Best Places to visit in Naivasha | Things to do 2024
Naivasha or Vasha as it’s called Nowadays, is one of the most popular weekend/holiday getaways among international tourists and locals. It’s considered the party town of Kenya and a tour destination for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. There are many more things to do and places to visit in Naivasha than in other major towns. I’ve…
Naivasha or Vasha as it’s called Nowadays, is one of the most popular weekend/holiday getaways among international tourists and locals. It’s considered the party town of Kenya and a tour destination for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.
There are many more things to do and places to visit in Naivasha than in other major towns. I’ve been to Naivasha countless times and trust me, you might get confused and overwhelmed because there are many fun places to tour and activities to engage in that you could’ve ever imagined.
In this article, I will share exactly where to go when you get to Naivasha and all the fun things to do.
Let’s go to Naivasha.
Top 10 places to visit in Naivasha + where to stay
The following is a list of the best places you can visit in Naivasha. Myself, I had the best experience in these places. We shall look at each of these Naivasha Destinations in detail later. Keep it here.
- Hells Gate National Park.
- Crescent Island Game Reserve
- Mt Longonot
- Crater Lake Game Sanctuary
- Lake Naivasha
- Lake Naivasha Raptor Centre
Hells Gate National Park
Never seen canyons? Well, you can find many here. Canyons at Hells Gate National Park have attracted filmmakers like warner bros who shot the Tomb Raider here.
Besides that, there are caves to explore, rocks to be climbed and volcanic hot springs to be marvelled at. It’s allowed to explore the park on foot or a bike since there are no crazy carnivores like lions in this park.
It’s not recommended to visit the park especially the canyons during the rainy seasons due to flush floods.
The park is quite big to cover on foot, so we recommend you hire a bike at the entrance or drive around with stops for pictures or a quick foot adventure.
Crescent Island Game Reserve
Crescent Island is considered the hidden game of Naivasha. Although it is a peninsula, it can only be accessible via boat.
It’s the perfect place for yoga/meditation, hiking/walking, bird watching, team building and you can also go fishing.
Some of the wild animals you can find here include; hippos, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, impalas and many species of birds.
Note that dogs are not allowed since they might scare other animals.
Mt Longonot and Longonot National Park
Mt Longonot is Naivasha’s hikers paradise. It takes around 20 minutes to reach the foot of the mountain from Lake Naivasha therefore a tour there can be combined with a visit to the lake.
It takes about 5 hours to scale the height of Mt Longonot (13 kilometres). The peak offers a perfect view of Lake Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley landscape. There is also a forested crater at the top.
As you explore the mountain, you will come across herds of Buffalos, impalas, giraffes, and gazelles.
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is mainly known for Fishing, boating, bloat of hippos, bird watching, and photography.
This extensive mass of water can be viewed from the top of Mt Longonot.
Naivasha Raptor Centre
Naivasha Raptor Centre is a bird sanctuary dedicated to taking care of injured birds. In collaboration with the Kenya Birds of Prey Trust, they are on a mission to protect endangered birds.
Things to do in Naivasha
The following are some of the best things to do in Naivasha for a memorable tour.
Hiking
Going for a hike around Naivasha will reward you with scenic beauty and diverse wildlife encounters. The good thing is no wildlife around Naivasha is a direct threat to life other than hippos at Crescent Island.
The following are the best places to hike in Naivasha.
- Hell Gate National Park
- The crescent island
- Mt Longonot
Mt Longonot is the ultimate hiking challenge. Be prepared for a steep and unforgiving terrain.
Biking
Biking can be a good way to explore Everything that Naivasha has to offer especially the Hells Gate National Park. Bikes can be hired at the entrance of the park for a small fee.
Boat Ride and fishing
Boat riding is the most popular activity in Lake Naivasha. You can take a boat ride around the lake or on your way to the crescent island. If you plan to visit the island, you are guaranteed a boat ride since it can only be accessed via boat.
Photography and bird-watching
If you are a wildlife photography enthusiast, Naivasha is the place to be. You stand a chance to shoot an award photo here.
There are over 500 species of birds that call Naivasha home. You are most likely to encounter a giraffe, zebra, waterbucks, buffalos, and hippos around Lake Naivasha/Crescent Island among other herbivores.
Education tours
Enashipia Maa Museum is the best place to learn about the Maasai culture.
Winding Up
Naivasha is a generous place to visit since it has something for everyone. Whether you want to hike, take a boat ride, watch wildlife or catch a breeze by the shores of Lake Naivasha.
After your visit, share with us your recommendation of the best places to visit in Naivasha and some of the tings that you did during your trip. This will go a long way in helping another Naivasha traveler/explorer.
