The Great Rift Valley is one of the natural wonders of the world — a vast geological cleft in the Earth's crust that runs the length of Kenya, cradling a string of shimmering lakes between towering escarpments and dormant volcanoes. At its heart lies Lake Nakuru, a shallow, alkaline soda lake famed across the globe for the great flocks of flamingos that gather to feed on its algae-rich waters, at times turning the entire shoreline a living, shifting pink. But Nakuru is far more than its birds: it is one of Kenya's most important rhino sanctuaries, a fenced haven where both black and white rhino thrive in unusually high numbers and are seen with a reliability rare anywhere in Africa. Add the endangered Rothschild's giraffe wandering beneath fever-tree forests, tree-climbing lions, leopard, buffalo and over 450 bird species, and Lake Nakuru delivers a compact, intensely rewarding safari against a backdrop of astonishing beauty. Beyond the park, the Rift Valley opens into a whole day of wonders: freshwater Lake Naivasha with its hippos and boat safaris; the fever-tree walking sanctuary of Crescent Island; Lake Bogoria with its steaming geysers and hot springs; and Hell's Gate National Park, where dramatic gorges and towering cliffs can be explored on foot or by bicycle among grazing wildlife — one of the only parks in Africa where you can safely do so. Easily reached from Nairobi, endlessly scenic and packed with wildlife, Lake Nakuru and the Great Rift Valley are the perfect heart of any Kenya journey.
Luxury5 Days
