Lake Naivasha
A freshwater lake with hippos, boat trips, walking on Crescent Island and easy access from Nairobi.
Suggested stay
1 to 2 nights
Best months
Good all year
Getting there
2 hour drive from Nairobi.
Naivasha is the gentle part of a Kenya route. Boat trips among hippos and fish eagles, walking safely on Crescent Island among zebra and giraffe, and Hell's Gate gorge nearby for a walk or a cycle.
It is the easiest place in the country to spend a day doing very little without feeling like you are wasting safari time.
For families and for travellers arriving on a long-haul flight, a first night here is often better than pushing straight for the Mara.
Good to know
- No predators on Crescent Island, which is why walking is allowed.
- Accommodation ranges from simple to genuinely lovely lakeside houses.
- Good buffer night before or after the Mara.
Plan it properly
Build Lake Naivasha into a full journey.
Commission a service and I will confirm whether this is the right park for your month, what pairs best with it, and where the nights belong.