Highlight

Lake Naivasha is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus. The lake is almost 13kms across, but its waters are shallow with an average depth of five meters.

Lake area varies greatly according to rainfall, with an average range between 114 and 991 sq. km. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Naivasha completely dried up and effectively disappeared. The resulting open land was farmed, until heavy rains a few years later caused the lake to return to existence, swallowing up the newly established estates.

Afternoon wind and storms can cause the Lake to become suddenly rough and produce high waves. For this reason, the local Maasai christened the lake Nai’posha meaning ‘rough water’.

The lake and its surroundings are rich in natural bounty, and the fertile soils and water supply have made this one of Kenya’s prime agricultural regions. Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree.

Wildlife: These forests abound with birdlife, and Naivasha is known as a world-class birding destination. The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores. Giraffes wander among the acacia, Buffalo wallow in the swamps and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops while the Lakes large hippo population sleeps the day out in the shallows.

The region surrounding the Lake is well worth exploring. There are two smaller lakes nearby, Oloidien, and Sonachi, a bright green crater lake

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Lake Naivasha is during the dry season between July to October. You can also combine a trip to the Maasai Mara to view the ultimate safari experience of all time – the wildebeest migration. The rich biodiversity of Lake Naivasha has established itself as a fantastic tourist destination.

The government body responsible for managing the Lake Naivasha National Park is the Kenya Tourism Board with support from several wildlife conservation Agencies. The Park entry of Lake Naivasha is €54, and the main activities on this national park are a boat cruise and a walking safari.

The greatest health risks in Kenya like all the other East African are accidents and malaria. Much of Kenya lies at too high an elevation for malaria to be a major concern, but the disease is present and prophylactic drugs are recommended. Travelers should seek professional medical advice on taking anti-malarial medicines and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, especially between dawn and dusk.

Travelers should ensure they are up to date with vaccinations, following the advice of their local healthcare provider, and should consider bringing a small first aid kit. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required.

Lake Naivasha National Park can be reached by air and road. The nearest airport and link to the park is Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. Kenya Airways, RwandAir, Uganda Airline, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and KLM all have flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. From Nairobi Wilson Airport, we recommend you use road transport being that a road trip to this amazing park is really rewarding. The distances from Nairobi Kenya’s capital to Lake Naivasha can be covered in about 2 hours or even lesser depending on the traffic

For further advice on planning your Lake Naivasha National Park, simply enquire with one of our local Safari Experts.