Lake Nakuru National Park , Birdwatchers paradise
Lake Nakuru National Park , Birdwatchers paradise
At an altitude of 1,754 metres (5,755 feet) above sea level, Lake Nakuru is one of the lakes in the Rift Valley. The Lake Nakuru National Park guards this area, which located south of Nakuru in Kenya’s rift valley.
The lake’s profusion of algae used to draw a large number of flamingos, who were known to line the shores. Along with warthogs, baboons, and other large mammals, other birds and large mammals also thrive there. Additionally, southern white rhinos and eastern black rhinos have been introduced.
Early in the 1990s, the lake’s water level severely decreased, but it has since mostly recovered. Flamingos migrated to Lake Bogoria in search of food in 2013 as a result of an alarming rise in the lake’s water levels. Lake Nakuru’s surface size rose from 40 to 68 square kilometres (15 to 26 square miles) between 2010 and 2020. There had been flooding in 677 homes, some districts of Nakuru town, and several National Park areas.
Lake Nakuru is known for its great Birdwatching safaris with over 500 different bird species live in the Lake Nakuru National Park, which is ranked as one of the top birding locations in Kenya making it the number one birdwatchers paradise. A wide diversity of birds, including endemic species that can only be found in Kenya, near-endemic species, threatened bird species, migratory bird species that travel to the park from November to April, and many others, make up the large bird population in Lake Nakuru National Park. Tourists visit here all year round to witness millions of larger and lesser pink flamingos throng Lake Nakuru and paint it with pink, white, and blue bands of colour, making birds the main draw and the highlight of Lake Nakuru National Park as the ultimate birdwatchers paradise.
Birdwatching
Other bird species present in Lake Nakuru National Park, in addition to larger and lesser flamingos, include Abyssinian thrush, Arrow-marked babbler, Bateleur, Godwits with black tails, Lapwing with black wings, Burning canary scrub robin with a brown back Crab-plover, European roller, Eastern imperial eagle Grey-headed woodpecker, Grey-crowned crane, Superb snipe, a larger-spotted eagle, the grey-crested helmet shrike Starling of Hildebrandt, rufous sparrow of Kenya the lapwing vulture Lesser kestrel, Lesser flamingo, widowbird with a long tail, Duck Maccoa, White-eyes of Montane Puffback in the North, drab harrier, lark with a red cap wryneck with a rufous throat, Vogels of Rüppell, The robin-chat of Rüppell, Wheatear of Schawlow, bright sunbird, Greenbul with a thin bill, dark falcon, weaver of Speke, West coast reef heron, White-headed vulture, White-fronted bee-eater, and numerous others which makes it the best destination for birding watching.
Other animals found in the park
Lake Nakuru National Park is also great for Game drives during kenya safari tours to the park with the exception of elephants, the big five animals of Kenya reside in Lake Nakuru National Park, which is home to over 56 different species of mammals. It is also one of the few places in Kenya that is known for having the highest concentration of endangered rhinos. The eastern black rhinoceros, southern white rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffe, waterbucks, lions, predators, cheetah, Burchell’s zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, hippopotamuses, hyena, and many more creatures may be found in Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is home to vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and black-and-white colobus monkeys in addition to animals.
The most spectacular feature of Lake Nakuru National Park is Lake Nakuru, a RAMSAR site that is a rift valley and the source of the park’s name, Soda Lake. Lake Nakuru has a surface area of 45 square kilometres, which is a sizable portion of the park. This birdwatchers paradise is home to a variety of animals and it is the best place to see a variety of birds because of the lake’s constant influx of birds like lesser and greater flamingos making it the best destination for bird watching.
Scenery
Among the well-known national parks in Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the most beautiful. Its breath taking scenery includes a rift valley escarpment that rises from the lake’s shore and is dotted with a gallery of Euphorbia trees, as well as the lake itself, which has yellow fever trees growing along its banks. Because of the stunning scenery, Lake Nakuru National offers incredible locations for photography and nature viewing. The lake is always packed by millions of flamingos, both greater and smaller, which is a fascinating sight to behold.
The best time to visit lake Nakuru National Park
Like other well-known tourist locations in Kenya, Lake Nakuru draws visitors all year long. However, the best time to visit Lake Nakuru National Park is during the dry season, which lasts from June to March. The following months: January, February, March, October, November, December, and June, July, and August. Since there is little rain during these months, it is simple to spot animals as they flock the lake in search of water.
Because of the birds and other wonderful characteristics in the park, Lake Nakuru has developed over time into a birdwatchers paradise and to be ranked among the most frequently visited parks in Kenya by tourists. Indulge in activities like bird watching, game viewing, camping, picnicking, and more when you visit Lake Nakuru Park. In 1957, Lake Nakuru and a tiny portion of the surrounding territories were the only parts of Kenya National Park that were designated as a conservation reserve for the birds that called Lake Nakuru home, including flamingos. This was done to protect the lake, lessen water pollution, and maintain the avian population that was burgeoning on Lake Nakuru.
The current southern portion of Nakuru National Park, which had already been designated as a conservation area, was made a bird sanctuary in 1961, and various regulations were put in place to assure bird protection there. One of Kenya’s national parks, Lake Nakuru National Park, was established in 1968. This came about after the park’s territory was increased to encompass its northern savannah lands, increasing the park’s overall area to 188 Square kilometres. To diversify the park and turn it into an animal park as well as just a bird sanctuary, a number of animals were also introduced.
When the Rothschild giraffes were relocated from western Kenya to Lake Nakuru National Park in 1977 for conservation and preservation, the giraffes were granted the distinction of living there. The Kenyan government’s endeavour was a brag about its work to protect wildlife in the nation of East Africa. In the 1980s, rhinos were also introduced to Lake Nakuru Kenya Park, after the Rothschild’s giraffes, as part of a Kenyan government campaign to save the critically endangered rhinos, whose population was sharply dropping. This was the first instance of its sort in Kenya, and Lake Nakuru Park was named the country’s first rhino sanctuary in 1984.
