Nakuru's famous pink shoreline depended on shallow, alkaline water and the cyanobacteria that thrive in it. A decade of rising levels diluted the lake and much of the flock relocated to Bogoria and Elmenteita.
Flamingos still gather at Nakuru, in thousands rather than the historic millions. Numbers peak in the drier months when levels drop.
The park's real headline today is rhino. It holds one of Kenya's densest black and white rhino populations, plus Rothschild's giraffe and an easy-to-drive road network.
For guaranteed flamingo density, we pair Nakuru with a Bogoria extension — an hour and a half north, hot springs included.
