There is more than just watching birds at Lake Nakuru

I last visited Lake Nakuru National Park five years ago, and the view of the lake was stunning.

Thousands of flamingos dotted the entire surface of the lake, their pink splendour displayed for all to see.

For decades, visitors streamed in from the four corners of the earth to see the unrivalled natural beauty deep in Kenya’s Rift Valley. It was the very picture of any postcard.

Some weeks back, I took my family to Lake Nakuru National Park. The view of the lake was still stunning, only that this time there was hardly a flamingo in sight!

For the last few years, the level of water in most of the Rift Valley lakes has been rising, and this has greatly altered the feeding habits of the birds that rely on the blue-green algae that thrives in high alkaline waters.

Because of the rising water levels, the lakes are diluted and are deeper, and that makes any feeding for the flamingos difficult.

Wildlife abound

A flight of pelicans seemed to mourn the absence of their well known cousins by circling above the lake.

Still, my visit was not dampened by lack of the pink birds.

As the Kenya Wildlife Service ranger at the main entrance mentioned, the phenomenon gives visitors an opportunity to sample the unexplored areas of the park.

True to his word, other forms of wildlife abound. We encountered a pair of lions just a few metres from the gate. The courting couple gave little hoot to our presence. Also nearby was a herd of buffaloes.

It did not help matters that they were taking their sweet time to cross the road. We approached with caution.

Our pit stop for the day was Sarova Lion Hill Lodge.

 Natural forest

With little footprint on the environment, the lodge seems to grow out of the natural forest.

Still, as we found out, the treatment here is equal to that in any five-star establishment in Nairobi.

Exhausted by the hot sun, we immediately checked into our deluxe room. I took some time to explore the surroundings and chat with ‘locals’ and other guests. It is interesting what you can gather from these informal chats.

One of the security men has worked with the hotel chain for years, shuffling between Masai Mara, Shaba in the arid north, to Sarova Stanley in the middle of Nairobi city. 

Taking a plunge

He thrilled us with “horror” stories of how he once found a crocodile lying comfortably in a swimming pool at Shaba Game Lodge during his night watch.

With the help of other workers, he says, they managed to get the then furious reptile out of the water with no one suffering any harm. Fortunately, no guest had thought of taking a plunge at that time, he said. I later met Ken Korir, the amiable lodge manager, whose only concerns seem to be the dwindling fortunes in the tourism sector.

He is, however, hopeful that this year will herald glad tidings for the once vibrant industry.

Soon dinner was beckoning, but not before we could watch some traditional dances, a daily event at the lodge.

Whenever I am out of the city, I like to look skyward and “count the stars” on clear nights.

With the Google Skymap App, I engaged my three-year-old son into a space odyssey of identifying some heavenly bodies.

Tired from the journey but refreshed by the good ambience of the lodge, it was time to call it a day and listen to the call of nightjars that punctuated the otherwise quiet night.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we sat idly at the restaurant admiring three male Baglafecht weavers noisily wooing a reluctant female.

We watched as they worked themselves into a frenzy, with each trying to get her like a particular nest to no avail. The more she played hard to get, the more the males built new nests with the hope that she would make one of them her home.

A drive around the lake later in the day revealed the full impact of the rising water levels. Giant acacia trees that once stood majestically far from the lake were all but submerged, and dead.

Roads that once led to the shores, enabling tourists to have a closer view, are now closed. Still, as the ranger stated, we had the opportunity to try out new frontiers.

On our way back to the lodge, we met a healthy pair of white rhinos that are among the dozens that have made the park their home.

We took time to admire the much sought after horns from close quarters. I still cannot fathom why such admirable creatures must die for the sake of a horn that is believed to be a necessity in the making of an aphrodisiac.

Those who believe so may as well eat their finger nails and hair trimmings because they are made of keratin, the same substance found in rhino horn.

After we bid the staff goodbye on Sunday morning, we drove back to the city with the hope that Korir’s desire to see the country’s tourism rebound will be realised soon.