An hour out of Nairobi, the road tips over the edge of the escarpment and the whole Great Rift Valley opens up below you. It is one of the best views in Kenya, and the start of an easy two-day loop.
Ask your chauffeur to stop at the viewpoint. Then it is downhill to the lakes, where hippos, giraffes and flamingos are all a short drive apart.
Lake Naivasha
A boat ride among hippos and fish eagles, then a walk with giraffes on Crescent Island.
Hell's Gate
Cycle past zebras and buffalo, then walk down into the gorge with a local guide.
Lake Nakuru
Flamingos on the shore, plus black and white rhinos in a compact, easy park.
Lake Naivasha
Naivasha is a freshwater lake ringed with acacia and papyrus. A one-hour boat ride takes you close to the hippos and under the perches of fish eagles. Most boats can stop at Crescent Island, where you walk among giraffes, zebras and wildebeest. There are no big cats on the island, so you can do it on foot.
Hell's Gate
Hell's Gate is one of the few national parks in Kenya where you can cycle and walk among the animals. Hire a bike at the gate and ride past zebras, buffalo and giraffes under the red cliffs and Fischer's Tower. At the end of the track, a local guide leads you down into the gorge.
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is a small, fenced park, so it is easy to see a lot in a morning. It is one of the best places in Kenya for rhinos, black and white, and you will often find Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo and lions too. Flamingo numbers change with the water level, but there are usually some along the shore. Drive up to Baboon Cliff for the view over the lake.
How to plan it
Leave Nairobi at 7 am to reach Naivasha by 9. Sleep by the lake, then drive an hour north to Lake Nakuru the next morning, and head back to Nairobi by late afternoon.
Quick questions
Can I do Naivasha as a day trip from Nairobi?
Yes. It is about 1 hr 45 each way, so a boat ride and Hell's Gate fit comfortably into one day.
How far is Lake Naivasha from Nairobi?
About 90 km, or around 1 hr 45 to 2 hours by road, with a stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint.
Are there still flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
Numbers change with water levels, but you will usually see flamingos along the shore, along with rhinos and pelicans.
Is Hell's Gate suitable for children?
Cycling the main track is easy for older children. The gorge walk has some steep sections, and it closes after heavy rain.
Ready for the lakes?
We'll drive you there.
Nairobi to Naivasha, Hell's Gate and Nakuru, with a local chauffeur who knows every viewpoint.
Book a ride
