Pleasure just 60 minutes away
Naivasha is just an hour’s drive away from the city, making it one of the most sought-after holiday destinations for Nairobi residents.
With a host of activities such as bird watching, hiking, game drives, cycling, nature walks, balloon rides, boat trips, fishing, horseback riding and others, Naivasha is the perfect weekend getaway for the weary city resident.
Lake Naivasha itself is special in that it is fresh-water lake, making it a great place to spot the birds of prey that come to feed on the fish.
Hippos can be seen lazing in the waters on the northern shore, and during the night they walk onto most of the lodges’ grounds.
The tourist sites within Naivasha include Lake Naivasha, Hell’s Gate National Park, Lake Elementaita, Mt Longonot National Reserve (and Mt Longonot itself) among others.
Accommodation is plentiful and of varied rates to suit all pockets.
The Naivasha tourism circuit boasts of hotels and lodges such as Enashipai Resort, Lake Naivasha Country Club, Sopa Lodge, Kongoni Lodge, Fish Eagle Inn, Lake Naivasha Resort, Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort, Fisher’s Towers and the famous Crayfish Camp, that is a favourite for those who love to camp.
There is plenty of wildlife in the area and a good place to start would be the Hell’s Gate National Park.
This park is mostly savannah grassland and sustains herds of grazing herbivores like zebras, antelopes, warthogs, giraffes, buffaloes and the elusive black faced colobus monkey.
This park also has one of the world’s best rugged sceneries and makes for an excellent opportunity to combine wildlife and landscape photography.
Amazing sights
The Ol-Njorowa gorge is a highlight of any visit to Hell’s Gate National Park and the only way to explore it is on foot.
It’s not a long or difficult hike as the gorge is not deep, but you will need to scramble on sections descending into the gorge and climbing out again.
There are guides there so make sure you ask to see the Devil’s Kitchen. Also, be sure to listen and heed the advice of your guides to avoid any of the dangers that come with hiking in such terrain.
Naivasha is also home to various ranches that boast of a wide array of wildlife. The Delamere Ranch is the most widely known but there is also the Malewa ranch, and the Mt Longonot ecosystem.
Major wildlife attractions include eland, lion, leopard, bushbuck, and other antelopes.