Lake Nakuru National Park at a glance
Lake Nakuru National Park lies in Nakuru County in Kenya's Rift Valley. The park covers 188 km², while the lake itself grows and shrinks with the water level. The Main Gate is 4 km from Nakuru city, and the park is 156 km northwest of Nairobi on the A104 road. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) runs it. In 1987 it became the first state-managed rhino sanctuary in Kenya.
The lake sits at about 1,754 m above sea level. Together with Lake Bogoria and Lake Elementaita it forms the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, which UNESCO listed in 2011. Lake Nakuru is famous for flamingos, but the numbers have changed a lot: a count in January 2006 found 1,347,063 lesser flamingos, and a count in January 2025 found about 500. Do not count on a pink shoreline on every visit.
This guide covers a safari in the park, tours from Nairobi that often include Lake Naivasha, entry fees, flamingos, rhinos and other animals, Makalia Falls and Baboon Cliff, and the places around the lake: Lake Elementaita, Menengai Crater, Lake Bogoria, the Great Rift Valley and the city of Nakuru. Prices are for 2026 and can change.
Our picks: Lake Nakuru tours
For one trip with the park entry in the price, the two-day private safari is the simplest to plan. The day trips from Nairobi are the cheaper way in, with the park fee extra, and the longer routes add Lake Bogoria, Lake Elementaita or the Mara.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
3-day private trip: Bogoria, Baringo and Nakuru
- Entries to both parks
- Land Cruiser 4x4 with guide
- Two nights, meals per itinerary
Lake Bogoria and Lake Baringo come first, and the drive in Lake Nakuru National Park is on day three. It is a private tour for your own group.
Check availability →
5-day safari: Mara, Lake Nakuru and Elementaita
- Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru
- Lake Elementaita extension
- Four nights, full board
Lake Nakuru National Park is on days three and four, then the trip goes on to Lake Elementaita. Park fees are extra.
Check availability →
2-day Lake Nakuru safari with an overnight stay
- Park entry included
- Open-roof private van
- One night, full board
A private tour in your own van, and the second day goes on to Lake Naivasha.
Check availability →
4-day group safari: Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru
- Shared pop-up roof Land Cruiser
- Three nights included
- Hotel or airport pickup
Lake Nakuru is on the last day, with about three hours of game driving. The park fees for the Mara and Nakuru are extra.
Check availability →
Group day trip from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and Naivasha
- Hotel pickup
- Pop-up roof 4x4 van
- Lunch and water
The drive from Nairobi takes about 2.5 to 3 hours each way. The Lake Nakuru park fee is extra and is paid at the park by card.
Check availability →
Lake Nakuru day trip with pickup in Nakuru or Nairobi
- Guided game drive
- 4x4 tour van or Land Cruiser
- Pickup and return
A small group of up to six, and from Nairobi the drive takes about three hours. The park ticket is extra.
Check availability →Lake Nakuru tours and day trips
Day trips from Nairobi, safaris and combinations with Lake Naivasha, with live prices and availability.
Plan your Lake Nakuru visit
Start with the safari and the entry fee, then pick the pages you need.
Lake Nakuru safari
How a game drive works, the park rules and what it costs.
Day trips from Nairobi
Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru in one day, with fees for each stop.
Entry fee 2026
Rates by visitor category, vehicle fees, gates and online payment.
Nairobi to Nakuru
Road, bus and shuttle options and entry rules for Kenya.
Hotels and lodges
Lodges in the park, hotels in Nakuru and campsites.
Weather and planning
The rainy seasons and how they affect a visit.
Flamingos
Counts, rising water and where the birds move.
Animals of Lake Nakuru
Rhinos, lions, giraffes, buffalo and about 450 bird species.
Places in and around the park
Viewpoints, neighbouring lakes and the city.
Makalia Falls and Baboon Cliff
The waterfall, the cliff view and the picnic sites.
Lake Elementaita
A soda lake south of Nakuru with its own fees and Soysambu next door.
Menengai Crater
A caldera above Nakuru with forest trails and viewpoints.
Lake Bogoria
Hot springs and flamingos in a county-run reserve.
Great Rift Valley
How the valley formed and where to see it in Kenya.
Nakuru city
Hyrax Hill, gardens and getting around.
Park history and rising water
From the 1960s bird sanctuary to the flooded shoreline.
