Lake Naivasha is one of
Kenya’s most stunning Rift Valley freshwater lakes. It is surrounded
by feathery papyrus, marshy lagoons and grassy shores. The lake itself
is not technically a national park as most of the land around the
lake is privately owned, but there are enough wildlife attractions
to warrant a listing.
Strong afternoon winds cause the lake to get very rough quite suddenly. The local Masai called the lake Nai'posha, meaning ''rough water'',
which the British later spelled incorrectly as Naivasha. The region
was first settled in the 1930s by the notorious British ‘Happy
Valley’ set who bought all the neighbouring farmland – much of which is still owned by white Kenyans. Around this time Lake
Naivasha was also Kenya’s international airport! Flying boats
from Europe used to land on the water. Even today when the water
is low you can see the wooden posts that mapped out the runway. It is
still fertile agricultural land, particularly for vegetables, fruit
and flowers. Thanks to Kenya’s new international airport at
Eldoret, European florists are selling flowers 24 hours after they
have been cut in plantations next to Lake Naivasha.
The lake is about 13km across, but its waters are shallow, with an
average depth of five metres, and home to many hippos. At the beginning
of the 20th century, Naivasha inexplicably completely dried up and
the land was farmed, until heavy rains a few years later caused the
lake to return.
Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow-barked Acacia
tree, full of birds and black and white colobus monkeys. The Acacias were once called
‘yellow fever trees’ after explorers who camped under
them caught malaria. You can take a boat on the lake to see the
hippos, pelicans and fish eagles at close quarters and also to get
to Crescent Island - a protected reserve where you can walk amongst
zebra, antelope and giraffe that come to the water’s edge to
drink. There are no predators, so this is one of the few places in
Kenya offering the opportunity to walk amongst the animals.
Of the other attractions near the lake, Elsamere, the former home
of Joy and George Adamson, is a must-see. Once the home of Elsa the
Lioness, this house overlooking the lake has now been transformed
into a museum commemorating the story of ‘Born Free’. It’s
also a great place for a spot of cream tea on the grassy lawns. The
68 sq km Hell's Gate National Park also lies beside the lake. It was named
for its pair of massive red tinged cliffs and was proclaimed as a park
to protect the variety of vultures and eagles that breed in these cliffs.
The park is home to a profusion of plains game and birdlife. Again,
as there are no predators, walking is permitted, making it ideal for
hiking, biking and rock climbing.
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