Nakuru City

Nakuru city is located in the Rift Valley region of Kenya, rising 1,850 meters above sea level. Nakuru is the fourth-largest city in Kenya and was founded in 1904 when an area near the railway terminus was declared a township; it became a municipality in 1952.
Nakuru is home to Lake Nakuru National Park, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is also close to Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, which can easily be accessed from Nakuru. The presence of various tourist attractions within and near Nakuru city has made it one of the country’s top tourist cities.
Although Nakuru is mainly dominated by the Kikuyu and Kalenjin peoples, the city center hosts people from all over the country.
The colonial government established Nakuru as part of the “White Highlands” in Kenya. The Hyrax Hill Reserve, located 8 kilometers from Nakuru, is home to some archaeological discoveries dated to the prehistoric period.
Nakuru has been home to most of the prominent politicians in Kenya, with two presidents having their secondary residences within the city. The post-election violence that occurred in 2007 severely damaged many areas of Nakuru, with buildings being burned down.
Recently, in 2021, the Kenyan Senate upgraded Nakuru from a municipality to a city. The economy of Nakuru mainly depends on tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. The city has a temperate climate all year round, though temperatures drop at night.
Some of the biggest supermarkets in Kenya were founded in Nakuru, making it the largest supermarket retail chain in the country. Nakuru is Africa’s fastest-growing city and the fourth in the world.
Nakuru is located 160 kilometers from Nairobi and can be accessed by road, air, or train. There are two airstrips in Nakuru: Lanet Airstrip and Kabarak Airstrip.
Nakuru city offers some exciting activities for tourists, which are detailed below:
Lake Nakuru National Park Lake Nakuru National Park lies on the Rift Valley floor and supports a diverse habitat for wildlife and birds. The park is characterized by bushy grasslands, woodlands, the lake itself, picturesque ridges, and escarpments. It is home to millions of greater and lesser flamingos, 56 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 550 species of plants have been recorded.
Some of the wildlife you’re likely to see at Nakuru National Park includes rhinos, giraffes, olive baboons, hippos, buffalos, lions, and leopards. Of the bird species recorded, examples include the gray-headed woodpecker, maccoa duck, crab plover, lappet-faced vulture, long-tailed widowbird, white-fronted bee-eater, Rüppell’s robin-chat, great white pelican, black-winged lapwing, arrow-marked babbler, bateleur, brown-backed scrub-robin, black-tailed godwit, slender-billed greenbul, brimstone canary, shining sunbird, Abyssinian thrush, and the lesser kestrel, to mention a few. The best time for birding is from November to April when migratory birds are present.
Lake Nakuru National Park has a few lodges where visitors can stay overnight, with many campsites available. It can be reached 256 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, only 4 kilometers from Nakuru city. Tourists traveling by air can use Naishi Airstrip. The best time for general wildlife viewing at Lake Nakuru is from June to March.
Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site The Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Museum, established as a national monument in 1945 and opened to the public in 1965, is just 4 kilometers from Nakuru city. The property was owned by the late Mrs. Selfe, who worked with archaeologist Mary Leakey to discover relics that showed substantial findings at different levels of the site and periods of occupation.
Menengai Crater The spectacular Menengai Crater is the largest volcanic caldera in Kenya and the second-largest in Africa. It is a Krakatoa-style crater, formed about 8,000 years ago, standing 2,500 meters above sea level with a diameter of 12 kilometers and a depth of 500 meters to the crater floor.
The name Menengai is derived from a local Maasai word meaning “dead.” The Maasai tell a story of a battle between Ilpurko Maasai and Il-laikipiak Moran Maasai over grazing land at the crater, leading to the defeat of the Il-laikipiak Moran Maasai, who were thrown over the edge of the crater. Locals believe that the spirits of the Il-laikipiak Moran Maasai still haunt the crater floor to this day.
Tourists visiting Menengai can hike to the crater top, bike around the crater, and make their visit more memorable by picnicking there. The crater top provides some of the most breathtaking views.
Other nearby tourist attractions that tourists can visit while in Nakuru include Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, Lake Elmentaita, and many others.