Lake Nakuru Lodge Safaris, Masai Mara Lodge Safaris, Lake Nakuru Safaris, Masai Mara Safaris
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Luxury tented camps in the Masai Mara
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Lake Nakuru Lodge Safaris, Masai Mara Lodge Safaris, Lake Nakuru Safaris, Masai Mara Safaris
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Lake Nakuru Lodge Safaris, Masai Mara Lodge Safaris, Lake Nakuru Safaris,
Masai Mara Safaris
P.O. Box 51322 - 00200, Nairobi,
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Other birds also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other
large mammals. Black and White rhinos have also been introduced. The
lake's level dropped dramatically in the early 1990s but has since
largely recovered.
Nakuru means "Dust or Dusty Place" in Maasai language. Lake Nakuru
National Park, close to Nakuru town, was established in 1961. It started
off small, only encompassing the famous lake and the surrounding
mountainous vicinity. Now it has been extended to include a large part
of the savannahs.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park (168 km²), created in 1961 around Lake Nakuru,
near Nakuru Town. It is best known for its thousands, sometimes millions
of flamingos nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake
is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of
pink. The number of flamingoes on the lake varies with water and food
conditions and the best vantage point is from Baboon Cliff. Also of
interest is an area of 188 km around the lake fenced off as a sanctuary
to protect Rothschild giraffes and black rhinos.
The park has recently been enlarged partly to provide the sanctuary for
the black rhino. This undertaking has necessitated a fence - to keep out
poachers rather than to restrict the movement of wildlife. The park now
has more than 25 rhinos, one of the largest concentrations in the
country, so the chances of spotting these survivors are good. There are
also a number of Rothschild's giraffe, again translocated for safety
from western Kenya beginning in 1977. Waterbuck are very common and both
the Kenyan species are found here. Among the predators are lion and
leopard, the latter being seen much more frequently in recent times. The
park also has large sized pythons that inhabit the dense woodlands, and
can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees.
Habitat and Wildlife
Lake Nakuru, a small (it varies from 5 to 45 square kilometers) shallow
alkaline lake on the southern edge of the town of Nakuru lies about 160
kilometers north of Nairobi. It can therefore be visited in a day tour
from the capital or more likely as part of a circuit taking in the Masai
Mara or Lake Baringo and east to Samburu. The lake is world famous as
the location of the greatest bird spectacle on earth - myriads of
fuchsia pink flamingos whose numbers are legion, often more than a
million - or even two million. They feed on the abundant algae, which
thrives in the warm waters. Scientists reckon that the flamingo
population at Nakuru consumes about 250,000 kilos of algae per hectare
of surface area per year. There are two types of flamingo species: the
Lesser flamingo can be distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and
pink plumage unlike the greater, which has a bill with a black tip. The
Lesser flamingos are ones that are commonly pictured in documentaries
mainly because they are large in number. The number of Flamingos has
been decreasing recently, perhaps due to too much tourism, pollution
resulting from industries waterworks nearby who dump waste into the
waters or simply because of changes in water quality which makes the
lake temporarily inhospitable.
"The seventh greatest wonder in the world". It is now officially known
through out the world. Many have come back time and again. They have
witnessed this mass movement of wild animals roaming free through
unspoiled and savage wilderness. The air fills with the click- click of
the cameras tirelessly. You have not seen something like this before.
Africa is changing at a quick pace and human encroachment into the
wildlife reserves has continued to erase the traditional routes. In
association with development and changes of the way of life, the image
of wildlife roaming free is slowly getting erased. Fortunately, Masai
Mara National reserve holds on to its charisma of an open, limitless
land. It is one of the places in Africa that still prides in wildlife
concentration.
Masai Mara is located in the South-western of Kenya, 290 kilometers from
Nairobi. The abundance of wildlife and the remoteness of the reserve
implants memories that no money can buy. The Migration is a recent
phenomenon (60's and 70's was the biggest boom) with about 250,000
individuals. Gradually, with time the number has risen to the current
population of over 3,000,000 individuals. Add to it an estimated
1,500,000 Zebras and the result is one of the most magnificent scenes in
the world. The massive display attracts hundreds of big cats as the
populations provide abundant prey. The giant African crocodiles lie in
wait, patiently, as the big herds come to cross the river or to drink.
It is the Maasai community who are not so pleased with the whole
phenomenon. The wildebeests compete with their huge herds of boran
cattle for the grasslands. To them, it is a big calamity especially
because the wildebeests transmit diseases to their herds and poison the
waters with their fetal sacs.
This world famous migration is a circle of life which, in simple terms,
means that there isn't a start or an end. Only where the herds are
located at a particular time. The big determinant is the
availability of pastures. The plains of Ngorongoro Conservation Area in
Serengeti are a favored spot as grass abounds and the wildebeest find a
safe place to graze. It is also here that over 500,000 new calves are
born and many are taken by the nearby waiting Jackals or Hyenas. New
born calves have little time to strengthen their legs. As soon after
birth, the “pilgrim" continues. By April, the rains are over in southern
Serengeti and the plains have dried up. The great herds then gather and
face the long march northwards and westwards. The natural lawn mowers
abandon the exhausted grasslands of southern Serengeti to head for the
already tall grass of the Western corridor, near the shores of Lake
Victoria.
The pioneers of the migration movement are the majestic herds of zebras.
They prefer the long
stems of the coarse grass. This way, they leave behind shorter grass which
is favored by the wildebeests. In late June to July the mass start
pouring into the Kenya Masai Mara reserve where fresh, tender and
mineral-rich grass is already waiting. Here they meet the resident Mara
populations which add up to about 150,000. Also commonly referred to as
the Loita plains herds, they spend most of the season northeast of the
Mara. When it gets dry, they pour into the interior of the Mara in
search of greener pastures.
The migrating herds spend roughly 3 to 31/2 months in the Mara crossing
through Sand River, which is a tributary of the Mara along the boundary
of Kenya and Tanzania. They trek westwards and cross the Mara river and
sometimes the Talek river. Usually around this time heavy rains on the
Mau Escarpment (origin of Mara River) fill the Mara river to the brim.
This is a good time to watch the trunk-looking Crocodiles, while they
await the forthcoming feast.
Finally, the gnus (wildebeests) venture into the river. This gregarious
coordinated behavior of the herds, usually teamed with zebras, creates
an unimaginable scene. Just what the cameras have been waiting for.
They wander along the river looking for a convenient crossing point. This
is a moment filled with tension for both the gnus (wildebeests) and the
audience. They survey for a less steep and with no obvious danger.
Finally, one takes courage and plunges into the river and magically the
rest falls onto the footsteps and in one organized line cross the river.
In addition to the crocodiles, accidents also occur. The river's current
can be too strong for some especially the young ones. Or simply getting
stuck between the rocks in the river and breaking limbs, a direct ticket
to the jaws of the giant crocodiles. Finally, the crossing is done and
the trek to their unknown (or known)
In the month of October, they are already heading to Serengeti where the
rains have treated the southern grasslands to lush, green carpet of rich
grass. Once again, they are heading to the southern plains, where a new
generation will be born to start the cycle of life all over again.
Maasai Mara Safari Masai Mara road safaris lodge tours Masai Mara
wildlife safaris Masai Mara Kenya.
