Weekends are always great for kicking back and relaxing after working throughout the week. But there are some weekends when you feel like leaving the house and doing something fun. Nakuru is full of fun weekend activities and places to visit. Here’s a list to help you out the next time you want to do something exciting over the weekend.
1) Hiking Menengai Crater
Menengai Crater is the single largest surviving volcanic crater in the world and is located on the northern side of Nakuru. You can be a bit adventurous and dare to hike it, but if hiking is not your forte, there’s a route to drive up to the viewpoint. Remember to carry a Bluetooth speaker and drinks and enjoy watching the sunset across the horizon. Other activities to engage in at the crater include; camping, trekking, biking, photography, and picnics.
2) Bird watching at Lake Elementaita
Lake Elementaita is a small salty lake located halfway between Naivasha and Nakuru, off the Nakuru-Nairobi highway. It lies in the shadow of an impressively peaked hill known to the locals as the ‘Sleeping Warrior’. The drive to the lake is an adventure by itself but you can also enjoy bird watching, walks by the shore, game viewing, and camping. There aren’t as many flamingoes compared to Lake Nakuru but you’re bound to see flocks of White Pelicans feeding in the lake.
3) Game watching at Soysambu Conservancy.
Soysambu Conservancy sits on an impressive 48,000 acres of grassland located approximately 25 km southeast of Nakuru. It’s bordered by Lake Nakuru National Park to the west, volcanoes of Ol Doinyo Eburru to the south, and Menengai Crater to the north. It’s home to plenty of wildlife including; lions, leopards, hyenas, birds of prey and terrestrial bird, and 140 endangered Nubian Giraffes. You can organize a game drive or bike ride (using quad bikes) in order to see the whole park. Other activities include camping, nighttime game drives, bird watching, and horse riding.
4) A tour of Hyrax Hill Museum
Hyrax Hill is a pre-historic site that was discovered by the Leakeys and has yielded some of the oldest iron age artifacts known from East Africa. Some of the iron age artifacts found here include; iron bracelets, along with cutting instruments fashioned from glass-like obsidian rock. You can choose to hike the hill to get to the museum and then, later on, have a picnic on the museum grounds. Other attractions within the prehistoric site include; an excavation site, camping site, nature trail, and viewpoints of Lake Nakuru.
5) Get to see the Menengai Caves
On the opposite end of Menengai Crater, are the Menengai Caves. There’s no way to access the caves by car, so you’re left to hike to get to the caves. But the experience is worth it. The caves are huge, dark, and really cold (remember to carry a jacket/sweater). If you get hungry, there’s grassland overlooking Nakuru city and Lake Nakuru that offers the best spot for picnics.
6) Zip lining at Fishpark Resort
I bet you didn’t know there’s a place where you can zip line in Nakuru. At Fishpark Resort you can do exactly that. For adrenaline junkies, get to zip line over a pond at only Ksh 1,000 per person. The resort is located approximately 25 minutes from Nakuru CBD, just before Shiners Boys High School. You can also challenge yourself to complete military-type obstacles and other fun outdoor activities. Their restaurant also serves some of the best nyama choma there is in Nakuru.
7) Catch a rugby game at the Nakuru Athletics Club
Nakuru Athletics Club is a private club and has grounds that host a number of social events but their most notable events are ruby games and tournaments. It’s where the famous Prinsloo 7s usually takes place. Rarely is there a weekend that goes by without there being a good game being played. The fans’ stands are always hyped so grab a beer and have one hell of a party!
8) Live band at Papprigano
If you’re a fan of music, especially live music, then this is the weekend gig for you. Every Sunday, from around 3 pm, Papprigano has a fire live band that will knock your socks off! The set starts with jazz music and builds up the tempo as it goes. They sell beer starting from Ksh 250 and there’s also a restaurant on the premise. Good music, friends, food, and drinks. Now that’s a weekend plan!
9) Watch a play at the Nakuru Players Theatre
Nakuru Players Theatre is the hub of performing arts in Nakuru. Anytime you pop in, you’ll find either a play, dances, spoken word, or poetry being performed. The best part is that the entrance is usually very cheap ( Ksh 100 to Ksh 500). It’s a fantastic experience that will have you appreciating performing artists and the work they put into their art. Try it sometime!
10) Clubbing at Eagles Nest
At times, you just want to let loose and enjoy a night of booze and loud music. Nakuru nightlife is perfect for such nights. It’s not known as ‘Nax Vegas’ for no reason. Try out Eagles Nest Lounge and Grill which is the newest club in town, located on the rooftop of the Golden Life Mall. It has one of the best party atmospheres around and they bring guest DJs and artists every other weekend. Beer starts from Ksh 250 and liquor from Ksh 2,500.
I am a charismatic 23-year-old student at the University of Nairobi. I enjoy traveling be it planned or impromptu. I also enjoy partying. I'll be there with a drink in my cup all through the night, chasing the sun. Life's too short not to choose the fast lane. Carpe diem!
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