Interesting places in Lake Nakuru:

flemingo land		Lake Nakuru National Park
Baboon Cliff View Point Lake Nakuru Park		Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge

Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in central Kenya and is protected by a small Lake Nakuru National Park. Greater and Lesser Flamingos flock to the lake. Greater and Lesser Flamingos flock to the lake.

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Flamingo at Lake Nakuru
Made by gerdaindc
The lake is world famous as the location of the greatest bird spectacle on earth - myriads of fuchsia pink flamingos whose numbers are legion, often more than a million - or even two million. They feed on the abundant algae, which thrives in the warm waters. Scientists reckon that the flamingo population at Nakuru consumes about 250,000 kilos of algae per hectare of surface area per year. There are two types of flamingo species: the Lesser flamingo can be distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and pink plumage unlike the greater, which has a bill with a black tip. The Lesser flamingos are ones that are commonly pictured in documentaries mainly because they are large in number. The number of Flamingos has been decreasing recently, perhaps due to too much tourism, pollution resulting from industries waterworks nearby who dump waste into the waters or simply because of changes in water quality which makes the lake temporarily inhospitable. Usually, the lake recedes during the dry season and floods during the wet season. In recent years, there have been wide variations between the dry and wet seasons' water levels. It's suspected that this is caused by increasing watershed land conversion to intensive crop production and urbanization, both which reduce the capacity of soils to absorb water, recharge groundwaters and thus increase seasonal flooding. Pollution and drought destroy the flamingos' food, Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, and causing them to migrate to the nearby Lakes, more recently lakes Elmenteita, Simbi Nyaima and Bogoria. Local climate changes have also been hypothesized to contribute to the changing environmental conditions in the lakes catchment. Recent media reports indicate increasing concern among stakeholders, as mass flamingo migrations and deaths could spell doom to the tourism industry. The flamingos feed on algae, created from their droppings mixing in the warm alkaline waters, and plankton. But flamingo are not the only avian attraction, also present are two large fish eating birds, pelicans and cormorants. Despite the tepid and alkaline waters, a diminutive fish, Tilapia grahami has flourished after being introduced in the early 1960s. The lake is rich in other birdlife. There are over 400 resident species on the lake and in the surrounding park.


White Rhino
Made by Partha C
actually called wide rhino by the dutch...it late came to known as white (wide ) rhino. this kinda rhino eats grass and the face is wide which is suitable for grazing the grass. the other kind of rhino is black rhino which eats bush and not on grass and face is not wide but similar to zebra mouth. The Story ---------------------------------------------------------------- No of Days : 5 Days. Flights: Delhi - Dubai - Nairobi Delhi to Dubai by Jet Airways and Dubai to Nairobi by Kenya Airways. Depart Delhi at 7. 30 PM and arrive at Nairobi at 6 AM of Day 1. Nairobi - Dubai - Delhi Depart Nairobi at 12.30 PM of Day 5 and reach Delhi at 3 AM Flight cost INR 25000 per person. There are direct flights from mumbai though, but delhi mumbai sector is costly. Its better to take Dubai route from Delhi. Masai Mara: Stayed at Mara Sentrim Safari Lodge. good lodge, near entry gate, good food. but i felt that Kekorok Lodge and Fig Tree lodges are far better in terms of location. Kekorok lodge will give the awesome Savannah sunset view..its in the middle of Savannah grasslands. all other lodges are in the hills near the border of the national reserve. Lake Nakuru: Stayed at Merica Hotel. The best hotel in Nakuru town. less than a km from park gate. lodges get full during the peak season and we did not get the lodges. There are other lodges near the park gate but not at level of Merica Hotel. Nairobi : Stayed at Intercontinental opposite side of Parliament in heart of town. must have food in Handi Resturent. Man after 5 days continental food you wont belive how much you will enjoy a full fledged indian resturent. Time July, August and September : The time of great migration. this is the time to visit. book well in advance for cheaper rates and better hotels. book baloon safari also in advance. even though balooning cost $ 450 per person, it fills up so fast. We did not get booking. Highlights: 1. Game Drive in Masai Mara 2. Lake Nakuru Flamingo 3. Wild life viewing with a failed lion attack on Zebra 4. Sunset with Acacia/yellow fever tree. 5. Lake Naivasha boating and amazing bird life. Must Avoid: The Masai Village. This is fake and nothing but waste of money. Do not do it.


