Lake Nakuru National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Many big safari animals are present in Lake Nakuru National Park, except for elephants. The park is known for its populations of black and white rhino. White rhino is particularly easy to see, and different groups can be encountered throughout the day, especially around the causeway at the western end of the lake. Lake Nakuru is also an important refuge for the Rothschild’s giraffe, which inhabits the acacia forests extending out from the western end of the lake.

ElephantNone

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

WildebeestNone

White RhinoCommon

Black RhinoOccasional

LionOccasional

LeopardOccasional

CheetahNone

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogNone

Wildlife Highlights

In addition to rhino, Rothschild's giraffe was introduced here in the 1980s and has now become locally common. Vervet monkey and olive baboon are very common, but the beautiful black-and-white colobus monkey is rarer than it used to be. Tree-climbing lions are possible highlights. The acacia forest behind Mikingo Hill is a good place to look for leopards. Hippo, waterbuck, plains zebra, eland, buffalo and Thomson’s gazelle are common on the floodplains.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Lake Nakuru can be visited throughout the year, but wildlife viewing is best during the Dry season (June to February). It can be more difficult in April and May, which are usually the wettest months. At this time, rain might interfere with your game drives and the grass tends to be very high, making animal spotting more difficult.