BUSH ROUTES ADVENTURES

Lake Nakuru National Park

Information about Lake Nakuru National Park.

This park was established and opened to visitors in June 1968. The main reason for the creation of the national park was to protect its huge flocks of the lesser flamingo. Over 1 million flamingoes in the park literally turn the shores of Lake Nakuru pink. This is a delight for ornithologists, scientists, and wildlife filmmakers. Located at a distance of 157 kilometers from Nairobi, the park covers 188 square kilometers of land of great ecological diversity - from lake water, woodland, bush grassland, to rocky ridges. The park is located at an altitude of 4,000-5,767 feet above sea level

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Major Attraction / Physical Features in Lake Nakuru National Park
• Flamingoes & Birds:- The Park is the home to over a million flamingoes. Fleets of Lesser and Greater Flamingoes line the shores of the lake giving it a pinkish appearance. Besides flamingoes, Nakuru is home to other water birds including a variety of terrestrial birds numbering about 450 species in total.
• Mammals: 56 different species of mammals have been identified including black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, cape buffaloes, Deffassa waterbucks, Thomson's and grant’s gazelles, impalas, lions, leopards, warthogs, olive baboons, black backed jackal, reedbucks, dik diks, elands,
• View-points: Lion hill, Baboon cliff and Out of Africa provide vintage views of the lake and the surrounding National Park.
• Hills: Lake Nakuru has several hills including Enasoit, Honeymoon and Lion hill.
• Waterfalls: Makalia
• Unique vegetation: About 550 different plant species have been identified. The park boasts of the largest Euphorbia cnadlebrum forest in Africa, Picturesque landscape and yellow acacia woodland.
• Bahrain springs, the only permanent water source of Lake Nakuru Park.
• Rivers Makhalia and Nderit are dry most of the time due to deforestation in Mau.
• Reptiles: A large number of reptiles inhabits the parks including the python and tortoise.
• The spectacular scenery of the Riftvalley.
 

Lake Nakuru Rhino Sanctuary:- The Rhino Sanctuary was established 1984. In 1986 a solar powered electric was installed by Rhino Rescue Trust. The Rhino Sanctuary began with the translocation of two adult males, one from Kitengala and the other from Lewa Downs.
Today the rhino population stands at 60 Black Rhinos and 40 White Rhinos. The main challenges of lake Nakuru as a conservation site are a large population, deforestation of the catchments, siltation and pollution.

Activities in Lake Nakuru National Park
Besides the National park and the Rhino Sanctuary, other attractions to visit while in Nakuru include,
• Hyrax Hill Acheological site & Museum: Hyrax Hill Archeological site has both stone age and neolithic exhibits. The sites dates back 3000 years ago. Within the site is an ethnographic museum exhibiting artefacts of the inhabitants of Riftvalley including the stone tools.
• Menengai Crater: This is the highest point within Nakuru and from here you have panoramic views of Lakes Nakuru, Naivasha and Bogoria.

Menengai Crater and Lake Elementaita
The large Menengai Crater is just north of Nakuru Town, offering good views of the landscape and Lake Nakuru. Lake Elementaita, 15 km/10 mi south-east of Lake Nakuru, is also a soda lake, but is smaller and receives fewer visitors. The lake and the land surrounding it is a private reserve offering a good bird life and some wildlife
 

CONTACT ADDRESS

HEAD OFFICE DAR ES SALAAM. ZANZIBAR HOTEL P.O. BOX 12594.

TEL/FAX: +255 22 2133793, Mobile: +255 788 221 650

ARUSHA BRANCH OFFICE. KALOLENI AREA OPPOSITE , PRIMIEM HOUSE.

BOX 14477 ARUSHA, Mobile: +255 713 350 601, TEL. +255 754 398 815

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