First of all, we have been super disappointed by that city. No flamingos, you can't even go close to the Lake - you have to pay a $30 entrance fee. Also, the town is nasty, crowded, and full of prostitution. Still, I loved the experience, being in the middle of chaos and being in another non-comfort zone. Just saying, to keep expectations low.
You know you're truly alive when you're living among lions. ~ unknown
The city center
This city was a typical, uncomfortable African city. As soon as I left the house, I felt surrounded by eyes, people walking after me, or prostitutions talking to me. Kids would come to beg for money and food, and they wouldn't leave you alone. They followed us; it didn't help to talk to them, even in a severe way. They kept following us, waited till we would buy food for ourselves, and even tried to convince others that 'the white, rich people want to buy food for me.' I wouldn't say I liked it; actually, it never happened to us like this during Africa time, only in this city. I also avoided carrying a backpack or even a tiny bag, putting everything close to my body, or leaving everything at home. As it was getting darker, we met one group of kids, strolling around as a closed community unit that we avoided as best as possible. Once, we bought those small sausages as street food, and after three minutes we had six begging kids after us. The only option was taking a Boda to drive away. They run after, but luckily no one is that fast. Well, it was uncomfortable there.
Sure, you can get used to it, but this was a bit more extreme than ever before, so I guess I would need way more time to feel normal in this area. The center has a significant market with clothes and electronics, street food, and shops - a usually busy town. You can find reasonable offers to eat two pizzas with a free drink at the price of only one pizza. Excited about that offer, we went there once, and precisely that day. Haha, unlucky us!
So actually, to look on the positive side of this town, I have to mention that it is a fantastic experience and something to see and feel stepping out of the comfort zone. It is rare, unique, and so local. And still, you will hear street musicians, the Mosque every morning, smell the meat of tasty goat sticks, and interact with the people. It is not as worse as it always seems.
Visit the Lake Nakuru (National Park)
Lake Nakuru promises endless wildlife, including massive groups of flamingos, hippos, and so on. Sadly it is not easy accessing this lake. Around the whole area is a fence to protect the national park. So it is not possible to come closer without entering through the official gate. They want high tourist prices, I was shocked, $30 p.p., that's almost the amount of a typical big national park. And it was not worth it for us in this case. You probably don't see many animals; there are way better options in Kenya. If you don't care much about the money, it is no problem. We wanted to invest it in one good national park, so we decided to skip this one.
We experienced some wildlife from the rooftop of our guesthouse. It was more exciting - I was sitting on the roof, drinking wine, looking at the sunset, and suddenly a big group of craws was flying directly to me, circling super close over me. Guess they have been interesting also in the snack I brought with me. That was my national experience in this area.
Menengai Crater
To see some nature around Nakuru, you can visit the Menengai crater, a vast crater, the oldest in Africa. It is spreading on a huge area and offers you a fantastic view. Though, it is not easy reaching this point. You can get a Boda, the ride is around 30 min.
The ride is fun, though; it takes you along some modern and some bumpy old dusty roads through the countryside, passing by local villages, kids waving, or people trying to sell you Bananas. After reaching this place, there is a small path along the crater, with some information signs and a breathtaking view. The track doesn't take long, in 15 min you will finish. I would only recommend visiting this place if you are already on the way nearby or have enough time to explore.
Lord Egerton Castle
Another more cultural and natural attraction is Lord Egerton Castle. Unfortunately, we didn't visit that place due to the extended distance from the city. Also, it is simply an old castle to walk around; if you want to spend more time there, you can explore the area around - same problem here, only possible with a Boda or some private taxi.
Do you want to learn more about Kenya, its cities, and things to explore? Check out other blogs here.
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