Lake Nakuru National Park

Established in 1961, Lake Nakuru National Park is an area of grassland, bush and rocky cliffs. Hundreds of birds and mammals have made Lake Nakuru National Park their home. Waterbucks, warthogs and buffaloes are common at the water's edge. Between three and four hundred buffalo inhabit the park and the best time to see them is at dusk or dawn in the forested area.

Lake Nakuru is world famous for the multitudes of bright pink flamingoes whose numbers often total more than two million although these numbers are diminishing. The best place to watch the flamingoes is from Baboon Cliff. Lake Nakuru became Kenya's first bird sanctuary in 1960 to protect the estimated 450 species and then it was upgraded to National Park status in 1968. Lions and leopards are often seen as well as large sized python snakes, the cliffs make an ideal home.

Lake Nakuru National Park, which surrounds the lake, was enlarged to provide a sanctuary for the white and black rhinos. This healthy population of rhinos means that visitors will most likely come across a few of these endangered animals.

About 550 different plant species are found within Lake Nakuru National Park including the biggest euphorbia forest in Africa. The euphorbia plant is also known as the candelabra cactus.