakuru was first protected as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and became a national park in 1968. In 1990 it became Kenya's first Ramsar wetland site.
Source: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
The lake is very shallow and strongly alkaline. It is famous for flamingos, but their numbers rise and fall sharply and unpredictably.
Source: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
The park is a sanctuary for black rhinos and also has southern white rhinos, introduced from South Africa.
Source: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Other wildlife includes lions, a small number of cheetahs and giraffes, and about 450 bird species have been recorded.
Source: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
From a factsheet last assessed in 2011; wildlife numbers change.
Nakuru County lists Lake Nakuru National Park among the parks in the county, alongside Mt Longonot and Hell's Gate.
Source: County Government of Nakuru (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Planning your visit
If flamingos are the main reason for your visit, ask your guide or lodge how many are on the lake shortly before you go.
KenyaPlus planning advice, not from an official source.
Road times
The table below shows KenyaPlus estimates of driving time, not live traffic data.
Worked out as described under the table: from openrouteservice road routes plus an allowance for stops where KenyaPlus holds them, otherwise straight-line distance × 1.3 at an assumed 50 km/h average, including stops.
| To | From Nairobi | From Mombasa |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | — | ~6½ h (long day) |
| Maasai Mara | ~5 h | ~11½ h (too far for one day) |
| Amboseli | ~4½ h | ~6½ h (long day) |
| Diani Beach | ~7 h (long day) | ~½ h |
| Mombasa | ~6½ h (long day) | — |
| Naivasha | ~1½ h | ~8 h (long day) |
| Lake Nakuru | ~2½ h | ~9 h (long day) |
| Tsavo East | ~5½ h | ~3 h |
| Samburu | ~5½ h | ~12 h (too far for one day) |
| Lamu | ~10 hto Mokowe + boat (too far for one day) | ~5½ hto Mokowe + boat |
| Mount Kenya | ~3 h | ~9½ h (too far for one day) |
| Malindi | ~9 h (long day) | ~2 h |
| Watamu | ~8½ h (long day) | ~2 h |
| Aberdare National Park | ~4 h | ~10½ h (too far for one day) |
| Lake Bogoria | ~4½ h | ~11 h (too far for one day) |
| Kakamega Forest | ~6 h (long day) | ~12½ h (too far for one day) |
| Tsavo West National Park | ~4½ h | ~4½ h |
| Meru National Park | ~6 h (long day) | ~12½ h (too far for one day) |
| Shimba Hills National Reserve | ~11½ h (too far for one day) | ~1 h |
| Mount Elgon National Park | ~6½ h (long day) | ~13 h (too far for one day) |
Driving time on the road route plus 20% for stops and slower traffic (Road routes © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors). Orange: a long day (over 6 h). Red: too far for one day (over 9 h).
Confirm before you travel
- Park entry fees, opening hours and payment methods — KenyaPlus doesn't hold them yet
- Whether flamingos are on the lake in numbers during your dates
Ready to plan?
Turn this into a day-by-day plan and run the Trip Reality Check.
Sources
- Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (opens in a new tab) — Lake Nakuru National Park — Key Biodiversity Area factsheet (last assessed 2011) (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- County Government of Nakuru (opens in a new tab) — Governor Lee leads campaign to woo tourists to visit Nakuru (checked 16 Oct 2026)