Nakuru Kenya Budget accommodation

Makalia Falls Public Campsite While it may be hard to get and have cruder facilities than Backpackers, this is the best place to camp in the park. It’s picturesque and sits next to the seasonal Makalia Falls.

Backpackers Campers This large public campsite sits inside the main gate and also has the parks best camping facilities.

Special Campsites These are dotted all over the park and have no facilities, but offer true bush experience- just you and the animals

Wildlife Club of Kenya Guesthouse This place is great- facilities include hot showers, TV lounge and use of the Kitchens fridge, gas cooker and microwave. The rooms are clean and comfortable.

Wildlife Club of Kenya Youth Hostels This hostel is a nice, very friendly site with clean dorms, simple single rooms and two-bedded bandas, complete with cooking areas.

Eldorado Lodge Just outside the park’s Lanet gate, this place is a viable option for camping if you roll up to closed park gates in the evening. The rooms are overpriced and the pool is a little too green for our liking.

Luxury top end accommodation hotels in Nakuru Kenya

Naishi House Banda Sit on the shady terrace and watch the zebras and rhinos grazing on your very own doorstep – there are no fence here. This charming self- catering cottage is very comfortable, complete with lovely fireplace, sitting room and full kitchen. The annex was designed for safari drivers and is pretty basic. The parks main gate handles booking and payments.

Sarova Lion Hill
Sitting high up in the lake’s eastern slopes, this lodge offers first class service and comfort. The views from the open-air restaurant/ bar and from most rooms are understated but pretty, while the flashy suites are large and absolutely stunning.

Lake Nakuru Lodge
South of the lake, this lodge’s standard rooms, housed in cute shingle- roofed octagonal cottages, are a big step down in quality from those at Lion Hill. The only options worth the asking price are the new ‘deluxe’ rooms (make sure you ask for the ones that aren’t in the farmhouse). The usual facilities are available, along with activities such as horse riding (Kshs 1550 per hour) and nature walks (Kshs 800).

GETTING THERE AND AWAY
Walking in the park isn’t permitted, so you will have to rent a taxi, go on a tour or you will be lucky enough to hitch a ride. A taxi for a few hours will likely cost Ksh 2000, though you will have to bargain hard for it. More enjoyable options are the One World Tours & safaris who will charge Kshs 6000 for an open-topped eight-seat 4WD (about six hours), and Crater Travel who will organize three-seat jeeps for Kshs 4500( also for six hours).

If you are driving, there’s access from the main gate, just outside Nakuru, the Lanet gate, a few kilometers south on Nairobi road, and the Nderit gate, near the southern end of the gate.