Full-Day Lake Naivasha with Boat Ride & Crescent Island Walking Safari

Lake Naivasha & Crescent Island

Rates From $235

About This Tour

Lake Naivasha serves as a calm introduction to the Great Rift Valley, offering a gentle pace away from the busy city. The journey moves from the urban sprawl of Nairobi into open landscapes where water and land meet. This day trip is designed for those seeking a quiet escape into nature, with a focus on birdlife and close wildlife encounters.

The day flows from a morning drive to the lakeshore for a boat expedition among hippos and water birds. It continues with a walk on Crescent Island, where the lack of predators allows for a steady, unhurried rhythm among giraffes and zebras. This safari offers a reassuring balance of activity and rest, providing a soft landing into Kenya’s natural beauty.

Our Community Impact

Johnbow prioritizes partnerships with local boat operators and guides from the Naivasha community. This ensures that your visit directly supports local livelihoods and helps maintain the lake’s delicate ecosystem. We choose partners who practice responsible waste management to protect the water quality and surrounding habitats.

Our Sustainability Promise

We are committed to low-impact travel by using shared walking trails and motorized boats that adhere to speed limits to minimize noise pollution. Our team encourages the use of reusable water bottles and supports preserving Crescent Island as a private sanctuary for breeding wildlife.

Why This Safari Works

This itinerary works well because it prioritizes ease of movement and a relaxed atmosphere. The routing is simple, avoiding long travel segments and allowing for a restorative day out. It balances the steady movement of a boat ride with the active but gentle pace of a walking safari. This structure avoids travel fatigue, making it perfect for families with children or those with limited time in Nairobi. The journey provides a high-value experience that feels full but never rushed.

Your Trip at a Glance

A snapshot of your entire experience, from key highlights to where you'll stay and what to expect each day.

  • 4x4 Land Cruiser
  • Bird Watching
  • Birding Experience
  • Couple
  • Friends
  • Game Drives
  • Marine Wildlife
  • Road Safari
  • Walking Safari

Trip Summary

  • Morning departure from Nairobi
  • Scenic drive to Lake Naivasha
  • Boat ride to Crescent Island
  • Guided walking safari
  • Late afternoon return to Nairobi

Destinations

  • Lake Naivasha
  • Crescent Island Game Sanctuary

Where You Stay

  • Day Use: Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge or similar

Safari Highlights

  • Views of the Great Rift Valley escarpment
  • Gentle boat ride across Lake Naivasha
  • Hippos cooling in the shallow waters
  • Walking among giraffes and zebras on foot
  • Diverse birdlife along the papyrus reeds
  • Quiet atmosphere of Crescent Island
  • Fresh lakeside lunch under yellow-fever trees
  • Soft afternoon light over the Rift Valley

Featured Destinations

Where You Stay

Route Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Itinerary Highlights

  • Early morning departure from Nairobi
  • Lakeside boat ride and Crescent Island walk
  • Return drive to the city

Itinerary information

The day begins with a drive through the highlands, descending the escarpment with views of the valley floor. Upon reaching the lake, a boat carries guests past pods of hippos to Crescent Island. The island offers a unique chance to walk freely among wild animals in a safe, predator-free environment. After the walk, a relaxed lunch is served at a nearby lodge before the journey back to Nairobi. The rhythm is steady and allows for ample photography and nature observation.

  • Meals: Lunch
  • Accommodation: Not Applicable (Return to Nairobi)

JohnBow Safari Expert Insight

❝ We recommend this trip for guests who want to experience wildlife closely without the long drives of a traditional safari. It offers a perfect balance of lake and land. ❞

~Johnbow Travel Consultant

Rates

Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences

Guests2 Guests4 Guests6 Guests
Rate Per Guest$ 300$ 250$ 235

Important Rate Notes

  • Rates vary based on group size and seasonal availability.
  • Lodge alternatives of a similar standard may be used for lunch.
  • Child policies for boat rides vary and will be confirmed at booking.
  • Pick-up and drop-off times are subject to local traffic conditions.

