Lake Nakuru Day Trip from Nairobi: Flamingos & Game Drive

Pink flamingos and hippos: a full day in Kenya's Great Rift Valley

You're picked up from your Nairobi hotel at 6am and driven to Lake Nakuru National Park, stopping at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint on the way. You do a three-hour morning game drive, break for lunch, then a three-hour afternoon drive to spot flamingos, rhinos, buffalo and other wildlife. After the park closes, you head to Lake Naivasha for a one-hour boat ride to see hippos and birds from the water. You're back in Nairobi by 6pm, dropped at your hotel with water and a full day behind you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Nakuru and Naivasha wildlife tour

• Meet guide at Nairobi hotel 6:00am
• Drive to Great Rift Valley viewpoint
• Enjoy views of escarpments
• Arrive at Lake Nakuru 9:00am
• Start 3-hour game drive in park
• Break for lunch at local restaurant
• Depart park 3:00pm
• Drive to Lake Naivasha
• Optional 1-hour boat ride
• Watch birds and hippos on boat
• Return to dock
• Drive back to Nairobi
• Arrive Nairobi hotel 6:00pm

The experience

You've just landed in Nairobi or you're staying nearby with a free afternoon ahead. Your guide meets you at 6am at your hotel or the airport: early, yes, but that's when the animals move. The three-hour drive north takes you past the Great Rift Valley viewpoint first, where the escarpment opens up and you see how the land splits itself in two. By 9am you're at Lake Nakuru National Park, and the flamingos are there, thousands of them, turning the water pink. But the lake trip isn't really about the birds alone. Your private guide drives you through the park for three hours in the morning, stopping when something moves: rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, whatever the day brings. You're not on a minibus with twelve other people. It's just you and your guide in a private car, which changes how the animals behave and how much you actually see.

Around midday you break for lunch at a local restaurant near the park, then head back out for an afternoon game drive. The light shifts, the animals shift with it, and you spot things you missed in the morning. After the second drive ends around 3pm, you head to Lake Naivasha for a one-hour boat ride. This part is optional, but most people do it. From the water you see hippos up close and birds you wouldn't spot from the car. The boat moves slowly enough that you can actually photograph things. Then it's the long drive back to Nairobi, arriving around 6pm at your hotel or residence in the CBD. You get a bottle of water for the road, and your guide drops you exactly where you started.

What makes this work is the timing and the format. Eleven and a half hours sounds long, but the private car means no waiting for other groups, no rushed stops, no guide who has to keep twenty people happy at once. You move at your own pace, and if something interesting happens (a pride of lions, a rare bird) your guide can linger. The boat ride on Lake Naivasha breaks up the day and gives you a different angle on the wildlife. Lunch is included, so you're not hunting for a restaurant or worrying about where to eat. The pickup and drop-off from your hotel means you don't have to navigate Nairobi traffic or figure out how to get to the park on your own.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your Nairobi hotel, airport or residence in the CBD.
• private car transportation to and from Lake Nakuru National Park.
• morning and afternoon game drives with a private guide.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• one-hour optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha for hippo and bird viewing.
• bottle of water.

Options for this experience

2 options

Day Trip to Lake Nakuru National ParkGuide in English · 06:00Includes pickup

Private 4x4 van tour of Lake NakuruGuide in English · 06:00Private 4x4 van, duration 10 hours, pickup: water, pickup is included

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by NIVLEK TOURS

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see Lake Nakuru's flamingos and wildlife without arranging transport, park entry or timing yourself: the private guide and fixed schedule handle all three, and the early start is what gets you into the park when the animals are most active.

Traveler reviews

4.93★★★★★★★★★★

46 verified traveler reviews

5 ★44

4 ★1

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4).

What time does the tour start?

Pickup is at 6am from your hotel, airport or residence in Nairobi CBD. You arrive at Lake Nakuru by 9am after a three-hour drive.

Is the Lake Naivasha boat ride included?

The boat ride is optional. It's a one-hour ride on Lake Naivasha to see hippos and birds, included in the tour price if you choose to do it.

How long is the full tour?

The entire day is 11.5 hours from pickup to drop-off, including two game drives, lunch, and the optional boat ride.

What's included in the price?

Lunch, both game drives, transportation by private car, a bottle of water, and pickup and drop-off from your Nairobi hotel or residence.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the vehicle or on the boat, with breaks for lunch and the game drives.

What wildlife might I see?

Lake Nakuru is known for its flamingos, but you may also see rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, and other animals depending on the day. The boat ride offers hippo and bird viewing on Lake Naivasha.

What if I want to skip the boat ride?

You can skip the Lake Naivasha boat ride and return to Nairobi earlier. Let your guide know in advance.