A few things to know before you go
The facts that shape a visit in 2026.
Entry fee
KWS has published a new tariff since 1 October 2025. An adult non-resident pays $90 and a child $45. A legal dispute over the new rates is open, so check the amount in the payment portal before you travel.
Entry fee 2026 →Flamingos move
Rising water since about 2010 has changed the lake chemistry that flamingos depend on. A count in January 2025 found about 500 lesser flamingos at the lake. Other lakes in the Rift Valley can hold more or fewer birds from year to year.
Flamingos and water levels →Roads around the lake
The park has three gates: the Main Gate, Lanet Gate and Nderit Gate. Floods have put parts of the shore roads under water, so ask at the gate which routes are open before you plan a loop.
Flooding and park history →Neighbouring places have their own fees
Lake Bogoria is run by the county, Lake Elementaita and Soysambu have separate tariffs, and Crescent Island is reached by boat. None of these is covered by your Lake Nakuru ticket.
Lake Bogoria →Entry to Kenya
You need an approved eTA before you travel. Since October 2026 the application includes a Kenyan travel health insurance, and other policies are not accepted for it. Rules change, so check the current requirements before you fly.
Getting there →The train is not a safe bet
The Kisumu Safari Train stops in Nakuru, but service has been interrupted in 2026. Plan the trip by road, bus or shuttle and check the train before you rely on it.
Road, bus and shuttle →Beyond Lake Nakuru
Other parks that have their own guides.
For the wildlife of the Masai Mara, including the migration, see the Masai Mara guide. Nairobi has a national park of its own, covered in the Nairobi National Park guide, and the north has Samburu National Reserve. This site stays with Lake Nakuru and the places you can reach from it.
More independent guides to Kenya
Separate guides from the same team.
Kenya Coast
Diani Beach, Mombasa, Watamu, Malindi and safaris to Tsavo East.
Lamu
The Swahili old town, dhow trips and the islands of the archipelago.
Maasai Mara
Safaris, the Great Migration, balloon flights and park fees.
Amboseli
Elephant herds, Kilimanjaro views, safaris and park fees.
Nairobi National Park
Game drives in the capital, the Giraffe Centre and the elephant orphanage.
Tsavo
Tsavo East and West, red elephants and safaris from Mombasa.
Samburu
The Special Five, the Ewaso Nyiro River and northern Kenya.
Lake Naivasha
Boat rides with hippos, Crescent Island and Mount Longonot.
Hell's Gate
Cycling, the gorge walk and the Olkaria geothermal spa.
Ol Pejeta
Rhinos, the last northern white rhinos, chimpanzees and Nanyuki.
Mount Kenya
Treks to Point Lenana, the climbing routes and park fees.
Aberdare
Waterfalls, Treetops, mountain forest safaris and Nyeri.
Lake Nakuru National Park: frequently asked questions
Where is Lake Nakuru National Park and how far is it from Nairobi?
The park is in Nakuru County in the Rift Valley, 156 km northwest of Nairobi on the A104. The Main Gate is 4 km from Nakuru city. The Lanet Gate is the one KWS suggests when you come from Nairobi and want to avoid city traffic. See getting there for road, bus and shuttle options.
How much is the entry fee in 2026?
An adult non-resident pays $90 and a child $45. East African citizens pay KES 1,500 for an adult and KES 750 for a child, and Kenya residents pay KES 2,025 and KES 1,050. A vehicle fee is extra. The entry fee page has every category and the vehicle rates.
Will I see flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
Maybe, but not for sure. A count in January 2025 found about 500 lesser flamingos at the lake, far fewer than the 1,347,063 counted in January 2006. Flocks move between lakes. The flamingo page explains why.
Can I see rhinos on a Lake Nakuru safari?
Both black and white rhinos live in the park, which has been a rhino sanctuary since 1987. Sightings depend on the day and nobody can promise one. Read more on the animals page and the safari page.
How do I pay the park fee?
You pay online through KWSPay on eCitizen. You can pay with M-Pesa or Visa, and bank transfer through KCB, ABSA or Equity is an option too. Plan on paying before you go and bring valid ID to the gate. Do not count on paying cash at the gate.
Is lake-nakuru.org an official site?
No. lake-nakuru.org is an independent travel guide. It is not run by Kenya Wildlife Service, the Nakuru County government or any lodge, tour company or booking platform, and it does not take park payments.