Two to Three Days Around Nakuru

October 31, 2026

Travel advice, 31 October 2026: the US State Department rates Kenya at Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) and an Ebola outbreak is being reported in Nairobi. Nakuru and the lakes to its north and south are outside the do-not-travel areas the UK and US list. See the UK government Kenya advice and the US travel advisory before you book.

Nakuru, Lake Elementaita and Lake Naivasha make a natural two to three day loop on the floor of the Rift Valley. The distances are short, so most of your time goes on the activities and not on the road.

Day 1: Nakuru and the park

Arrive from Nairobi, a drive of about 150 to 160 km on the A104. Use daylight hours and a licensed shuttle or driver. There is no passenger train to Nakuru; the SGR runs to Suswa only. Spend the afternoon in Lake Nakuru National Park. Two lodges, Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge and Lake Nakuru Lodge, are listed with 2026 rates and sit in the park, which makes a dawn and dusk drive easier. Check rates and availability with the lodge before you plan around them.

Day 2: Hyrax Hill, Elementaita and the castle

Morning options are a second park drive at first light or Hyrax Hill (hours generally 08:30 to 17:30). The afternoon can go to Lord Egerton Castle near Njoro, or to Lake Elementaita, about 25 to 30 km from town. Soysambu Conservancy is private and sets its own fees, and the Kenya Wildlife Service Elementaita sanctuary charges a non-resident adult USD 50. Balloon flights are offered near Lake Elementaita, so ask an operator about price and timing.

Day 3: Naivasha and Hell’s Gate

Naivasha is about 1 to 1.5 hours from Nakuru. Take a boat to Crescent Island for a guided walk among giraffe, zebra and antelope, with entry at about USD 33 and the boat extra. Hell’s Gate National Park allows walking and cycling for USD 50 per non-resident adult. Then continue towards Nairobi.

Optional extras

Lake Bogoria is better treated as its own overnight, because it is 2 to 3 hours each way from Nakuru and the hot springs and geysers deserve more than a rushed stop. The Maasai Mara is a long road transfer from here, so treat it as a separate trip, not a day on this loop.

Money and paperwork

A daily park fee covers one entry and no more than 24 hours, so a second drive on another day needs another fee. Fees are set in the October 2025 KWS fee schedule , and a court challenge makes it worth confirming them on KWSPay before you pay in advance. Most visitors need a Kenya eTA from etakenya.go.ke , applied for at least three working days before flying.

Booking

Compare stays near the park and the lakes at Booking.com .