Nature Reserves
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Naivasha Situated on Lake Naivasha, Crescent Island Park is considered one of the most beautiful parks in Kenya. Naivasha’s best-kept secret is home to abundant birdlife, with impressive numbers of pelicans, cormorants and fish eagles. There are more animals per acre than any other Kenyan park; attracting documentary crews to film the herds of wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra and gazelle.
Hippos graze all over the island at night, then sleep under acacia trees or rest in the water by day. Giraffe born on the Island return to give birth, and sometimes three generations can be seen at the same time. Hyenas come to hunt at night but are not resident on the island. Pythons are occasionally seen with their prey. Groups of buffalo come and go but they are always monitored.
From the top of the hill there is a 360-degree view across Lake Naivasha from Longonot to Hell’s Gate, to the Mau Escarpment to Eburu and onto the Aberdares. Don’t miss walking along the ridge in the ‘golden hour’ before sunset to watch the animals grazing against the backdrop of shimmering water – this is what Africa is all about.
Crescent Island Park is private, secure and patrolled by guides who accompany anyone keen to go on guided walks. Surrounded by water, the island is actually a peninsula that is accessible by boat as well as by road. The trip from Nairobi takes under two hours on a tarred road.