Two soda lakes in the Great Rift Valley floor, each pink with flamingos at certain times of year. Lake Nakuru also holds Kenya's best-protected white rhino population. A short drive from Nairobi.
Lake Nakuru is an alkaline lake at 1,760 metres in the Rift Valley floor. Flamingo populations here fluctuate between a few thousand and over a million depending on the algae levels — when the numbers peak, the lake turns pink from the air. The lake's acacia and euphorbia forest holds Rothschild's giraffe, lion, leopard, and white rhino in a fully fenced sanctuary.
Lake Elementaita, 20 kilometres south, is smaller, shallower, and wilder. Pelicans, herons, and a smaller flamingo population share it with hippos.
Highlights
Flamingo Flocks
Up to 1.5 million lesser flamingos when conditions are right. The lake turns pink. Nothing else looks like it.
White Rhino Sanctuary
One of Kenya's most reliable white rhino habitats, within the fenced park. The animals are habituated to vehicles.
Rothschild's Giraffe
A reintroduced population of Rothschild's giraffe — the rarest giraffe subspecies — grazes the acacia woodland.
Elementaita Shoreline
A wild lake without the tourism infrastructure. Pelican colonies, hippos in the shallows, and no one else around.
What's Included
Itinerary
Price from
From $1,800
per person · all-inclusive
