LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK BIRD WATCHING
Birds abound at Lake Nakuru National Park. In order to preserve and safeguard the biodiversity that was flourishing on Lake Nakuru, it was initially proclaimed as a bird sanctuary in 1960.
With millions of flamingos on its beaches throughout the year, Lake Nakuru is a well-known Kenya safari attraction both domestically and abroad. However, the lake's water levels and climate are constantly fluctuating. The number of flamingos has dropped from millions to thousands as a result, but they still decorate the lake's shoreline in pink every day.
One of the primary reasons flamingos flock to Lake Nakuru is because it is a soda lake with an abundance of blue-green algae, which serves as food for the birds. Along with other wading birds, the "great white pelican" is another kind of bird.
BIRDING
Birding Observing the many stunning birds that call Lake Nakuru National Park home is a wonderful experience. With a total area of roughly 118 square kilometers, the park is home to more than 450 different species of birds, both migratoryand endemic. Throughout the end of the syear, a variety of pink flamingos blanket the shores of Lake Nakuru, which is a fascinating sight. Along with four endangered bird species—the Madagascar pond heron, the Pallid Harrier, the Greater Spotted Eagle, and the Grey-creased Helmet-shrike—the park is also home to endemic bird species like pelicans.
Ruppel's vulture, Ruppel's robin-chat, Black-necked Grebe, Rufous-throated wryneck, African spoonbill, Black-winged stilt, Red-capped lark, and Yellow-billed stork are among the species that can be found in the park's extensive vegetation of bushy grasslands, acacia woodlands, and euphorbia forest. Some of these include the following: the Maccoa duck, the Montane white-eye, the Grey-headed Gull, the Northern puff-back, the Pallid harrier, the Gull-billed Tern, the Little Grebe, Schawlow's wheatear, and the Shining Sunbird.
THE IDEAL TIME TO GO BIRD WATCHING
While you can go bird watching at any time of day in Lake Nakuru National Park, the best time to go bird watching is in the morning between 6 and 11 am. This is because most birds are leaving their nests to search for food, makingthem easy to see and enjoy before they take off for the day. Sometimes the evenings are good, when they return to their nests, but mornings are the best time of day by far.
It's also important to keep in mind that, even though mornings are ideal for bird watching, Lake Nakuru National Park has over 400 different species of birds, and you can't see them all in one morning. Therefore, it's best to spend at least four days exploring and experiencing the birds there, or to target the birds you want to see and keep an eye out for them to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the park's abundance of variety.
However, January and July are the months with the highest number of birds in the park because of the profusion of food that grows during the rainy season and the well-kept, well-grown flora that sustains the bird life.
How it is carried out
During game drives, visitors can drive through the park or observe birds from various park viewpoints, such as lion hill, out of Africa lookout, and baboon cliff. The baboon cliff is the best place to observe birds in Lake Nakuru National Park. Birding typically takes place along the lake's shores as people sit in their cars or stand along the shores and watch the birds.
The ideal season for Lake Nakuru National Park visits
Although Lake Nakuru National Park is a year-round destination for birdwatchers, the month immediately following the rain has the highest concentration of species. Food can be abundant and flora can be cultivated tosupport bird life during the rainy season, which typically occurs in January and July.
Any time of day is a good time to go bird watching at Lake Nakuru, but the ideal time to view birds flying out from their nests to search for food is between 6 and 11 a.m. It's also the most rewarding time to see them lingering over the park's ground and sky. Watching birds in the park is very enjoyable in the evening when they return to the nest
During the dry season, which spans the months of January, February, December, June, July, August, and September, Lake Nakuru is most accessible. Although it is possible to visit at any time of year, it is easier to see the different wildlife species and birds during the dry season.
location
The park is situated northwest of Nairobi, the nation's capital, in central Kenya. The Great Rift Valley contains Lake Nakuru, which is part of Lake Nakuru National Park. It is one of the Rift Valley's five soda lakes. Approximately fifty different species of mammals can be seen in the park when visiting.
Accessibility
One of the most common inquiries visitors have when organizing their safari in Lake Nakuru National Park is how to get there. Visitors can enter Lake Nakuru National Park via its three gates as well as a number of connecting roads.
Since Lake Nakuru lies 166 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, visitors will go via the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, which is the most popular route from Nairobi. The vehicle trip to Lake Nakuru National Park takes roughly three to four hours.
Through Nakuru town and Lake Nakuru National Park, the Nairobi-Nakuru highway offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape and local populations. The main gate of Lake Nakuru National Park is 4 kilometers from Nakuru Town. This implies that you enter Lake Nakuru National Park via the main entrance from Nakuru town.
By taking the Lanet gate, which is a detour from the Nairobi-Nakuru route, you can also enter Lake Nakuru National Park without passing through Nakuru town. The difference in arrival time at the park is simply a few minutes.
There are a couple of connecting paths that take you to the Nderit Gate of Lake Nakuru National Park. Due to its advantageous location in relation to the routes from Masai Mara and Elementaita, many utilize this gate to enter the park.
By air
Flying into Lake Nakuru National Park from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will take you to Naishi airfield, which is the park's airfield. Since this airport is already within the park, you can enter it without passing through any gates and simply follow your plan.
Additional tourism pursuits at Lake Nakuru
Cruise via boat
Tourists can enjoy exhilarating boat trips on this lovely lake, which allow them to take in the stunning scenery, the glistening waters, and some downtime. The best thing about these boat safaris is that you may go with other people and hear the varied stories that the local tour guides have to tell as you go over the lake. However, it's crucial to remember that visitors must wear life jackets while on a boat ride, and they must do this with a local tour guide's assistance.
Tours of Culture
One can stroll about the nearby village while on a safari in Lake Nakuru, particularly the well-known Maasai tribe who live on the lake's beaches. These pastoralists have an extremely rich culture and set of beliefs. They also have fascinating traditional songs and dances and ways of life. Not to mention that the Maasai create amazing crafts and garments. The opportunity to experience the diverse and rich Maasai culture would make this cultural safari around Lake Nakuru one of the greatest.
Observing wildlife
One of the most well-liked ways to explore Lake Nakuru National Park and see its variety of wildlife is to go on a guided game drive. Safari Vehicles transport visitors around the parks' road networks, giving them the chance to see animals in their native environments. Black and white rhinos, impalas, water bucks, lions, gazelles, leopards, giraffes, hippos, Columbus monkeys, hyenas, and zebras are just a few of the park's fauna. This will undoubtedly make a safari in Lake Nakuru National Park truly amazing.
Tracking Rhinos
Visitors can see the stunning wildlife species in Lake Nakuru National Park Rhino Sanctuary and discover more about the conservation efforts being made to save these endangered species.
Nature walks with a guide
Tourists can enjoy the variety of plants and animals in life as well as unwind and connect with nature by taking guided walks around the lake and the national park, which provide a greater opportunity for a more personal and up-close investigation of the sceneries.
Camping and picnics
In addition to camping facilities for those who want to spend a night under the stars in the middle of the wilderness, the park offers a number of designated Camps and Picnic Sites where visitors may spend time with nature and take in