Nakuru's tourism and hospitality sectors are preparing for the festive season, with hotels and attractions ready to receive local and international visitors.
Lake Nakuru National Park Assistant Director Martin Omondi said the park has opened new road circuits to improve wildlife-viewing experiences for tourists.
Omondi added that the new routes give visitors access to more areas and key wildlife attractions and scenery.
The park hosts four of the Big Five and many other species, making it a major regional tourist draw.
Omondi noted the park is an important bird-watching area, a UNESCO heritage site, and that rising lake water levels present a natural phenomenon for visitors during the holidays.
Within the park, Sarova Lion Hill Lodge is holding its annual cake-mixing ceremony on Saturday, where participants marinate fruits and nuts in selected alcohols and juices.
Lodge manager Samwel Mwangi said the ceremony marks the start of the festive season and offers guests a memorable experience as they mix ingredients alongside chefs.
Sarova Group Pastry Chef Sanjit Gupta said the tradition, which dates back to 17th-century Europe, was meant to bring people together and that the mixture was historically shared among neighbours at Christmas.
Sarova Hotels Nakuru Cluster Manager Duncan Mwangi said the cluster is expecting a rise in visitors during the December holiday after better performance this year compared with 2025.
Mwangi said rising bookings have prompted upgrades to rooms and facilities to give clients the best experience.
He also said the ongoing expansion of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway and existing airstrips will improve access to tourist attractions and make Nakuru more competitive for tourism, meetings, conferences and exhibitions.
