Flamingoes on Lake Nakuru.Credit: AP
Jackie Holland witnesses one of the greatest shows on earth from the comfort of her lodge.
Lake Nakuru National Park, just 144 kilometres north-west of Nairobi, is a birdwatcher's paradise; a place where, at sunrise, I witnessed one of the greatest shows on Earth - more than 1 million flamingoes carpeting the lake, occasionally and spectacularly taking flight and turning the sky Barbie-pink.
About 450 bird species inhabit Nakuru National Park, along with herds of zebra, buffalo, waterbuck, hyena, gazelle and warthog. This place is also home to the endangered Rothschild giraffe - and leopard.
The park is an important sanctuary for both black and white rhino, too easily spotted resting beneath acacia trees while troops of baboons loiter in the branches above.
Several prides of lions also live here.
"Look! There's a honeymoon couple!" my guide Kamal said pointing to a lion and lioness that had separated from their pride for a week-long mating session.
Precariously and unusually perched on the branch of a tree, I worried that they might tumble off.
To relax and take it all in, I stayed at the Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, which has 64 chalet-style rooms, three suites, a swimming pool and a massage tent, all set on a plateau overlooking the lake.
At night, guests tend to congregate around the campfire and outdoor bar, where traditional drummers and dancers strut their stuff. Meals are served in the lodge's Flamingo Restaurant, where dinner can include a buffet and a selection of barbecued foods.
Beyond the lake are forests, cliffs and waterfalls to explore, as well as the Menengai Crater, from which spectacular views of the Great Rift Valley can be enjoyed. Back at Lake Nakuru, there's also an experience of another kind - sundowners on top of Baboon Cliff, where guests sip their drinks of choice while gazing upon the lake as the birdsong reaches an eardrum-shattering crescendo.
Two species of flamingo occupy Nakuru; the greater and lesser - the latter having returned here to breed in 2000 after an absence of more than 60 years.
Long may they continue to impress anyone lucky enough to experience their pinktastic glory that has been hailed as the most amazing avian spectacle in the world by Roger Tory Peterson, the godfather of modern ornithology.
GETTING THERE
Qantas flies from Sydney to Nairobi, via South Africa, priced from $2554. Phone 131 313, see qantas.com.au. Lake Nakuru National Park is a two-hour drive from Nairobi on the main A104 Road.
WHERE TO STAY
Rooms at the Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge are priced from $392 a night. Bird- and game-watching drives can be arranged from the lodge. Phone +254 20 276 7000 or see www.sarovahotels.com.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Kenya Wildlife Service, see kws.org.
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