You leave Nairobi in the morning and drive down the escarpment to the Rift Valley floor, past Lakes Naivasha and Elementaita to Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is a very shallow strongly alkaline lake 62 km2 in extent. It is set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland next to Nakuru town. The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest on the eastern perimeter. Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968. A northern extension was added to the park in 1974 and the lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990. The foundation of the parks food chains is the cyanophyte spirulina platensis which can support huge numbers of lesser flamingo. The major attractions include Flamingo (Greater and Lesser) and other birds including a variety of terrestrial birds numbering about 450 species in total. There are 56 different mammal species, including white and black rhinos, Rothschild Giraffe and leopard. Nakuru Park has about 550 different plant species including the unique and largest euphorbia forest in Africa. Afternoon game viewing drive meals and overnight at either Lake Nakuru Lodge or Lion Hill Lodge. (L.D)