Lake Nakuru National Park is a popular destination in Kenya known for its high populations of black and white Rhinos, it is named after Lake Nakuru which obtains its name from a Masai word to simply means dusty place, from a distance the lake looks like it is covered in a blanket of pink however it is just pink greater and lesser flamingoes. The Lake is situated along the floor of the Great Rift Valley region elevated at 1745 meters above sea level. Huge amounts of green algae attract several bird species and at most flamingoes.
The park is strategically located in one of the biggest city suburbs of the country Nakuru, it covers an area space of approximately 188 square kilometers and is home to abundant wildlife species including the so-called big four of the wilderness(Lions, leopards, buffaloes, Rhinos), elephants are not present in the park, other animals are impalas, zebras, Rothchild’s giraffes, olive baboons, spotted hyenas, gazelles, leopards, among others, there are over 400 species of birds that have been recorded in the park like hammer kop, Eurasian reed warbler, arrow marked babbler, saddle billed stock, marabou stock to mention a few.
The best time to visit Lake Nakuru National Park depends on your interest in what you would like to do while in the conservation area, the Rift Valley region receives 2 periods of seasons the dry season and the wet season, and each one of these presents something amazing to see, however the best time to visit Lake Nakuru national park is during the dry season between the months of December-February and June-September when the trails are dry and easy to access, the grasses are shorter which makes it easy to view mammal species. During the dry season, many of the small water ponds dry up which causes animals to gather around the few that are left for survival. The downside of the dry season is that is an expensive season, and tour and accommodation costs go high and is also referred to as high and peak tourism seasons
The wet season on the other hand receives lots of rainfall, which makes it a challenge to do activities like game drives however also a good time to enjoy the green lush of the ecosystem as well as birds, there are migratory species that come into the park in the wet season from the surrounding areas, it is a fruiting time. During the wet season, accommodation facilities offer discounted facilities and low costs of safari travel.
When considering when is the best time to visit Lake Nakuru National Park, it is important to also mind where you will be staying, it is advisable to book accommodation in advance, example facilities include Flamingo Hill tented camp, Malaika camp, Lake Nakuru Sopa lodge Lake Nakuru Safari Lodge, to mention a few, these offer accommodation and food to travelers to the national park.
In conclusion, Lake Nakuru National Park can be visited any time of the year but best during the dry season.