Lake Naivasha offers a unique immersive experience at the heart of Africa’s biodiversity, with the opportunity to meet wild animals on foot. But how close can you get to the animals on a safari like this? Discover it in pictures below in the article 🦓
Lake Naivasha at a glance
Located around 90 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, Lake Naivasha is one of the only freshwater basins in the Great Rift Valley. Its name comes from the Masai word Nai’posha, meaning “turbulent waters”, in reference to the sudden storms that can be triggered.
Located at an altitude of 1884 metres, Lake Naivasha covers an area of 139 km2. Very shallow, averaging 6 meters, its surface area varies greatly according to the volume of precipitation, up to 1,000 km2 during the rainy season.
Bordered by the rugged slopes of the Longonot volcano, swamps and acacia forests, the lake is a veritable sanctuary for over 400 species of birds, as well as a large number of hippos. Since 1995, the lake has been recognized as a Ramsar site, making it an aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance.
Between 1937 and 1950, Lake Naivasha was used as a landing site by Imperial Airways seaplanes. Today, the entire region is a major producer of roses and cut flowers for export.
What animals can you see on Lake Naivasha?
Lake Naivasha is famous for its large hippo populations and the wide variety of birds that can be seen here, including sea eagles, Goliath herons, kingfishers, jackdaws, pelicans and flamingos.
Giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala and Thompson’s gazelle can also be seen in abundance on the shores around the lake and on the Crescent Island peninsula.
Where to go on a walking safari at Lake Naivasha?
Due to urban development, wildlife no longer moves as freely as it once did along the shores of Lake Naivasha. Restricted to conservation areas such as Crescent Island and Sanctuary Farm, the animals, although still wild, have gradually become accustomed to humans who can walk nearby without frightening them and without any danger since the area has no predators 🦁
Crescent Island Game Sanctuary
In 1988, the waters of Lake Naivasha dropped so low as to reveal Crescent Island. This crescent-shaped peninsula is home to an incredible diversity of ecosystems, with giraffe, wildebeest, Fassa cob, zebra, buffalo, gazelle and antelope roaming freely between swamps, woodlands and grassy plains. On the banks, pelicans, cormorants, herons and ospreys can be seen in abundance. There are more animals per hectare on Crescent Island than in any other park in Kenya!
Designated a wildlife sanctuary by the Kenyan government and often chosen by wildlife documentary makers as a filming location, Crescent Island is most famous for being the setting for the film “Out of Africa”.
Good to Know
- Crescent Island Game Sanctuary is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Entrance fees, payable on the island, are $33 per adult and $16 per child.
- Crescent Island is only accessible by boat, and no shuttle service is available. While several boatmen offer to make the trip, many charge visitors a flat-rate fee that has nothing to do with Crescent Island. We’ve had some unfortunate experiences, as I’ll tell you below 😞
Sanctuary Farm
Dairy farm, horse farm, Sanctuary Farm is also an important conservation area with an entrance fee much more affordable than that of Crescent Island just across the road.
➜ We discovered Sanctuary Farm by chance, on the initiative of guides and boatmen who said they would take us to Crescent Island. While the experience on site is probably not dissimilar to that of a walking safari on Crescent Island, I do regret the lack of transparency about the packages on offer and the final destination. When you consider that admission to Sanctuary Farm costs €6 per adult,paying 5 times the price leaves a bitter taste in your mouth… At the risk of repeating it, don’t pay any admission fees until you’ve set foot on Crescent Island!
Our safari expedition begins at Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp, where we pay for boat hire and entrance to Crescent Island. With life jackets on our backs, we set off in small boats to discover the species that inhabit Lake Naivasha.
On a papyrus island, a group of Fassa cobes, also known as crescent cobes or waterbucks, watch us quietly. Not far from them, a few hippos are lounging on the bank.
Before heading ashore, the boatmen gather the boats for a demonstration of stealth hunting by a sea eagle posted on a branch. As soon as the fish is thrown into the water, the eagle takes flight, skims the surface of the water and opens its wings to slow its flight, throwing its legs forward to seize its prey with its talons. A skilfully orchestrated yet highly impressive spectacle.
Landing on the banks, between dead trees. Our ranger leads the way and shows us the damage caused by the sometimes very sudden rise in the lake’s water level. A few yards away, a herd of zebras seems unconcerned by our presence. A zebra just a few weeks old doesn’t leave his mother’s side…
The atmosphere is very serene. We take the time to observe them. We even manage to get close enough for a family portrait we won’t soon forget 🤩
Apparently more shy, the wildebeest stare at us for a few minutes before turning on their heels. In the middle of an acacia forest, several giraffes are feasting. An unforgettable experience for young and old alike! And so ends our walking safari along the shores of Lake Naivasha…
Good to Know
- A conservation fee of KES 1,000 per adult and KES 500 per child is payable at the gate entrance to Sanctuary Farm.
What to do near Lake Naivasha
Small in size, just 70km2, the park is nonetheless renowned for its variety of wildlife, the beauty of its volcanic landscapes and the many activities on offer: hiking – no felines here, even though these gorges inspired Walt Disney to set The Lion King – cycling, but also rock climbing and hot springs.
Don’t miss Hell’s Gate National Park:
> the Fisher Tower, an impressive 25-metre volcanic tower that has been used as a backdrop for numerous films
> the Buffalo circuit, a superb 15-kilometre loop offering magnificent scenery, including views of Mount Longonot
> the Njorowa Gorge, famous for its basalt cliffs over 10 metres high
