A Lake Naivasha day trip is a full day in the Rift Valley, boat safari among the hippo, then walking on Crescent Island with no fence and no vehicle between you and the giraffe.
A Lake Naivasha day trip is the most rewarding day you can have out of Nairobi without staying anywhere. Ninety minutes down the Rift Valley escarpment, a boat among the hippo, and an hour walking on Crescent Island with giraffe and zebra and nothing between you and them.
What a Lake Naivasha day trip includes
A boat safari on the lake, among hippo pods and past fish eagles, which the boatmen will call down for you.
Crescent Island, a private sanctuary with no predators, so you walk rather than drive. Giraffe, zebra, eland, waterbuck and wildebeest, on foot, at your own pace.
The Rift Valley viewpoint on the old Naivasha road, where the whole valley opens up below you.
Park and boat fees, transport and your guide, all in the price.
Naivasha is a freshwater lake in a valley of soda lakes, which is why the birdlife is so heavy: more than 400 species have been recorded around it. The Lake Naivasha destination page covers the lake itself.
How the day runs
Hippo, which graze on land after dark
We collect you from your Nairobi hotel at about seven. The drive is roughly ninety minutes, with a stop at the escarpment viewpoint. The boat goes out late morning, when the hippo are still in the shallows, and drops you on Crescent Island for the walk. Lunch at a lakeside lodge, then back to Nairobi by late afternoon.
If you would rather cycle, Hell's Gate National Park is twenty minutes away and can be added: gorges, cliffs and plains game with no big cats, which is why the park allows bicycles. It is not included in the price.
When to go
A fish eagle, Naivasha holds one of the densest populations anywhere
Any month. The lake is worth a day all year, and the walking is more comfortable outside the hottest part of January and February. Bird numbers peak between November and March with the European migrants.
What it costs
From $250 per person sharing, or KES 21,000 for Kenyan residents and citizens. Every price on this page includes park entry fees, transport in a pop-top 4x4 with a guaranteed window seat, and a professional driver-guide who stays with you for the whole trip. Our guides are the same people year after year, which is why they know where the cats were yesterday.
Send a booking request with your dates and we will come back with availability, a firm price and an honest view of the month you have picked. Nothing is charged on this website.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Lake Naivasha from Nairobi?
About 90 kilometres, or an hour and a half by road, mostly on good tarmac down the Rift Valley escarpment.
Can you really walk with the animals on Crescent Island?
Pelicans on the Rift Valley lakes
Yes. The island is fenced off from predators, so walking is allowed with a guide. Giraffe, zebra and eland are usually within a few metres.
Is the boat safari safe with hippo around?
Yes, with a licensed boatman who keeps a proper distance. Hippo are dangerous, and the rule is simple: the boat decides how close, not the passengers.
What should I bring for a day trip to Naivasha?
Kisii soapstone, carved and polished by hand
A hat, sun cream, water, binoculars and closed shoes for the island walk. The full Kenya safari packing list has the rest.
Your guide meets you at 7am and you head out of the city on the Naivasha road, stopping at the escarpment viewpoint where the Rift Valley opens out below you. We are on the water by mid-morning for an hour among the hippo pods and the fish eagles. Then across to Crescent Island, where there are no predators and you walk among giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and eland on foot, the part of this day that people remember. Lunch at a lakeside lodge, and back in Nairobi by early evening.
