Game drive in Lake Nakuru National park
Lake Nakuru National park is rich with the famous Lake Nakuru, unique vegetation which is a mixture of bushy grasslands, acacia woodland.
Lake Nakuru is located in central Kenya in Great Rift Valley and it is in a distance of 140kilo metres northwest of Nairobi city. Lake Nakuru National park is remarkably known for being a home to over a million number of Pink flamingos.
Lake Nakuru National park has over 450 bird species, 50 number of mammals that live in the park. The animals in Lake Nakuru National park live in Savannah lands with a few of them living in water such as the Hippopotamus.
Game Drive in Lake Nakuru national park enables you to see animals like buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, water bucks, lions, impalas, leopards, zebras and many more.
It is assured to see different kinds of wild animals since the park is fenced and there is no way for the animals to go outside into the non-gazetted areas hence making it possible for the tourists to see all most all the animals while on a game drive.
Game drive in Lake Nakuru National park is an all year round activity however, it is best done in the dry season. Lake Nakuru National park has a unique climate which is neither very hot nor very cold throughout the year.
Best months for game drive in Lake Nakuru National park is January to February and June to September. The game drive in Lake Nakuru National park takes 2 to 3 hours.
Park entrance fees for Lake Nakuru national park
The park entrance fees into Lake Nakuru National park for Non- residents adults 60 USD and child 35 USD, for Foreign residents adults 1,030 Kshs and child/ students 515 Kshs then the East African residents fees is 860 Kshs for Adults and 215 Kshs for Child.
Lake Nakuru National park offers both day game drive and full day game drive. However, you can have a night game drive which is offered by the lodges under the tight security of the park guides and rangers. The fees for a night game drive per trip is 2,155.
When on a game drive in Lake Nakuru National park, you will be able to see Pink Flamingos, when you look on your left right hand side, the first thing you will notice is the breath-taking number of over one million flamingos moving around the shallow ends of the water of Lake Nakuru. The colour of the flamingos creates a mesmerizing spectacle against the blue backdrop of the lake.
Lake Nakuru National park is one of the best places in Kenya to spot these magnificent creatures. The park is a home to leopards and lions. These kinds of animals are challenging to find so you need to be very patient but as you continue on the drive, you will be rewarded with a glimpse on the big cats which rest under the acacia trees.
Lake Nakuru National Park is a Rhino Sanctuary and it has a big number of over 150 black and white rhinos. Just after watching rhinos, you will see the Rothschild’s giraffes. These are the most endangered giraffes in the whole world. You will be able to see these Rothschild giraffes at any time of the year since they can be found in the Rhino Sanctuary.
While on a game drive in Lake Nakuru national park, you will be able to watch troops of baboons and the vervet monkeys that play by the road side or while they are both eating some food.
These baboons and monkeys are quite curious and they might come close to vehicle to inspect you the tourist. You can make a quick stop to the Baboon cliff where you will enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Nakuru and everything that surrounds it. This would be a perfect spot for excellent photography
You will be able to see the graceful and elegant giraffes as they wander through the savannah gracefully stretching their long necks as they try to reach the leaves of the acacia trees.
While in the wilderness, you will be able to see big herds of buffaloes since they are common in Lake Nakuru National park. These buffaloes are known for their intimidating presence and their importance in the maintaining of the park’s ecological balance.
The tourists on the game drive in Lake Nakuru national park will spot waterbucks over 90 along the lake’s edges which are grazing peacefully. You will see a lot of warthogs which are seen with a lot of ease since they are always all-over the place in the park.
What to wear on a game drive in Lake Nakuru National park
When planning for a game drive, your closet should be set too since you need to be comfortable in what you are wearing.
As a traveller, you need to wear dull colours as you are heading out into the wilderness since wild animals notice more of the bright colours like red, white and many more colours.
You should wear loose but fitting trousers, you need to wear boots as your footwear. You should wear a hat and sun glasses to protect your skin from direct sunshine. You can also carry some snacks.
After doing a game drive in Lake Nakuru National park, you can do Bird watching in Lake Nakuru National park; this park will be a perfect spot for bird watching since it is very rich with various bird species. Lake Nakuru National park has over 450 bird species which mainly live along Lake Nakuru shores.
The flamingo birds are the most seen birds along the lake which shade the whole area pink. You will be able to see other bird species that include; Blacksmith plover, Coqui francolin, woolly necked stork, Pink- backed pelican, little rock- thrush, Striking long- tailed widowbird, Guinea fowl, Grouse Ducks, Pheasants and many more.
Please remember to keep a respectful distance from the wildlife and you should never feed the wild animals while on a game drive.
Our adventure on a game drive comes to an end, but the memories while at Lake Nakuru National park will last for a lifetime. If you ever get a chance to visit in person, the real experience will undoubtedly be even more awe-inspiring. Happy travels from Jewel Safaris Uganda.