Lake Nakuru National Park; One of the Last Remaining Bird Sanctuaries in the World
The Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the last remaining bird sanctuaries in the world today. Its the second most visited national park in Kenya after the Masai Mara Game Reserve and arguably the most profitable. The Lake is a shallow 3.5m deep soda lake inhabited by thousands of teeming Flamingos synonymous with the lake and is home to more than 400 other bird species, creating a marvel that is fulfilling to behold. This is the reason why many ornithologists flock here throughout the year in search of unique bird species.
The Lake Nakuru National Park was gazetted as a national park in 1961, initially only a few square miles in size but today it has grown to 180 square kilometers of euphorbia forest, woodland forest, grasslands, rocky cliffs and acasia forests habouring thousands of flamingos, hundreds of bird species more than you have ever seen in years, countless mammals, carnivorous animals, baboons, Hyraxes and Hippos. The Lake Nakuru National Park is also home to a black and white rhino sanctuary surrounded by a high electric fence.
Making your way to the Lake Nakuru National Park, you will be greeted to the acacia trees that line up the road, with the Lake at a comfortable distance from the road. This is a welcome site far removed from the commotion of life in the modern city environment that we are used to. A herd of Zebras and Waterbucks will always stop to stare at your tour van next to the road as the lake simmers in the distance. Around the Lake are the beautiful flamingos, you would think the lake is pink, but wait till you get close! Your emotions are carried away by the slow motion of the passion filled birds.
The Lake Nakuru National Park is dotted with public camping sites all over, costing anywhere between $10 to $20 per person per night, but it would be imperative for you to beware of monkeys and baboons which can be a nuisance at night sometimes. You could stay at the Eldorado Lodge, the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, or the Lake Nakuru Lodge or if you are traveling on a budget, you could stay at the Backparkers' camping site, or the wildlife Club of Kenya Youth Hostel which are set up at strategic sites looking down on the magnificent lake views. Except for the roar of an occasional car engine, you are surrounded by ethereal beauty - Natural like you have never experienced in a long time.
A custom drive safari will involve waking up early in the morning to the warm rays of the african sunrise, mellowed by the chorus of a thousand birds as you get ready for a game drive. You will definately spot pegeons carrying twigs to their mates as they build nests, girraffes, zebras, and ofcourse the antelopes feeding gracefully off the lash grasslands as the beauty of the lake reflects the blue sky.

Lucy Maruhi is a tour operator and has been organizing and reporting on Vacation, Travel and Tours for years. For more information on Lake Nakuru National Park, visit her site at Lake Nakuru National Park


Its the Migration of Wildebeests that Has Caught the Attention of the World
The wildebeest is a social animal, Seen in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti Game Reserve in Tanzania Grazing with other herbivorous like the Zebra, Gazelle, Oryx, and others. The wildebeest stick together in tens of thousands often moving in the same direction as they constantly forage for pasture and water, creating a sensational picture that is beautiful to behold. Unike the Big Five or the big cats wildebeests require a constant supply of water and would move in droves searching for these precious commondities. Its not uncommon though to see these animals grazing in smaller numbers where pasture and water is in ambudance.
The wildebeest grows to a massively built animal, weighing a maximum weight of 230 kiograms for the female and 300 kiograms for the male and reaching at a maximum height of 1.5 meters for both female and male. You will not fail to notice that the males usually take control of the herd as it grazes on the expansive Savanna grassland that is the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. The male usually grazes along the periphery of the herd giving the a false sense of security from their natural enemies, the lions.
Its the migration of wildebeests that has caught the attention of the world that everybody craves to see this phenomenon in reality. This spectacular event happens at the Rhino Bridge, commonly known as Kiboko widebeest crossing site. The widebeest cross the Mara river into the adjacent olpunyaia swamp on their way to the Serengeti Game Reserve and Later back to the Olorukoti plains and the Musiara swamps. This phenomenonal event happens in July and August when millions of these wildebeest cross the Mara river from the Serengeti Game reserve to the Masai Mara. Then it happens again in octomber, This time the migration of wildebeests takes them back south to the Serengeti Game Park.
It is actually the reason why thousands of tourists are jetting into the country daily From all over the world. At any any one time during the migration of wildebeest, you might be forgiven if you actually thought that the number of wildebeests crosing the Mara River is the same as the number of tourits that visit this Game reserve at these times. It was only recently declared the 7th Wonder of the World. This Reserve is a perfect example of Savanah grassland of the African plateau. It covers 1,500 square kilometers of grassland and shrubs and is home to the Maasai, and a variety of wild animals scattered strategically within the reserve.
Getting to the Masai Mara at these times to experience the spectacle that is the migration of wildbeest can be tricky sometimes. The hotels in the Masai Mara Game Reserve are aways fully book. Surprisingly also, other lodges and camping sites in kenya get their feet wet. Its advisable to make an early booking with one of the many vacation and tour companies in Nairobi like the Bushtroop Safaris, early enough to avoid frustrations

Lucy Maruhi is a tour operator and has been organizing and reporting on Vacation, Travel and Tours for years. For more information on Migration of Wildebeests, visit her site at Migration of Wildebeests


Are the Tour Operators in Kenya Experienced to Handle Your Travel Requirements?
Kenya is a magical country. It is endowed with receptive, social, and hardworking people, and thats why God decided to grant them not oil rich deposits but wildlife, both fauna and flora in all forms, not to forget hard working athletes, chaotic footbal fans and greedy politicians. Forgive the pun!
Before arranging for your dream vacation in Kenya One of the very first things that you should find out and what you really want to know is whether the tour operators in Kenya you’re thinking of engaging in managing your travel plans while in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania are experienced. Are they the new kid on the block?, or do they have years of tour management experience under them?.
Most Tour Operators in Kenya are like myself and have started their passion for wildlife from their younger days itself. They understood even then, the value of wildlife and its potential worth as the years passed by. They have been involved in environmental conservation efforts even before the common man began to feel the effects of deforestation and soil degradation. These tour operators in Kenya have seen it all, from the dark days of poaching to the day that the Masai community which lives predominatly in the Masai Mara National Reserve, were almost displaced from their natural habitat. But most of all, like me, they just liked tourism.
The tour operators in Kenya will arrange for your car hire requirements, trekking, mountaineering, ticketing, gorilla safaris, hotel and lodge booking, water rafting, camping tours, and cultural tours with relative ease. So really they might be relatively young but they will also have experience from their younger days to fall back on. And if this isn’t the case, then they should ideally have many years of experience in the field.
Make sure to check the tour operators in Kenya experience and also ascertain wheather they have enough experience on their side to suit you. If you’re satisfied with the experience of your tour operators in Kenya, then that’s all that matters.

Lucy Maruhi is a Tour Operator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Travel, Tours and Vacation for years. For more information on Tour Operators in Kenya, visit her site at Tour Operators in Kenya