Nakuru With Children

October 31, 2026

Travel advice, 31 October 2026: Kenya is at Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) in the US State Department system and an Ebola outbreak is being reported in Nairobi. Nakuru is outside the listed do-not-travel areas. Families should read the UK government Kenya advice and the CDC Kenya notice before booking.

Nakuru works well for families because most of what there is to do is easy, short and outdoors. A game drive is the main event, and the museum, the castle lawns and a boat ride on Lake Naivasha give younger children something to do between animals.

Game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park

The park fee for a non-resident child, meaning anyone from 5 to under 18, is USD 45 for 24 hours, against USD 90 for an adult. Children under 5 are free. Kenya residents pay KSh 1,050 for a child and East African citizens KSh 750. Cars are charged separately at KSh 600 a day for a vehicle under six seats.

Children usually enjoy the rhinos, the Rothschild’s giraffes, the buffalo and the baboons, and a pair of binoculars each makes a long drive more fun. Pelicans and fish eagles are easy to spot, but flamingos are not guaranteed, so do not promise them to children. The park has no elephants.

Safety rules matter more with children in the car. Stay inside the vehicle except at the designated picnic and viewpoint sites, and only when rangers or your guide say it is fine. Do not feed the baboons, and keep food sealed in the vehicle. Bring layers, since the town sits at about 1,850 m and early mornings are cold.

Hyrax Hill museum and grounds

Hyrax Hill is a short drive from the centre. The museum is in an old farmhouse and has three galleries, and outside there is a short walk up the hill to excavated stone-walled enclosures and a hill fort. Tortoises and guinea fowl live on the site, which children tend to like. Child entry costs KSh 250 for visitors from outside Africa, KSh 200 for residents and visitors from the rest of Africa, and KSh 50 for Kenyan and East African citizens. Opening hours are generally 08:30 to 17:30.

Lord Egerton Castle lawns

The castle near Njoro has about 52 rooms and lawns where families can picnic. Fees vary, so ask the castle before you drive out, and do not assume a guide will be on hand.

Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate

Naivasha is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours south of Nakuru. Boat rides and a guided walk on Crescent Island, a private sanctuary with giraffe, zebra and antelope but no predators, suit most ages. Entry is about USD 33 with the boat extra. Hell’s Gate National Park allows cycling, so it suits older children who ride confidently; a non-resident child pays USD 25, and bike use adds USD 10 or KSh 300 a day.

Booking

Search family-friendly drives and boat trips at GetYourGuide . Check the child and age categories on the KWS fee schedule and pay in advance through KWSPay .