Lake Nakuru - Surviving Food Poisoning on the Road

One last journey through the edge of Maasai Mara and we are off to the next destination, Lake Naivasha and Hells Gate National Park. Nursing a sore back, I was glad to be able to rest in my tent and take care of laundry. Life on the road is hard on the body. Lack of sleep, water and proper hygiene leaves you drained of energy and many of us had stomach issues and food poisoning during that first week.

Still feeling weak from the stomach bug, several of us rented a car and headed to Hell’s Gate which is one of the only places in East Africa where you can hike the whole park on foot. What makes Hell’s Gate a geological marvel worth visiting are the towers of rock formations that provide rock climbing opportunities and hiking trails that wind around a gorge formed by ancient, raging waters. These rock formations are the inspiration for Disney's The Lion King's animal stampede and Pride Rock.

"While Others Search For What They Can Take, A True King Searches For What He Can Give." - Mufasa

Having survived the first but not last battle of food poisoning, I was looking forward to Lake Nakuru and its famous flamingos https://www.lakenakurukenya.com/ Rising sea waters in 2012 changed the alkalinity of the lake causing the flamingos to migrate away. Flooding and above average rainfall in 2020 brought back the birds. Thousands of people visit Lake Nakuru National Park each year to catch a glimpse of the greater and lesser flamingos as well as the larger population of white rhinos and the elusive black rhino. Unfortunately, my time in Kenya comes to an end. During the past week we've been on numerous game drives, seen 4 of the big 5 and learned about the Maasai peoples. Next up Uganda.