Lake Naivasha is a large, shallow freshwater lake about 13 kilometres south of Naivasha town, fringed with dense papyrus beds and stands of yellow fever trees. It is home to substantial populations of hippos, which you will see on any boat trip — usually in groups of five to fifteen animals, submerged to their eyes in the shallower bays near the papyrus. Fish eagles are everywhere, calling from the fever trees with the most distinctive sound in East Africa.
Boat trips on the lake last about an hour and typically circle Crescent Island, a game sanctuary on a peninsula that feels like its own miniature wildlife reserve. You can walk on Crescent Island without a vehicle — giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and waterbuck wander freely around you, which is a genuinely unusual experience. The birdwatching on the lake is excellent year-round, with pelicans, cormorants, herons, kingfishers, and enormous flocks of migrant waders.
Arrange boat trips at the various camps and lodges along the lake shore south of town, particularly along Moi South Lake Road. Early morning is the best time — the light is good and the hippos are more active.