A Weekend at Lake Naivasha

Just a two hour drive from Nairobi is Lake Naivasha. On the way we crossed over a mountain where we looked down at the Great Rift Valley and there are the requisite vendors and instagramable signs. The views are incredible.

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake home to many hippo families. Crescent Island, where Out of Africa was filmed, curls out into the lake and is home to many non-predatory species. It is a safe place to walk and see animals - zebra, bison, giraffe, gazelle. The pythons that come out to cull the gazelle herd hibernate for months after eating so apparently don’t pose much risk…, but if you stay in a place close to the water, nocturnal hippos are a huge risk to humans at night and armed guards will escort you to your room. Hippos sleep in the water all day, snorting and snuffling and blowing bubbles, and at night they eat grass on land. We took a boat ride from our resort to where the hippos were sleeping - we were lucky to see many sleeping out of the water that day. Then the boat dropped us at Crescent where walking the island was our first encounter with any of these animals and it was phenomenal and surreal to see them up close.

Later that day we went to a local farmer’s market/festival. It felt very familiar— craft vendors, white people, upscale farm setting, cotton candy— except the camel rides reminded us we were in Africa.

The next day, we met up with a guide, rented bikes and did a biking safari through Hell’s Gate National Park. We saw more zebra, buffalo, gazelle, interesting birds, and a few baboons and then we hiked to a view of Pride Rock, of Lion King fame. Our total bike ride was 15km and having a great guide kept the kids from complaining the whole time - in fact, they rocked it. Perhaps we need a guide for every hike and we’ll all be on our best behavior!