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Highlights of Lake Naivasha Kenya
WHERE TO GO IN KENYA
Located just one and a half hour’s drive from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha offers a stunning spot to relax before or after your safari. Take a boat ride in search of hippos or go hiking in Hell’s Gate National Park.
The name Lake Naivasha come from the Maasai word for ‘rough water’ - in the morning the lake is generally calmer, with afternoon winds often creating higher waves.
How Deep is Lake Naivasha
Backed by papyrus trees and 13 kilometres in length, Naivasha is relatively shallow, at a depth of just five metres but it is largely dependent on rainfall and the dimensions of the lake can therefore vary according to climate changes. Lake Naivasha disappeared completely when it dried up in the early 20th century
Weather at Lake Naivasha climate guide
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AVG. TEMP | 27°C | 28°C | 28°C | 26°C | 25°C | 24°C | 24°C | 24°C | 26°C | 25°C | 24°C | 26°C |
 RAINFALL | 30mm | 30mm | 61mm | 118mm | 105mm | 73mm | 83mm | 96mm | 72mm | 82mm | 99mm | 61mm |
Lake Naivasha Hotels
Loldia House is ideal for families looking for some down time. A cosy colonial style house, Loldia sits on the shores of Lake Naivasha with day and night drives to explore the local park and the lake. Loldia House is one of Kenya’s oldest homesteads and was founded just after the Boer War and is still owned by the same family.
Lake Naivasha Animals
Around the edge of the lake, you can observe some of the mammals that emerge at daybreak to graze; reedbuck, impala, gazelle, zebra, duiker and waterbuck. Colobus monkeys and large numbers of hippo lazing in the waters can be found here.
Lake Naivasha Birds
Ornithologists often come to Naivasha for the incredible variety of fish-eating birds that the lake attracts. You are likely to see fish eagles, herons, kingfishers, ospreys and black crakes amongst others.
Crater Lake Game Sanctuary
From the western side of the lake by Kongoni, Crater Lake Game Sanctuary surrounds an idyllic volcanic crater lake with a steep crater rim that offers some excellent hiking trails. Privately owned, the sanctuary has good game viewing with zebra and buffalo found here. The alkaline-filled lake is said by Maasai to have healing qualities, and flamingoes come to feed on the lake’s algae, which gives the lake an unusually green shade.
Located just south of the lake is Hell’s Gate National Park, named after the two red-hued cliffs that welcome the visitor into its enticing geothermal interior. This area is great to explore by foot across its savannah ecosystem and there are various hiking trails. It is possible to sight cheetah, leopard and lion here if you are fortunate, as well as over 100 bird species and other animals like Thomson’s gazelle, eland, zebra and buffalo.