Lake Naivasha is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus whose waters are shallow with an average depth of five metres. The lake is popular gateway from Nairobi because it is 2 hours drive from the city.
Some of the excursions at Lake Naivasha and its environment include:
i). Hell’s Gate National park is a unique among Kenya’s parks, as you are allowed to walk or cycle unguided across its breadth. There’s dramatic scenery, with looming cliffs, gorges and basalt columns. Lurking lions and leopards add to the excitement! Marking the eastern entrance to Hell’s Gate Gorge is Fischer’s Tower, one of the park’s many popular rock-climbing sites. Lake Naivasha makes a convenient base for exploring the park, but camping here is recommended and Ol Dubai and Naiberta camp sites are probably the best. Access is by private vehicle or by hiring a bike from Lake Naivasha.
ii). Crescent Island: A short boat trip from the mainland out into Lake Naivasha gives you access to the unique Crescent Island Wildlife Sanctuary. There is also possibility to access it by road passing through the "Horse Riding Complex" A wide variety of wildlife, birdlife and flora lives quite freely out there and as there are no predators to be found, quite happily as well. Spend some time wandering around at your own pace and enjoy the peace and quiet broken only by the sounds of the Islands wild inhabitants.
iii) Mount Longonot is a dormant stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Africa. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s. Its name is derived from the Masai word oloonong'ot, meaning "mountains of many spurs" or "steep ridges". A mountain climbing trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a loop encircling the crater. The whole tour is only about 8-9 km long but very steep, so that the round trip of park gate - Longonot Peak - park gate takes around 5 hrs hiking. The gate is around 2150 m asl and the peak at 2780 m asl but following the jagged rim involves substantially more than the 630 m vertical difference.
iii) Lake Baringo: - As a freshwater Lake it is home to hippos, crocodiles and an abundance of fish and birds, but it does not have flamingoes, as these feed on the algae specific to soda lakes. Despite this, it is most famous as an ornithologist's paradise, with 500 bird species, many of which are extremely rare or otherwise only seen in this area.
iv) Lake Nakuru National Park: - Take a short drive to Lake Nakuru and experience nature at its bests toll at Lake Nakuru National park Which offers a wide variety of wildlife including the bats, colobus monkeys, spring hares, otters, rock hyraxes, hippopotamuses, buffalos, waterbucks, leopards, lions, hyenas and giraffes, but the most popular reason for visiting is the wonderful sight of hundreds of flamingoes in the Lake itself. At one time there were thought to be around 2'000'000 flamingoes here, about one third of the world's entire population, but the numbers have diminished in recent years.
v) Thomson’s Falls:-Travelling from the dust bowl of Nakuru it was a joy to see the ever changing landscape and vegetation. Tea and coffee plantations merged with the lush forests, colours of Africa that fight for attention in your head, around every corner another view which makes you want to stop and enjoy Thomson's Falls is a beautiful waterfall at the Ewaso Nyiro River in Central Kenya. The waterfall is 74 meters (243 feet) high. One of the biggest hippo pools of Kenya is located upstream from the falls. It’s possible to view the falls from above, and there’s also a trail down to the bottom of the ravine.
Accommodation at Lake Naivasha Sawela Lodges, Lake Naivasha Resort, Enashipai Resort, Lake Naivasha Simba, Lake Naivasha Country Club and Lake Naivasha Sopa.
i). Hell’s Gate National park is a unique among Kenya’s parks, as you are allowed to walk or cycle unguided across its breadth. There’s dramatic scenery, with looming cliffs, gorges and basalt columns. Lurking lions and leopards add to the excitement! Marking the eastern entrance to Hell’s Gate Gorge is Fischer’s Tower, one of the park’s many popular rock-climbing sites. Lake Naivasha makes a convenient base for exploring the park, but camping here is recommended and Ol Dubai and Naiberta camp sites are probably the best. Access is by private vehicle or by hiring a bike from Lake Naivasha.
ii). Crescent Island: A short boat trip from the mainland out into Lake Naivasha gives you access to the unique Crescent Island Wildlife Sanctuary. There is also possibility to access it by road passing through the "Horse Riding Complex" A wide variety of wildlife, birdlife and flora lives quite freely out there and as there are no predators to be found, quite happily as well. Spend some time wandering around at your own pace and enjoy the peace and quiet broken only by the sounds of the Islands wild inhabitants.
iii) Mount Longonot is a dormant stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Africa. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s. Its name is derived from the Masai word oloonong'ot, meaning "mountains of many spurs" or "steep ridges". A mountain climbing trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a loop encircling the crater. The whole tour is only about 8-9 km long but very steep, so that the round trip of park gate - Longonot Peak - park gate takes around 5 hrs hiking. The gate is around 2150 m asl and the peak at 2780 m asl but following the jagged rim involves substantially more than the 630 m vertical difference.
iii) Lake Baringo: - As a freshwater Lake it is home to hippos, crocodiles and an abundance of fish and birds, but it does not have flamingoes, as these feed on the algae specific to soda lakes. Despite this, it is most famous as an ornithologist's paradise, with 500 bird species, many of which are extremely rare or otherwise only seen in this area.
iv) Lake Nakuru National Park: - Take a short drive to Lake Nakuru and experience nature at its bests toll at Lake Nakuru National park Which offers a wide variety of wildlife including the bats, colobus monkeys, spring hares, otters, rock hyraxes, hippopotamuses, buffalos, waterbucks, leopards, lions, hyenas and giraffes, but the most popular reason for visiting is the wonderful sight of hundreds of flamingoes in the Lake itself. At one time there were thought to be around 2'000'000 flamingoes here, about one third of the world's entire population, but the numbers have diminished in recent years.
v) Thomson’s Falls:-Travelling from the dust bowl of Nakuru it was a joy to see the ever changing landscape and vegetation. Tea and coffee plantations merged with the lush forests, colours of Africa that fight for attention in your head, around every corner another view which makes you want to stop and enjoy Thomson's Falls is a beautiful waterfall at the Ewaso Nyiro River in Central Kenya. The waterfall is 74 meters (243 feet) high. One of the biggest hippo pools of Kenya is located upstream from the falls. It’s possible to view the falls from above, and there’s also a trail down to the bottom of the ravine.
Accommodation at Lake Naivasha Sawela Lodges, Lake Naivasha Resort, Enashipai Resort, Lake Naivasha Simba, Lake Naivasha Country Club and Lake Naivasha Sopa.
