Best places to find flamingo flocks in Africa
Aside from the Big Five and other stunning species, finding flamingo flocks in Africa is as spectacular as seeing the Great Migration. Flamingos flock in large numbers in Africa, and it’s a spectacular sight to watch with their pink plumage and smooth rhythmic movements. People travel from all around the world to see the vibrant migration. However, because their mobility is contingent on several conditions, these magnificent birds cannot be seen at every lake and marsh throughout the year.
Wild Safari Guide has put together this blog post to make finding flamingo flocks in Africa easier when planning your safari holiday—whether it’s Kenya and Tanzania or Namibia and Botswana.
Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Finding Flamingo Flocks in Africa
© All rights reserved | Image credit: Kitz Travellers
One of the best spots in Africa for birding is Tanzania’s Lake Manyara. Surrounded by salt flats, this impressive soda lake boasts over 400 bird species as well as an astounding assortment of fauna, including elephants, giraffes, and tree-climbing lions and is located in Lake Manyara National Park. Finding flamingo flocks here is something extraordinary. Thousands of vivid pink flamingos are among contrast attractively against the lake’s grey mineral coast. The rainy seasons of November/December and April/May are the best times to see this amazing phenomenon.
Etosha Pan, Namibia
Finding Flamingo Flocks in Africa
© All rights reserved | Image credit: Trevor Platt
Enter Etosha Pan in Namibia. This incredible part of the country fills with water after the summer rains, signalling the approach of the flamingo flocks, getting ready to enter the breeding season. The birds make mounds for their solitary egg by scooping wet clay using their beaks. When the chicks hatch, an incredible event occurs—the parent and baby flamingos stroll across the drying pan to find any remaining water. The best time for finding flamingo flocks at Etosha Pan is after the rainy season, between November and April.
Lake Bogoria, Kenya
Finding Flamingo Flocks in Africa
© All rights reserved | Image credit: CR Bellette
With its rich cultural legacy, booming urban centre, beautiful beaches, and wonderful safaris, Kenya is definitely on our list for an epic African adventure. With its boiling thermal springs and steaming geysers, Lake Bogoria attracts large flocks of flamingos that can number in the millions at certain periods of the year. These birds used to feed in Lake Nakuru, but they’ve been pushed here by intensive cultivation. Because of the large number of flamingos, this is an excellent place to see them during a safari holiday in Africa.
Makgadikgadi, Botswana
Finding Flamingo Flocks in Africa
© All rights reserved | Image credit: Matthew Starling
The Makgadikgadi Pans are the world’s largest salt pan landscape. It is home to Africa’s largest zebra migration with hundreds of zebra, wildebeest, elephants, and other species found here during the wet season. Furthermore, it is one of Africa’s most important breeding places for both lesser and greater flamingos. During the rainy season, massive flocks of pink flamingos descend upon the sparkling lake, creating a stunning spectacle, especially when seen from above.
