Lake Nakuru National Park, established in 1961, is named after the alkaline lake that it encircles. Nakuru means ‘dry or dusty place’ in the Maasai language. Although it was initially established as a bird sanctuary, it is now home to a surprisingly large number of animal species, including the Big 4 – lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo, but sadly there are no elephants in the park. Lake Nakuru is famous for the vast flocks of flamingos that line its shores, attracted by the abundance of algae. It is also a sanctuary for black and white rhino, and has recently been extended to protect these endangered animals.