Lake Nakuru, with its swathes of pink flamingos, is the focal point of the small but perfectly formed Lake Nakuru National Park. Its size belies the great diversity of flora within - from the striking succulent Euphorbia tree to a glorious forest of fever trees. This acacia-filled corner of the park is the most likely to yield sightings of lion, leopard and black rhino.

Lake Nakuru National Park is in fact one of the best places in Kenya to see white rhino and the rare Rothschild's Giraffe. While the Big Five can all be found here, Lake Nakuru is most famous for its birdlife, with pelicans and flamingos just two of the more than 500 bird species surrounding its shores.

It‘s perfectly possible to take a half-day or day trip from the town of Nakuru to visit Lake Nakuru, but far better to make this an overnight stop on a tailor-made safari - to increase the chances of seeing the more elusive animals, particularly leopard. And in any case, it's entirely possible to gaze at the fabulous flocks of tutu-feathered and half elegant, half gawky, fantastical flamingos for an entire day.