Camp041 - Lake Naivasha Game Reserve > Tourism Amidst Horticulture!

Camp041 - Lake Naivasha Game Reserve - Tourism Amidst Horticulture!

 

Lake Naivasha is one of the Great Rift Valley’s fresh-water lakes. Its ecology is quite different from that of the soda lakes. Being home to an incredible variety of bird species, it is a focus of conservation efforts in Kenya. The surrounding countryside is a major production area of flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as beef cattle.

Lake Naivasha, being the highest of the Great Rift Valley lakes, lies at about 1880 meters above sea level. Lakes are not normally fresh unless water can escape but there is no visible outlet to Lake Naivasha; explanation being that there are underground seepages maintaining the movement of water brought into the lake by the Gilgil and Malewa Rivers in the north.

At only 100 kilometers from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha has become a recreational center for Kenyans; there is a flourishing yacht club and many private cabin cruisers and other boats for fishing. All the land surrounding the lake is in private hands so access to the water has to be through the grounds of the hotels on the south-east shore or by the consent of local landowners.

Lake Naivasha is home to a rich and varied bird and marine population. You can find over 450 species of birds and several types of fishes in the lake. Among major birds in Lake Naivasha include Cormorants, Warbler, spectacled Weaver, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, Black Herons, Grey-backed Fiscal, Babbler, Water Pelicans and Yellow-collared Lovebirds. You can also find a wide variety of wildlife here, which includes Giraffes, Buffalos, Hippos, and the rare Colobus Monkeys.