Description

🌊 Lake Naivasha

Birdsong, Boating & Hidden Adventures in the Rift Valley

Best for:

🦢 Bird watching, boat rides, wildlife, romantic escapes, and adventure day trips

🗺️ Overview:

Lake Naivasha is a stunning freshwater lake nestled in the Great Rift Valley, just 90 minutes from Nairobi. Surrounded by acacia trees and grassy banks, this high-altitude lake is a haven for birdlife, hippos, and lovers of peace and open skies.

Unlike most traditional safari locations, Naivasha offers a variety of experiences — from peaceful boating safaris to walking with zebras on Crescent Island and cycling through dramatic gorges in nearby Hell’s Gate. It’s a perfect base for short getaways, romantic weekends, or soft adventure holidays that combine nature, culture, and conservation.

🌟 Top Highlights:

🚣‍♀️ Boat Rides on the Lake

Float past pods of hippos, spot African fish eagles diving for their catch, and enjoy stunning sunrise or sunset views with Mount Longonot in the background. Early morning boat rides are especially magical for birdwatchers and photographers.

🏝️ Crescent Island Game Sanctuary

Take a short boat ride across the lake to this private sanctuary where you can walk freely among giraffes, zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests — no predators here! A peaceful, interactive wildlife experience, perfect for families and nature lovers.

🦢 Bird Watching Paradise

Naivasha is home to over 400 bird species including pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers, and herons. The acacia forests around the lake offer excellent birding trails.

🔥 Hell’s Gate National Park

Just 20 minutes away, Hell’s Gate offers breathtaking gorges, geothermal features, and cliffs ideal for cycling, rock climbing, or hiking. You can even walk or ride a bike past giraffes and buffalo — a rare thrill in Kenya’s national parks.

🏡 Elsamere Conservation Centre

Once the home of Joy Adamson (author of Born Free), this lakeside retreat is now a museum and conservation center. Enjoy high tea, visit the small wildlife museum, and learn about Kenya’s conservation history.

📅 Best Time to Visit:

• June to October (dry season) and January to March – best for boat rides and wildlife spotting

• Avoid April–May – some flooding may affect access

🎒 Perfect For:

• Diaspora travelers looking for easy escapes from Nairobi

• Families and couples craving romantic or soft adventure trips

• Bird watchers, photographers, and eco-tourists

• Students and educators interested in wildlife conservation

✅ Kama-Shera Lake Naivasha Experience:

We offer custom 1 to 3-day trips including:\n- Boat rides with certified guides

• Walking safaris on Crescent Island

• Entry and tour of Elsamere + afternoon tea

• Hell’s Gate biking or guided gorge hikes

• Accommodation options from luxury lakefront lodges to budget cabins

• Optional add-ons: flower farm visits, geothermal spa experiences, or day trips to Lake Elementaita or Mount Longonot hike

🧭 Combo Safari Ideas:

• Naivasha + Lake Nakuru – Flamingos, rhinos & Rift Valley contrast

• Naivasha + Maasai Mara – Gentle start before the wild big game

• Naivasha + Nairobi National Park – Urban wildlife to lakeside retreat