Lake Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is slightly over a two hour drive from Nairobi and is one of the few fresh water lakes in Kenya. Being so close to Nairobi the lake is a popular destination for locals as well as tourists. The ecology and feel of the lake has changed over recent years, since the large flower and vegetable farms established themselves, and the lakeshore is now a much busier place. However it is still an idyllic place to while away a few days and we often use it as somewhere for people to unwind at the end of a safari.

There is a good range of activities available at Naivasha. Boat trips to view the lake’s wildlife, water skiing and fishing are available and you can hire bikes to visit the nearby Hell’s Gate National Park. The stunning scenery of Hell’s Gate means it has been the backdrop for many films including "Out of Africa", "Tomb Raider" and was the inspiration behind a lot of the settings in Disney's "Lion King". It is possible to go on guided walks through the gorge or be taken rock climbing. It is also possible to take boat trips to both Crater Lake and Crescent Island Game Sanctuaries where you can walk amongst the animals including giraffe, buffalo and waterbuck.

The chance to walk amongst some of Kenya’s wildlife is an experience that is not available in many places - trained guides accompany you to make sure you are well informed and safe. If none of this appeals, you can just sit and relax by the lakeshore. Hippos come out of the lake after dark and can often be seen grazing the lawns around the hotels and camps. In the daytime troops of vervet and colobus monkeys scavenge the bins and there is a constant parade of birdlife to be seen both in the grounds and on the water.

There are a number of hotels and campsites based along the South Lake Road that leads from the main Nairobi-Naivasha highway around the eastern side of the lake. We tend to use Fisherman's Camp or Camp Carnelly’s when camping. Both camps comprise of a large, lakeshore campsite in extensive grounds, with a communal ablutions block including flush toilets and hot and cold running water for the showers. There are also a small number of bandas (cottages) with en-suite facilities. The camp bars are popular watering holes and the restaurants have great reputations for the quality of their food.

For people who are looking for a bit more luxury we use some of the private houses that are situated further round the South Lake Road. Being further round the lake these are all much quieter, are generally situated within private game sanctuaries and offer peaceful and serene surroundings from which to enjoy the lake's abundant animal and birdlife. One of our favourites is on the shore of the little lake "Oloiden", where hippo, zebra and giraffe are frequent visitors to the lawns around the cottage. The other is Karibu cottage, up the hill from Fisherman's Camp, with outstanding views over the lake.