sunset at lake nakuru
Made by Partha C
The horizon is painted orange while dark clouds are still above us. The lonely acacia tree stands tall in painted canvas in the sky. This was shot while we were leaving Lake Nakuru after an evening game drive. The Story ---------------------------------------------------------------- No of Days : 5 Days. Flights: Delhi - Dubai - Nairobi Delhi to Dubai by Jet Airways and Dubai to Nairobi by Kenya Airways. Depart Delhi at 7. 30 PM and arrive at Nairobi at 6 AM of Day 1. Nairobi - Dubai - Delhi Depart Nairobi at 12.30 PM of Day 5 and reach Delhi at 3 AM Flight cost INR 25000 per person. There are direct flights from mumbai though, but delhi mumbai sector is costly. Its better to take Dubai route from Delhi. Masai Mara: Stayed at Mara Sentrim Safari Lodge. good lodge, near entry gate, good food. but i felt that Kekorok Lodge and Fig Tree lodges are far better in terms of location. Kekorok lodge will give the awesome Savannah sunset view..its in the middle of Savannah grasslands. all other lodges are in the hills near the border of the national reserve. Lake Nakuru: Stayed at Merica Hotel. The best hotel in Nakuru town. less than a km from park gate. lodges get full during the peak season and we did not get the lodges. There are other lodges near the park gate but not at level of Merica Hotel. Nairobi : Stayed at Intercontinental opposite side of Parliament in heart of town. must have food in Handi Resturent. Man after 5 days continental food you wont belive how much you will enjoy a full fledged indian resturent. Time July, August and September : The time of great migration. this is the time to visit. book well in advance for cheaper rates and better hotels. book baloon safari also in advance. even though balooning cost $ 450 per person, it fills up so fast. We did not get booking. Highlights: 1. Game Drive in Masai Mara 2. Lake Nakuru Flamingo 3. Wild life viewing with a failed lion attack on Zebra 4. Sunset with Acacia/yellow fever tree. 5. Lake Naivasha boating and amazing bird life. Must Avoid: The Masai Village. This is fake and nothing but waste of money. Do not do it.


flamingo flight
Made by Partha C
flock of flamingo flies over lake Nakuru in kenya... Lake Nakuru is a volcanic lake with brackish water which has a lot of algae which attracts the pink beauties. The Story ---------------------------------------------------------------- No of Days : 5 Days. Flights: Delhi - Dubai - Nairobi Delhi to Dubai by Jet Airways and Dubai to Nairobi by Kenya Airways. Depart Delhi at 7. 30 PM and arrive at Nairobi at 6 AM of Day 1. Nairobi - Dubai - Delhi Depart Nairobi at 12.30 PM of Day 5 and reach Delhi at 3 AM Flight cost INR 25000 per person. There are direct flights from mumbai though, but delhi mumbai sector is costly. Its better to take Dubai route from Delhi. Masai Mara: Stayed at Mara Sentrim Safari Lodge. good lodge, near entry gate, good food. but i felt that Kekorok Lodge and Fig Tree lodges are far better in terms of location. Kekorok lodge will give the awesome Savannah sunset view..its in the middle of Savannah grasslands. all other lodges are in the hills near the border of the national reserve. Lake Nakuru: Stayed at Merica Hotel. The best hotel in Nakuru town. less than a km from park gate. lodges get full during the peak season and we did not get the lodges. There are other lodges near the park gate but not at level of Merica Hotel. Nairobi : Stayed at Intercontinental opposite side of Parliament in heart of town. must have food in Handi Resturent. Man after 5 days continental food you wont belive how much you will enjoy a full fledged indian resturent. Time July, August and September : The time of great migration. this is the time to visit. book well in advance for cheaper rates and better hotels. book baloon safari also in advance. even though balooning cost $ 450 per person, it fills up so fast. We did not get booking. Highlights: 1. Game Drive in Masai Mara 2. Lake Nakuru Flamingo 3. Wild life viewing with a failed lion attack on Zebra 4. Sunset with Acacia/yellow fever tree. 5. Lake Naivasha boating and amazing bird life. Must Avoid: The Masai Village. This is fake and nothing but waste of money. Do not do it.


Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius kiboko) Flodhäst
Made by Rαtαtoskr
This Hippo was all alone on this stretch. As far as we could see, Hippos here in Nakuru where never in large groups, like in other areas of Kenya. I don't know why that is. Many of the wild animals here where lone individuals or in very small groups, often 2 or 3. The word Hippopotamus come from the Greek words hippos, horse, and potamos, river. The Hippopotamus is semi-aquatic, inhabiting rivers and lakes where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of 5 to 30 females and young. During the day they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grass. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.). The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around 60 million years ago. The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around 16 million years ago. Hippopotami are ill-tempered animals. Adult hippos are hostile toward crocodiles, which often live in the same pools and rivers as hippos. This is especially so when hippo calves are around. Nile crocodiles, along with Lions and Spotted Hyenas, may prey on young hippos. Hippos are very aggressive towards humans and are often considered one of the most dangerous large animals in Africa. Hippos attack humans and boats.


Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) Nilgås
Made by Rαtαtoskr
This was quite a fight. The Cormorant was agressive and launching at both parents. See how the parents put themselves in the way, protecting the chicks. The male Goose was the one physically fighting with the Cormorant, The female was mostly showing agression and hissing. Cormorants are quite smart so I'm wondering what the purpose of the taunting was. If any of you knows, please inform me. This 63 to 73 cm long species breeds widely in Africa except in deserts and dense forests, and is locally abundant. They are found mostly in the Nile Valley and south of the Sahara. It has also been introduced elsewhere; Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany have self-sustaining feral populations. This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. It swims well, and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. Egyptian Geese usually pair for life. The sexes of this striking species are identical in plumage, though the males average slightly larger. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses, and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_geese


Lesser Flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor) Mindre flamingo
Made by Rαtαtoskr
The Lesser Flamingo is the smallest flamingo. They generally weigh 2.0 kg, are about 1 meter long, stand 1 meter tall, and have a wingspan of 1 meter. This species feeds primarily on Spirulina, a cyanobacteria which grows only in very alkaline lakes. Although blue-green in colour, the bacteria contains the photosynthetic pigments that gives the birds their pink colour. Their deep bill is specialised for filtering tiny food items. Lesser Flamingos are predated on by a variety of species including Marabou Storks, baboons, African Fish Eagles and jackals. Like all flamingos, they lay a single chalky white egg on mounds they build of mud. Chicks join creches soon after hatching, sometimes numbering over a hundred thousand individuals. The creches are marshalled by a few adult birds who lead them by foot to fresh water, a journey that can reach over 32 km. Despite being the most numerous species of flamingo, it is classified as near-threatened due to its declining population and the low number of breeding sites, some of which are threatened by human activities. The population in the two key east African lakes, Nakuru and Bogoria, have been adversely affected in recent years by suspected heavy metal poisoning, while its primary African breeding area in Lake Natron is currently under threat by a proposed soda ash plant by Tata Chemicals. The only breeding site in South Africa, situated at Kamfers Dam, is threathened by pollution and encroaching development.


Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) Vit pelikan
Made by Rαtαtoskr
The Great White Pelican is one of the worlds largest birds with a wing span of up to 360 cm and a weight of up to 15kg for males. The length of the male is around 175cm and females around 150cm. The fishing technique of these birds demands the shallow, warm water of lakes, deltas, marshes and swamps. A social and cooperative bird, the great white pelican fishes in the early morning, spending the remainder of the day preening and bathing. Great white pelicans are exploited for many reasons. The pouch is used to make tobacco bags, the skin is turned into leather, the guano is used as fertiliser, and the fat of young pelicans is converted into oils for traditional medicine in China (what a surprise. They drive ALL world species to extincion with their ridiculous believes) and India. Human disturbance, loss of foraging habitat and breeding sites, and pollution are all contributing to the decline of the great white pelican. It was previously heavily persecuted by guano collectors as the pelican preys upon other guano-producing birds. Ref.: www.arkive.org


IDP camp
Made by .:exigeante:.
View On Black these are a few of the amazing women living in the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp in Nakuru, Kenya. in the post-election violence of Dec 2007 these people had their homes and businesses torched and were chased from their land by other tribes. for months they lived along the side of the road, too terrified to return home. earlier this year an amazing businessman and humanitarian we work with purchased a huge plot of land for the IDPs so they could begin to rebuild their lives. We are helping to build permanent structures for the 250+ IDPs (ranging from babies to a 114 year old woman) to call home. in the interim, every single one of them are living under one leaky tarp held up by tree branches...but they are off the streets and have formed a community. on this day when we visited, we were welcomed by everyone standing in the rain, singing, dancing, and embracing us...and they then proceeded to share with us what little food they had. phenomenal, beautiful, resilient people.


Marabou Stork - Leptoptilos crumeniferus
Made by Rαtαtoskr
The Marabou Stork. Impressive, and the largest of storks. Height = 152 centimeters. Weight = up to 9kg. Life span = more than 30 years. Wing span = 3.2 meters. - Marabou storks are attracted to grass fires. They march in front of the advancing fire grabbing animals that are fleeing. - The pouch on their throat is not used for food storage; it is more likely used in courtship. - Marabous get much of their food through scavenging. They are attracted to lion kills, domestic stockyards, plowed fields, and rubbish piles. - Marabous nest in the dry season when carrion and evaporating pools that contain the natural prey necessary to raise their young are available. - These storks need to eat more than 700 g (1.6 lbs) of food a day. - A marabou stork’s bill grows all its life and can be 13.6 inches (34.6 centimeters) long. The large, heavy bill is a formidable weapon against other scavengers, even hyenas and jackals. - Storks are usually quiet, but they can make a variety of sounds that range from hissing, honking, and croaking to squealing, mooing, and whistling.