What's Included

  • Private 4x4 transport from Nairobi
  • Lunch
  • Professional English-speaking driver-guide
  • Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha
  • Entry fees to Hells Gate and Crescent Island

Optional Addons

  • Guided bird walk with a specialist
  • Evening sundowners by the lake
  • Horseback riding at a nearby sanctuary

What's Not Included

  • Personal travel insurance
  • International flights and visas
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Alcoholic drinks

Ready to start planning your Safari? Tell us your travel dates, who you are traveling with, and what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Crescent Island has no predators, making it safe to walk among herbivores like giraffes and wildebeests.
We suggest comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat, and light layers as the lake can be breezy.
The boat ride typically lasts about one hour, including time for hippo and bird watching.

See What Our Travellers Have To Say

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Dorcas Munga profile picture
Dorcas Munga
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Great planning and communication. My trips have been smooth. All expectations met 💯
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Mike Bourassa profile picture
Mike Bourassa
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Our driver, Patrick, made the experience even more special with his outgoing personality and his knowledge of each park. He always made certain that he positioned his vehicle just right so we could get a perfect photo. He shared a lot about African culture an answered our questions. His keen eye spotted a cheetah from a long distance and we experienced the animal stalk and catch his prey (only to have a hyena steal it from him at the end). The accommodations were excellent at Massai Mara but were a bit too primitive at Amboseli. The large openings between the sleeping area and the bathroom brought way too many bugs into the tent. Wonderful memories of the entire experience!! We hope to come back next year and Patrick will be our choice of guide.
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Kate Mandere
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Wonderful team, very warm, helpful and well coordinated!
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Emmy Chepkoech
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I recently booked my 1st trip with Johnbow Tours and Travel and it was an outstanding experience from the start to finish. The team was professional, well-organised, helpful and incredibly friendly. Transfer to my hotel room and back was handled smoothly allowing us to relax and enjoy our journey. The fact that they allow lipa mdogo mdogo was not overwhelming paying for the package...I can't wait to book again with Johnbow 😊
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Gloria Kikete
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Jonbow has offers seamless travel service with a personal touch.
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Lolo Chgn profile picture
Lolo Chgn
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Safaris de 5 jours depart Nairobi et arrivée à Diani beach Visite des parcs d’amboseli, tsavo ouest et est , t.hills Découverte d une faune magnifique Notre chauffeur Chombo a tout fait pour rechercher les animaux et il était à notre écoute ! Dépaysement total garanti Les hôtels étaient tout confort avec des conditions d’alimentation en eau et électricité précaire ! Nous remercions vraiment Morris et Chombo pour ce magnifique Safari
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Irene Nduku
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Excellent services, the team was friendly, efficient and went above and beyond to meet my need.Their service was prompt and effective. I highly recommend
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Cheyenne van den B profile picture
Cheyenne van den B
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We had a two day tour with Johnbow Tours & Travel to Tsavo West. The park itself is not that good to be honest, but we stayed at Salt Lick lodge and that was amazing. The animals are coming so close to the lodge, it is really beautiful to see. The driver Pius was also really nice and he had a lot of knowledge about the animals. I have been in contact with Morris and that was also really pleasant because of the arrangement we had.
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virginia mumo profile picture
virginia mumo
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As a team of 12pax..we had an exceptional good experience with the Johnbow team. Well informed and humble team who contributed a lot to an enjoyable trip and creating memories.
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Stay06810033473
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Customer Servive Customer service was great!Communication was timely and effective especially as there were some flight changes.Either way the bookings were perfect, customer service was exceptional and we even got a treat for our anniversary, at no extra costElijah and Sam were very helpful.
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Annette M profile picture
Annette M
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Exceptional Experience with Johnbow Tours and Travel! I had an unforgettable trip to Bali and Thailand, the guides were amazing, the places beautiful and the itinerary on point. Bali has very many temples and beautiful rice terraces, the swings and sunset views unforgettable. thank you Johnbow for the tour.
