Lake Naivasha

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Welcome to Lake Naivasha

The insider's travel guide to Lake Naivasha

One of the freshwater lakes that dot Kenya's Great Rift Valley, the large but relatively shallow Lake Naivasha is a sanctuary for a diverse range of wildlife, from hippos and zebras to over 400 species of birds, including the majestic African Fish Eagle.

The southern part of the lake is flanked by the Hell's Gate National Park, known for its remarkable geothermal activity and unique wildlife.

It's a popular spot for boat tours, including to the Crescent Island sanctuary on the lake's eastern side. For something a little different try a cycling safari in Hell's Gate National Park.

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The Lake Naivasha atlas

1 picks Places & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere

If you’re looking for a quick escape from Nairobi then Lake Naivasha and the neighbouring Hells Gate National Park is just a couple of hours from the city and a great place for a quick wildlife fix. Lake Naivasha is a huge freshwater lake famed for its birdlife and hippos while Hells Gate is a small savanna park with plentiful antelope, zebra, giraffe and baboons. The nice thing about this park is that you can walk or cycle through it (very battered bikes can be hired) which allows you to get close to wildlife without the barriers of a vehicle. If you’re a climber then you can also arrange to scale some of the rock spires within the park. There’s no facilities for tourists within Hells Gate but a massive array of places to stay and eat around the shores of Lake Victoria. I recommend you avoid visiting during weekends, when it can seem as if half of Nairobi is out here.

Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha

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Dispatches

Guides & field notes

Article

Decolonising African travel—and travel writing

Mazuba Kapambwe

Travel writing in Africa has always been an overwhelmingly white affair. Early accounts from 19th century explorers like Henry Morton Stanley and fiction writers like Joseph Conrad depicted Africa as uncivilised, mysterious and barbaric, reflecting the racist attitudes that underpinned European empire building.