African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) Skrikhavsörn
Made by Rαtαtoskr
This is a great spot for the Eagle to sit and wait for an opportunity. This Acacia tree is just by the Nakuru lake where all the flamingos and other birds congregate in huge numbers. The African Fish Eagle is found near any water containing fish and so present across most of Africa except for the arid north east. It has a very distinctive call which is one of the distinctive sounds of Kenya (once heard it is never forgotten). It is particularly common in and around some of the Rift Valley lakes. Although, as its name suggests, it feeds extensively on fish, in some areas (eg Lake Bogoria) it preys on flamingos and other water birds. It is also known to eat carrion and is classified as a kleptoparasite ie it steals prey from other birds. Goliath Herons are known to lose a percentage of their catch to Fish Eagles. The African Fish Eagle is a large bird, and the female, at 3.2-3.6 kg is larger than the male, at 2-2.5 kg. Males usually have a wingspan of about 2 m, while females have wingspans of 2.4 m. The length is 63-75 cm.


Hart antelope
Made by angela7dreams
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Nakuru
Made by EricK_1968
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in central Kenya and is protected by a small Lake Nakuru National Park. The lake's abundance of algae attracts the vast quantity of flamingos that famously lines the shore. Other birds also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large mammals. Black and White rhinos have also been introduced. The lake's level dropped dramatically in the early 1990s but has since largely recovered. Nakuru means Dust or Dusty Place in Maasai language. Lake Nakuru National Park, close to Nakuru town, was established in 1961. It started off small, only encompassing the famous lake and the surrounding mountainous vicinity. Now it has been extended to include a large part of the savannahs. Lake Nakuru is protected under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands


Rothschild Giraffe
Made by Hani London
Rothschild Giraffes are easily distinguishable from other subspecies. The most obvious sign is in the colouring of the coat, or pelt. Where the Reticulated Giraffe has very clearly defined dark patches with bright whitish channels between them, the Rothschild Giraffe more closely resembles the Masai Giraffe. However, when compared to the Masai Giraffe, the Rothschild subspecies is paler, the orange-brown patches are less jagged and sharp in shape and the connective channel is of a creamier hue compared to that seen on the Reticulated Giraffe. In addition, the Rothschild Giraffe displays no markings on the lower leg, giving the impression that it is wearing white stockings


evening stroll
Made by angela7dreams
File name Image size :1600 x 1200 Resolution :300 x 300 dpi Number of bits :8bit/channel Protection attribute :Off Hide Attribute :Off Camera ID :N/A Camera :E775 Quality mode :NORMAL Metering mode :Spot Exposure mode :Programmed auto Speed light :No Focal length :43.5 mm Shutter speed :1/112.6second Aperture :F14.0 Exposure compensation :0 EV White Balance :Auto Lens :Built-in


Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) Marabustork
Made by Rαtαtoskr
It is sometimes called the undertaker bird, due to its shape from behind: cloak-like wings and back, skinny white legs, and sometimes, a large white mass of hair, which mine here has :) This massive bird is thought to reach a height of 150 cm, a weight of over 9 kg, and have a wingspan of at least 3.5 m. In the last regard, it shares the distinction of having the largest wingspan of any land bird with the Andean Condor. Ref.: Wiki


Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis) Afrikansk ibisstork
Made by Rαtαtoskr
A common stork seen in Kenya just about anywhere it's wet. Generally prefers larger bodies of water. The adult is a whitish bird with a long yellow bill. The juvenile is greyer with a duller bill. Both adult and juvenile have the bare patch on the face although this is more brightly coloured in the adult. Generally seen in groups, it has developed the technique of stirring up the water or mud with one foot to flush out prey.


Giraffe morning
Made by angela7dreams
Date taken :2005/10/02 10:27:26 Image size :2592 x 1944 Resolution :300 x 300 dpi Number of bits :8bit/channel Protection attribute :Off Hide Attribute :Off Camera ID :N/A Camera :E5400 Speed light :Yes Focal length :96 mm Shutter speed :1/112.3second Aperture :F7.3 Exposure compensation :0 EV


Lake Nakuru, Kenya - King Traninee
Made by marmelder
This is one of four lions that we saw near the water at Lake Nakuru. We got out of the vehicle to take pictures of the MILLIONS of flamingos because that's why Lake Nakuru is famous. After we got in a fair bit of shooting, our guide called to us to hurry back to the car. There were lions (gulp!) in the field behind us!! We raced over and got some really close up shots. Exhibit A.


Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudata) Lilabröstad blåkråka
Made by Rαtαtoskr
The Lilac-breasted Roller is the national bird of Kenya. The name comes not only from this bird’s appearance and its breathtaking aerial acrobatics. The “roller” in their name comes from the breathtaking courtship flight of the males. They perform a series of fast, shallow dives with a rolling and rocking motion. They are highly territorial and pair for life.