Located within reach of Nairobi, lakes Naivasha and Nakuru are two of the best-known lakes in the Great Rift Valley. Visit the former home of Born Free personality Joy Adamson on the shores of Lake Naivasha, then spot tree-climbing lions, black and white rhinos and clouds of pink flamingos in Nakuru National Park.
Visit Elsamere, the former home of Joy and George Adamson, set on the south-west shore of Lake Naivasha
Walk among zebra, giraffe and other wildlife on Crescent Island, a private sanctuary on Naivasha's eastern shore
Strike out from Lake Naivasha to explore Hell’s Gate National Park by bike or on foot; the park is famed for its dramatic volcanic landscapes and lack of large predators, making it safe to cycle through
View rare tree-climbing lions and endangered black and white rhinos at Lake Nakuru National Park
Witness one of the most spectacular wildlife scenes on the planet as anything up to two million pink flamingos arrive to feast on the algae that grows on Lake Nakuru
Fringed by papyrus and with the extinct Mount Longonot as a backdrop, Lake Naivasha is the highest of the Great Rift Valley lakes. It’s only a short drive from Nairobi but feels a world away from the capital’s busy streets, stretching into the distance like a vast, sunlit sea. The lake is home to a colourful collection of birdlife, including fish eagles, herons, kingfishers, pink backed pelicans, ospreys and black crakes, as well as resident hippos that sit just below the water like semi-submerged submarines. One of the lake’s hidden gems is Crescent Island, a private island sanctuary and one of the few places in the Rift Valley where you can walk among giraffes, zebras, waterbucks and impalas. Also well worth a visit is Elsamere, the former home of the late Joy Adamson of Born Free fame. Boat trips on the lake are available from most camps and lodges.
Further north, about two hours from Nairobi, is Lake Nakuru National Park. Set along the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, the park is pretty year-round and is one of the best places in Kenya to spot endangered black and white rhinos. It’s also one of the few places where you might encounter rare tree-climbing lions, not to mention leopard, buffalo, zebra, elephant and Rothschild’s giraffe. For years the park was famous for the huge flocks of flamingos that used to carpet the lake in pink. Around ten years ago, rising water levels forced the flamingos to flee but we’re happy to say they’re back, often appearing in their hundreds of thousands to feast on the algae that thrives in the lake’s warm waters.
A traditional Kenyan home set on the northern shore of Lake Naivasha in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, with stunning views of the dormant Mount Longonot volcano.
A 10-room luxury camp perched at the top of a 100-metre cliff face overlooking Lake Nakuru.