In my previous posts, I talked about my visit to the Nairobi National Park. For the weekend, we took the help of Africa SafariLand Tours (Link) for planning. We were given three options: Option A: Lake Elementaita and Soysambu Nature Conservatory, Option B: Lake Naivasha and Hells Gate National Park, and Option C: Lake Nakuru National Park.

The initial idea was Option C. Lake Nakuru is famous for the population of flamingos (Check the pics  – Lake Nakuru Flamingos). Unfortunately, due to high water levels, the population of flamingos was low as they moved someplace else. This was in June 2015. I recommend that you check with the local tourist companies before deciding.

We decided  to go with Option B. Hells Gate National Park was an inspiration for the movie Lion King (Link). Apparently, one can see the pride rock in the park. I missed it. 😦

We set out early, at 6 am. We were picked up in Nairobi by the tour company and the driver was a fantastic guide as well. We passed through various coffee plantations, stopped at a village and saw cookstoves, and had an amazing view of the Great Rift Valley – all in my next post. We arrived at Lake Naivasha at about 11am.

The cost for a single boat trip of 2 hours was 14000 KSH. (1 Euro – 110 Kenyan Shillings), which after successful bargaining dropped to 10500 KSH. Another important tip: Bargain! 

We got on the boats and were guided by a bird expert. The lake is home to more than 4000 hippos and many birds – Yellow beaked stork, sacred ibis, marabou stork, African Jacana etc. During the trip, we also saw the greenhouses growing flowers. Kenya has become one of the leading exporters of flowers, especially roses to Europe and we saw many more such greenhouses throughout the rest of our trip.

The trip is a paradise for bird experts and nature photographers. My favourite picture among the lot was this:

During the boat trip, we had a stop for lunch on an island – included in the overall trip costs. We then met with James, professor of ornithology in Nairobi who took us on a walk along the lake. We got to see wildebeest, deer, zebras and many more birds. We had lunch under a tree, in the shade, surrounded by the African wildlife. Can never forget that moment!

After a 30 minute break, we went back to the boat. A final stop was to see the African fish eagles. The guide had couple of dead fish in the boat. He threw them into the lake and the eagles swoop down to catch them and go back. By that time, my battery was running low and couldn’t take more pictures.

As for the weather, it was perfect. Serene. Personally, it was a bit scary initially as I cannot yet swim. But, overall a pleasant journey.

More pictures!