Chyulu National Park
Lake Nakuru is a shallow strongly alkaline lake set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland.
The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest.
The lake’s catchment is bounded by Menengai crater to the north, the Bahati hills to the north east, the lion hill ranges to the east, eburu crater to the south and the mau escarpment to the west. Three rivers, the Njoro, Makalia and Enderit drain into the lake.
Access & Location
The park lies in Central Kenya, 140km north-west of Nairobi, in Nakuru district of the Rift Valley Province.
By Road: The park is 160 km north-west of Nairobi at Nakuru.
From Nairobi take the A104 road (direction Naivasha). The main gate and the park headquarters is 4 km south of Nakuru town (from Kenyatta Avenue), take the Moi Road then turn left into Stadium Road which leads to the gate), Lanet Gate.
Climate
Warm and dry
Major Attractions
:: Flamingo (Greater and Lesser) and other water birds including a variety of terrestrial birds numbering about 450 species in total.
:: Mammals: 56 different species including white rhinos, waterbuck etc.
:: View-points: Lion hill, Baboon cliff and Out of Africa
:: Hills: Enasoit, Honeymoon, Lion hill ridge etc
:: Waterfalls: Makalia.
:: Unique vegetation: About 550 different plant species including the unique and biggest euphorbia forest in Africa, Picturesque landscape and yellow acacia woodlands.
:: Participate in the cycle with rhino event every september yearly
Wildlife
Birds: Up to 1.5 million flamingos plus 450 other species of birds. Fauna includes Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle, the rare long-eared leaf-nosed bat, colobus monkey, rock hyrax, hippo, leopard, lion, rhino, waterbuck, impala, gazelle, striped hyena, bat-eared fox, wild cat, reedbuck and golden cat.
Restocked mammals include the lion, black and white rhino and the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe.
Birds
When conditions are right, between one and two million lesser and greater flamingos feed around the shores of the shallow soda lake, together with tens of thousands of other birds.
The best place to view the birds is from Baboon Cliff, where you get an excellent view over the lake, and the film of pink along its fringe.
Activities
Bird watching, game viewing, camping, picnic, finest views of the lake from Baboon Cliff, Lion Hill and Out of Africa Hill.
