…places to go birding in and around Kenya.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park
Internationally noted as a bird watcher’s paradise, Lake Nakuru National Park is nestled in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, the fault line running 5,600 kilometres, extending from Ethiopia’s Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and into Mozambique. The park is a natural haven for the area’s wildlife, including the endangered black and white rhino. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Centre for its unique habitats, nature and wildlife, the park is a densely wooded area with gigantic yellow-backed acacia trees and bush land.
Lake Nakuru is a small but beautiful park renowned for the lesser flamingoes which literally paint the lake pink in colour. It’s a famous bird watcher’s paradise with over 400 species of birds recorded here. It’s also a rhino sanctuary and one can see the horned beasts grazing around the lakeshore or hiding in the thickets. Four of the Big Five can be seen in this park: Lion, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino. Other wildlife include Water Bucks, Impalas, Zebras, Lions, Giraffes, Colobus monkeys, Hippos and Baboons. The lake occupies close to 60{fca20880b69cda1e2e1974bd58cf7c5a1545a43a10a03b2dbcfd70b6fccda3cd} of the National park. With all this to offer, it provides an adventurous getaway from everyday life.
Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloiden
Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloiden
Lake Naivasha is the only freshwater lake in the Great Rift Valley, famed for its birdlife. Over 300 species of birds live around the Lake-Pelicans, Herons, Storks, Kingfishers, Hammerkop, Egrets, Cormorants, Ibis, Red knobbed Coots, Fish Eagles etc. There are also hippos in the lake.
The little known Lake Oloiden was formerly part of Lake Naivasha but the two lakes are now about 200 metres apart, separated by a stretch of elevated land on the south west shore of Lake Naivasha. Unlike Lake Naivasha whose waters are fresh, Lake Oloiden is salty and home to both the Lesser and the Greater flamingos which migrated from Lake Nakuru, their official home, due to reduced salinity of Lake Nakuru. There are also several hippos.
A boat trip offers a good opportunity to see some of the numerous water birds and other creatures that thrive in these lakes.
Lake Baringo
Lake Baringo
A renowned bird watcher’s paradise. The lake lies in the heart of the Great Rift Valley north of Nairobi and occupies approximately 168 square kilometres and at an altitude of 970m. Over 458 species of birds have been recorded around the lake. It lies off the beaten track in a hot and dusty setting. You don’t have to move far away from your camp or lodge searching for birds in this area-they’re everywhere! There are also several hippos and crocodiles in the lake.
Lake Bogoria
A saline lake that lies in a volcanic region south of Lake Baringo. The lake is a Ramsar site and is surrounded by thorny bush and scrub that supports large mammals such as the Greater kudu, zebra, buffalo, impala, Klipspringer, Patas monkey etc. There are also predators such as servat cats and genets. The lake is shallow (about 10 metres depth), and is about 34 km long by 3.5 km wide, with a drainage basin of 700 km². The lake has no surface outlet so the water becomes saline mainly through evaporation, which is high in this semi-arid region.
Lake Bogoria is home at times to one of the world’s largest population of lesser flamingoes. The Lake Bogoria National Reserve is famous for geysers and hot springs. In four locations around the lake one can see at least 10 geysers, which erupt up to 5 metres high.
Kakamega Forest
The only remnant in Kenya of the original Guineo-Congolian rain forest that once stretched from west to east Africa. The reserve has immense natural beauty that includes indigenous trees, birds, primates and butterflies. It is a popular attraction for birdwatchers- home to over 300 species of birds and 400 species of butterflies. Primates include the endangered DeBrazza monkey, black and white colobus monkey, vervet monkey and the Potto (the world’s slowest mammal on earth). Other wild animals include duikers and dik diks.
Lake Victoria
The source of Africa’s mightiest river, the Nile, which flows northwards, carrying the waters of East Africa to Egypt and into the Mediterranean sea. This great lake lies on Kenya’s western frontier and straddles the three east African countries-Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The lake is rich in fish life, with shimmering shoals of cichlids and the large Nile Perch that is considered a world class game fish. The lake’s waters are the lifeline of the Luo people renowned as formidable fishermen. As the major economic activity in the area, fishing attracts a large number of visitors to this lake. Several fishing villages line the lake. The port city of Kisumu is the nerve centre of the area’s economy. Here, days are usually hot from the bright sun while the evenings and nights are warm due to the gentle breezes rising from the lake. In the swamps and trees along the shore, birds such as Fish Eagles will be seen.
We hope these amazing places inspired you to come to Kenya! Now discover our birding safari.