We entered Lake Nakura National Park early, made up our tents and went on safari. There were zillions of greater and lesser flamingos, there because of the freshwater shrimp in the lake that they feed on. While waiting for our park pass, we were entertained by the vervet monkeys taunting the tourists. During the widespread civil riots the previous year, over a disputed election, vandals set portions of the park on fire. While evident, it didn’t spoil our visit at all. We saw our first pride of lions at a distance.

We saw our first hippos, rhinoceros (more common white variety), Burchell’s zebra (wide stripes), reticulated giraffe (five-sided tiled spots, less defined than the Rothschild giraffe in Samburu. Still no leopard.

After a morning safari the next day, we left Lake Nakuru and travelled on to the Masai Mara National Park (also spelled Maasai. This park on the Kenya side, is a continuation of the Serengeti National Park game reserve in Tanzania. We passed many Maasai people and villages on the way to our accommodation in a small Maasai town.