Reviews of Lake Bogoria (From 7 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Philip Briggs –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

3 people found this review helpful.

The Flamingos’ Holiday Home

Overall rating

3/5

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The worth of this small reserve depends almost entirely on one factor – the number of flamingos gathered there. I have visited it twice when there were few flamingos around, and it was pretty underwhelming, with livestock being more numerous than wildlife, though the lovely setting at the base of the Rift Escarpment provided some compensation, as did the trio of primeval geysers that erupt in a searing sulphuric haze to feed a network of multihued channels on the western shore. But when the million-strong flamingo flocks associated with Nakuru relocate here, it makes for a spectacular sight, whether viewed up close from the lakeshore, or panoramically from the cliffs that rise to the immediate west.

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Expert

Anthony Ham –

AU

Visited: Multiple times

Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.

3 people found this review helpful.

Lake Bogoria: The Flamingo’s New Home?

Overall rating

2/5

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The massed flocks of greater and lesser flamingos – up to two million in a good year – for years made this one of the best lakes in the Rift Valley to see one of Kenya’s most memorable spectacles. Honking in the shallows and all but concealing the alkaline lake’s waters, the flamingos for the most part stuck close to the shoreline of this 34km-long lake. At the time of writing the number of flamingos was fluctuating greatly from one year to the next. Check with your safari operator or another local source before making a visit here. If the flamingos are indeed present in large numbers, it really is a sight to behold and should on no account be missed. On the other hand, if the flamingos aren’t present, there’s very little reason to visit: thanks to growing human and livestock encroachment into the reserve, you’d be lucky to see zebra, impala or warthog, if indeed you see anything at all. The western shore is also home to hot springs and the largest number of geysers of any lake in Africa.

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Expert

Emma Gregg –

UK

Visited: December

Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.

1 person found this review helpful.

Geysers, Hot Springs and Clouds of Flamingos

Overall rating

4/5

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Lake Bogoria feels truly wild and otherworldly. When I visited, there was no one else in sight. It’s rapidly growing in popularity, though, as this has been one of the best places in Kenya to see flamingos in recent years. Estimates suggest that flocks of up to 1.7 million birds were congregating here, especially during the European winter, when migrants gathered, creating a shimmering canvas of pink. Numbers have since fallen as some flamingos return to Lake Nakuru. Few other species tolerate the lake’s inhospitable conditions, but ostriches are sometimes seen on the shore.

Fiercely alkaline, the lake is visually dramatic even when the flamingos are out of range, edged as it is with dark, volcanic rock. Natural hot springs steam and bubble on the western side.

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Expert

Ariadne van Zandbergen –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.

1 person found this review helpful.

Flamingos and Pelicans in Lake Bogoria

Overall rating

3/5

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As the name suggests, Lake Bogoria National Reserve, located in the Rift Valley, is centered around Lake Bogoria. The only road in the reserve follows the shore of the saline, alkaline lake famous for its vibrant pink flocks of flamingos that feed on the abundant algae. The reserve is also known for its geothermal activity, featuring hot springs and geysers that emit steam and mineral-rich waters.

As is the case with all the Rift Valley lakes, the number of flamingos fluctuates depending on water levels and algae availability. Flamingos aside, I’ve found the park very productive for waterbirds in general and watching big groups of pelicans fishing together has been a highlight for me.

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Expert

Stuart Butler –

UK

Visited: Multiple times

Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including 'Kenya', 'Rwanda' and 'Tanzania'.

Sometimes Pink-Tinged Lakeshore

Overall rating

2/5

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Lake Bogoria is a tough one to review as so much depends on when you go and what the local weather patterns have been up to recently. Lake Bogoria is known as a holiday home for flamingos and, when conditions are right, up to a million birds can turn parts of the lake pink. At such times this is one of the spectacular wildlife sights in East Africa. In addition to the flamingos, the lake is characterized by bubbling, steamy hot springs and geysers.

When I visited in 2008 the park lived up to the hype with huge numbers of flamingos present. However, on my most recent visit things were very different indeed. In the two years leading up to this visit there had been a lot of rain, and water levels in Lake Bogoria (and in the beautiful neighbouring Lake Baringo) had risen considerably. The rising waters had drowned the hot springs and geysers, flooded the surrounding areas and the deeper waters had caused the flamingos to flee to waters more inviting. There were maybe 50 flamingos present in the park, possibly fewer. In addition to that the only other animals visible were the goats belonging to local villagers who had pretty much moved into the park. To make matters worse, the local council, which must surely have been aware of the complete lack of wildlife and the general dire state of the park, had taken the bizarre step of doubling the cost of entry for tourists!

However, don’t dismiss Lake Bogoria completely. Lake levels were slowly starting to fall and with luck the flamingos will start to return and the local council will get to work making the park a worthwhile destination.

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Alan Murphy –

AU

Visited: June

Alan is a travel writer and author of over 20 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Southern Africa and Zambia & Malawi.

Flamingo Heaven

Overall rating

3/5

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The hordes of flamingos that once inhabited the shallow waters of Lake Nakuru NP left sometime ago for another nearby lake, Lake Bogoria – although the situation can change and many have now returned to Lake Nakuru. I was stunned by the sheer numbers of these beautiful creatures wading delicately in the shallows of the picturesque lake, itself dwarfed by some humongous Rift Valley mountains. The flamingos form patterns of pink and white (greater and lesser flamingo are slightly different colours) on the blue-green lake waters and it reminded me of ice skaters creating complex, rhythmic and graceful patterns on the ice. It was a remote spot but I am glad I made the effort to come – I will long remember these magnificent birds.

If you manage to drag your attention away from the flamingos covering the lake waters, you may also spot warthog, dik-dik, impala and Grant’s gazelle lurking in the scrubby landscape. The drive in is rough, bouncy and dusty, but this really is a unique experience.

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Lizzie Williams –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Currently the Best Place To See the Rift Valley’s Flamingos

Overall rating

3/5

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In a deep bowl surrounded by steep hills, Lake Bogoria is approached via the B4 road north of Nakuru town. After 2012, seasonal rains swelled Lake Nakuru and altered the salinity of its water, and as such, the massed flocks of the Rift Valley’s flamingos have been favouring the more algae-soaked and alkaline Bogoria. This is still the best place to see the lake edges fringed with pink as tens of thousands of lesser flamingos feed in the shallows, although some are slowly returning to Lake Nakuru. There’s little other wildlife around, though on occasion I’ve seen vervet monkeys and baboons at the gate and campsites. The reserve, however, has the unusual feature of the Loburu hot springs, a series of bubbling and steaming water spouts, and an impressively stark, rocky landscape thanks to the Rift Valley’s Siracho Escarpment rising sharply up on the eastern shore. Lake Bogoria isn’t a standalone destination, and seeing the flamingos doesn’t take long, so I have always combined my visits with the more interesting Lake Baringo a little further north, a distinctively different freshwater lake known for its peaceful beauty, rich birdlife and many crocodiles.

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