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KSP profile picture
KSP
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Memorable Safari with a Great Team and Guide We had a really good experience with Johnbow Tours during our Kenya safari. Morris, our main point of contact, was communicative and professional throughout. He stayed in touch via WhatsApp both before and during the trip, answering all our questions quickly and clearly, which gave us a lot of confidence going in.The pricing felt fair for what we received, and the Land Cruiser was comfortable, especially considering the long drives. They also provided snacks at the start of the trip upon request, which was thoughtful.Our guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable. He had a sharp eye for spotting animals and shared interesting facts about everything we saw. We had plenty of game drives and were lucky to spot a wide variety of wildlife.The only small issue was around water. We had been told water would be included throughout, but at a couple of the lodges, we were charged for drinking water, tea, or coffee during meals. It wasn’t a big deal, but having clarity on that from the start would’ve been helpful.Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable safari. The team was dependable, the schedule was well planned, and we felt taken care of from start to finish. I’d absolutely recommend Johnbow to anyone planning a private safari in Kenya.
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Alain V profile picture
Alain V
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A great experience, a must for everyone who reads this Jonbow, our driver who has the same name as the agency, took very good care of us. He was on time for the appointment. Once on the road he was super attentive. In the park he was always the first to spot the game. He gave us very good explanations about all the animals we saw. No effort was too much to make us spot all the game. Super friendly and helpful guy. He operates from Mombasa/Diani Beach. He made sure that our safari will remain unforgettable.
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winnie a
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Dubai tour 2024 was a birthday gift to my son who turned lucky number seven. I writing to thank you for coordinating our trip to UAE, dubai. Everything was perfect; the flight, the hotel was clean and all staff were friendly and professional. Special thanks to Mary Gathua as she was the one who coordinated everything for us.The tour guides were excellent! They made things as easy for us as possible. I really appreciate these and that indicate the quality services that they provide.We had dubai town tour and our guide, Mr. Albert did exceptionally well. We learnt about the origin of UAE and the important features in dubai. We had dhow cruise with dinner, and the dessert safari with dinner.Desert safari was the best of the trip (the driver , Mr . Zaheer was very professional, and the overall experience was thrilling and amazing). The desert safari remains in my priority to do list when I visit dubai next.I would certainly recommend Johnbow Tours and travel to anyone wanting to visit Dubai. Thank you again and look forward to plan our next vacation with you.
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maryanne o
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Awesome Best tour company ..travelled to Dubai in Emirates .Booked the best hotel in Dubai..Johnbow staff are friendly and accommodatve I rate them10/10 they're affordable too .
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M A profile picture
M A
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Superb service Happy New Year! Eunice managed our travel plans superbly, and I’m grateful. Our stay at Pride Inn was delightful; the staff’s service, food, attention, and entertainment made our holiday special and memorable. Thanks again for your excellent services.
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gladys n
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Efficient Eunice of John Bow ,was pretty helpful from getting us a hotel to SGR tickets, and transfers to the hotel.She also called to ensure we arrived safely.I loved the seamless process and especially because we chat on whatsapp mostly. Johnbow tours keep their word! I would choose them again.
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Christine N profile picture
Christine N
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Awesome experience This travel company was very efficient. I engaged them on whatsapp in the morning and by afternoon they had finalised everything including the sgr tickets. Their staff Eunice was readily available even at night because we did night travel. And early morning at 4 am, she called to find out if the driver had picked us. I would recommend them anytime
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Sabina M
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It was a time of relaxation and fun. The trip was well planned from Nairobi to Maasai Mara. We had so much fun and took so many photos. We saw lions, cheetahs, elephants and other animals. If we could do it again, we would still chose Johnbow tours and travel.
info@johnbowtoursandtravel.com
Kenya Cinema Plaza, 3rd Floor Room 3-8. Moi Avenue, Nairobi