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.