Lakes >> Naivasha

Lake Naivasha is one of the Rift valley’s beautiful freshwater lakes fringed by thick feathery papyrus, marshy lagoons and grassy shores and its ecology is quite different from that of the soda lakes. The lake is almost 13kms across, but its waters are shallow with an average depth of five metres. Lake area varies greatly according to rainfall, with an average range between 114 and 991 sq kms.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Naivasha completely dried up and effectively disappeared. The resulting open land was farmed, until heavy rains a few years later caused the lake to return to existence, swallowing up the newly established estates. The lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree. These forests abound with incredible variety of bird species, and Naivasha is known as a world class birding destination.

The lake and its surrounds are rich in natural bounty, and the fertile soils and water supply have made this one of Kenya's prime agricultural regions. The surrounding countryside is a major production area of flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as beef cattle.

The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores. Giraffes wander among the acacia, Buffalo wallow in the swamps and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops while the Lakes large hippo population sleeps the day out in the shallows.There are two smaller lakes nearby, Oloidien, and Sonachi, a bright green cater lake.Hell's Gate National Park lies beside the lake. This Park was named for its pair of massive red tinged cliffs framing a geothermically active interior of steam vents and bubbling springs. The park is home to a profusion of plains game and birdlife.