Camp042 - Lake Nakuru > The Pink Lake!

Camp042 - Lake Nakuru - The Pink Lake!

 

Nakuru - meaning "Dust" or "Dusty Place" in the Maasai language, is also christened ‘The Pink Lake’, due to the sea of flaming pink flamingoes that stretch as far as the eye can see. These are huge numbers of flamingoes feeding in the lake shallows - salty deep-green waters of Lake Nakuru - a home to thousands of flamingoes, the White Rhino, the Lion, the Impala, Thompson Gazelle and the Waterbuck as well as other Antelopes. It provides one of the best chances to see the elusive Leopard – an expert nocturnal hunting big cat, as well as the endangered Rothschild Giraffe.

Lake Nakuru National Park, close to Nakuru town, was established in 1961. The lake is reknown as the location of the greatest bird spectacle on earth - myriads of pink flamingoes legion in numbers, often more than a million maybe two, as they feed on the abundant algae, which thrives in the warm waters. There are over 400 resident bird species on the lake and in the surrounding park, thus earning the title 'Ornithological Paradise', famous among birders safari packages.

The lake catchment is bounded by Menengai crater to the north, the Bahati hills to the north east, the lion hill ranges to the east, Eburu crater to the south and the mau escarpment to the west. Three major rivers, the njoro, makalia and enderit drain into the lake.