Lake Nakuru national park is located in the central part of Kenya on the floor of the great rift valley in the northwestern direction from Nairobi. This national park is characterized by woodlands as well as grasslands which act as habitats for the different wildlife species which can be seen during game-viewing experiences in Lake Nakuru national park. Kenya Wildlife Services manages Lake Nakuru Park as well as other national parks and national reserves in Kenya and is also in charge of the conservation of wildlife.

Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the best national parks in Kenya given that it has one of the Rift Valley soda Lakes i.e. Lake Nakuru. The park has 3 main gates and once you get into the park you will enjoy a wide variety of wildlife species and especially the Flamingoes which make the lake lool pink.

History of Lake Nakuru National Park

Nakuru National Park is the park most famous for the colonies of flamingos that live on the shores of the park’s Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru Park Kenya is a premium game park, one of only three in the country and one of the most visited game parks in Kenya. 

Lake Nakuru Park is known as a bird lover’s hub because of the numerous birds that make a home in this park. Lake Nakuru Kenya Park is home to over 400 bird species including the flamingos that live on the lake and in the park’s savannah grasslands. The bird species include but are not limited to African Fish Eagle, Slender-billed greenbul, Long-tailed widowbird, Rufous-throated wryneck, Montane white-eye, Red-capped lark, Northern puff back, Rüppell’s robin-chat, Shining sunbird and many more 

 Nakuru National Park though famous for its numerous birds, it’s also a wild game destination for animal lovers and wildlife explorers.  Lake Nakuru Park is a habitat to over 100 endangered  Rhinos distributed between the black and white rhinos; the park is also home to the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe and other 50 or more animal species that include buffalos, waterbucks, lions, impalas, and many more. 

Lake Nakuru National Park over the years has grown to become one of the most visited parks in Kenya by travelers annually because of the birds and other great features in the park. Travelers that visit Lake Nakuru  Park get to indulge in activities such as bird watching, game viewing, camping, and picnicking on the beautiful rocky viewpoints in the park, and many more activities. 

Nakuru  Kenya National Park was first declared a conservation area for the birds that were Lake Nakuru including the flamingos in 1957 and the conserved area only included Lake Nakuru and small parts of the surrounding areas. This was done to preserve the lake, reduce the pollution of the lake and conserve the bird life that was blooming on Lake Nakuru.  

In 1961 the already declared conversed area which is the current southern section of Nakuru National Park was declared a bird sanctuary and different protocols introduced to ensure bird protection in that area were put in place. 

In 1968 Lake Nakuru National Park, was gazetted as one of Kenya’s National parks. This was after the park area was expanded to include the northern savannah lands of the park which saw the park’s total area grow to 188 km2. Also, several mammals were introduced to the park, to diversify the park from just a bird sanctuary to also an animal park. 

Lake Nakuru National Park was given the honor of being home to the very rare and endangered Rothschild giraffes in 1977 when the giraffes were brought to Lake Nakuru National Park from western Kenya for conservation and protection. This initiative by the Kenyan government was a boast to its efforts of preserving wildlife in the East African country. 

After the Rothschilds giraffes, rhinos were also introduced in Lake Nakuru Kenya Park in the 1980s; in a Kenyan government initiative to conserve the endangered rhinos that were drastically declining in number.  This was the first of its kind in Kenya and in 1984, Lake Nakuru Park was designated the first government-protected rhino sanctuary in Kenya.   

To further protect the rhinos from poachers, the Kenyan government erected a 188 km2 electric fence around Nakuru National Park in 1986. This fence was and still serves the purpose of keeping poachers away from Lake Nakuru Park as well as keeping the rhinos within the bounds of the park. After the successful construction of the 188 km2 electric fence and the Kenyan government officially declared Lake Nakuru Park a rhino sanctuary in 1987. 

Lake Nakuru National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s internationally recognized as an IBA since 2009 for the over 400 bird species living in the park; in 1990 Lake Nakuru was declared a RAMSAR site. 

From the history of the park, Lake Nakuru  Park evolved, grown, and developed greatly over the years in so many ways which makes it a perfect destination for a safari not to just experience the development of the park but most all to experience the bird life, wildlife and the extraordinary beauty of the this unique park is central Kenya Nakuru town. 

GALLERY