Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is one of Kenya's most beloved natural escapes, a freshwater lake ringed by yellow fever trees and papyrus reed, set against the dramatic cliffs of the Great Rift Valley just two hours from Nairobi. The lake sits at 1,884 metres above sea level, giving it a cool, fresh climate that makes it feel like a different world entirely from the hot lowland savanna.  The shores of Naivasha are famous for their hippos, which wallow in pods of twenty or more and emerge at dusk to graze on the surrounding grassland. Fish eagles call out from their fever tree perches in the evening, their haunting cry becoming the soundtrack of the African twilight. Pelicans, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, and over 350 other bird species make the lake one of the finest birding destinations in East Africa.  Crescent Island, a private sanctuary accessible by boat, allows visitors to walk freely among herds of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, and gazelle with no fences and no vehicles, creating an intimate wildlife encounter unlike anything else in Kenya. Hell's Gate National Park, adjacent to the lake, invites visitors to cycle through a dramatic gorge of towering red cliffs and ancient hot springs where the same geological forces that formed the Rift Valley are still visibly at work.  Naivasha offers a gentler, more meditative entry into the African wild and makes a wonderful complement to the more intense game drive experience of the Mara and Amboseli.