Crescent Island Wildlife Walk & Lake Naivasha Boat Trip

Lake Naivasha, the freshwater lake of the Rift Valley

Lake Naivasha is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes at about 1,884 metres and one of the few with fresh water, which is why it is ringed by papyrus, yellow fever trees and the flower farms that supply much of the world's roses. It lies about 90 kilometres north-west of Nairobi, and how to get to Lake Naivasha from Nairobi is a drive of around two hours down the escarpment, with a stop at the viewpoint over the valley and the cone of Mount Longonot.

The lake is a birdwatcher's paradise with some 400 species recorded: pelicans, cormorants, herons, kingfishers, jacanas walking on the lily pads and the African fish eagle whose cry is the sound of the Kenyan highlands. Hippos live in pods in the shallows, and the lakeshore is shared by giraffe, waterbuck and zebra that come down to drink.

The boat ride among hippos and fish eagles

The boat trip on Lake Naivasha lasts around an hour and is the way to reach Crescent Island, which sits on the eastern shore. Your boatman keeps a respectful distance from the hippo pods, whose ears and eyes break the surface as they watch you pass, and steers along the papyrus edge where kingfishers and cormorants perch. The best moment comes when the boatman whistles to a fish eagle, tosses a fish onto the water and the bird drops from its tree to snatch it in a spray of water, close enough for a photograph.

Life jackets are provided and the lake is usually calm in the morning, which is why we cross before the afternoon wind. On the default option the boat is included; on the other option it is paid on the spot before boarding.

Crescent Island Game Sanctuary

Crescent Island is the rim of a submerged volcanic crater on the eastern side of Lake Naivasha, a private sanctuary of grassland and acacia woodland where, because there are no large predators, visitors explore on foot with a guide. Giraffe browse at the treetops a few metres away, zebra and wildebeest graze on the open ground, and waterbuck, impala, Thomson's gazelle and eland keep a wary but calm distance; pythons live on the island but are rarely seen, so you stay on the paths.

The guided walk of about two hours is slow and quiet, with the island's hills giving views over the lake and the mountains. Is Crescent Island worth visiting? For families it is often the favourite day of a Kenyan holiday, because being on foot among the animals feels completely different from a game drive. Crescent Island opening hours run through the day, and the morning light and cooler air make the early visit the best.

The practical day and the best season

The default option includes the Crescent Island entry fee, so the only expense on the day is lunch, taken at a local restaurant on the lakeshore after the walk, and any souvenirs. Wear closed shoes for the dusty paths, a hat and sunscreen, and bring binoculars if you have them: the walk is at the animals' pace, and your guide reads their body language so you know how close is close enough.

The best time to visit Crescent Island is the dry season from June to October and January to February, when the grass is short and the animals easy to see; the green season after the rains brings wildflowers and newborn gazelles. A Crescent Island day trip from Nairobi combines well with Hell's Gate or Lake Nakuru if you have a second day in the Rift Valley, and we return you to Nairobi in the mid-afternoon.