Crescent Island Walking Safari: Nairobi Lake Naivasha Game

Walk an unfenced island where wildlife roams freely between the mainland and the lake

A full-day guided tour from Nairobi to Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, a wildlife haven on Lake Naivasha where you walk among giraffes, hippos, buffaloes and pythons on an island that holds more animals per acre than any other Kenyan park. Pickup from your Nairobi hotel is included, along with a speedboat ride to the island and a knowledgeable English-speaking guide who leads you through the vegetation and up to a hilltop with 360-degree views across the lake. The island is unfenced, allowing mainland wildlife to move freely as their habitat shrinks elsewhere.

Step-by-step itinerary

Crescent Island Safari and Boat Ride

• Pickup from Nairobi accommodation
• Stop at Great Rift Valley viewpoint
• Boat ride to Crescent Island
• Spot hippos, giraffes, hyenas, pythons, buffaloes
• Guided walk through island vegetation
• Enjoy 360-degree lake view from hilltop
• Lunch with park views
• Boat ride back to mainland
• Return to Nairobi

The experience

Your day starts with pickup from your hotel lobby in Nairobi. The drive takes you to the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, where you stop for photographs before heading to the speedboat launch on Lake Naivasha. The boat ride itself is part of the experience. You'll see hippos with just their heads above water, animals grazing along the banks, and thousands of birds before you even reach the island.

Once on Crescent Island, a guide meets you and leads you through the landscape on foot. The walk takes you past giraffes and their young, herds of buffaloes, hyenas, and pythons. You'll climb to the top of the island's hill, where the view opens across the entire lake from Longonot to Hell's Gate. Lunch happens here, with the panorama as your backdrop. The unfenced design means wildlife moves between the island and the mainland freely: the sanctuary exists partly because the island offers refuge as development pushes animals off their traditional grazing lands.

After your time on the island, the speedboat returns you to the mainland for the drive back to Nairobi. The whole day runs nine hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nairobi.
• speedboat ride to and from Crescent Island.
• guided walking tour of the island with an English-speaking guide.
• access to the hilltop viewpoint with 360-degree lake views.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Muringa Kenya Tours & Safaris Ltd

Is this one for you?This nine-hour tour fills most of a day and works best if you're based in Nairobi with a full morning and afternoon free: the drive, boat ride and island walk leave little room for other activities. Infants travel free but must sit on an adult's lap during the boat ride.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What animals will I actually see on Crescent Island?

Giraffes, hippos, buffaloes, hyenas, pythons and antelopes are all present on the island. The sanctuary holds more animals per acre than any other Kenyan park, and birds (including fish eagles, ospreys and lily-trotters) are guaranteed sightings.

How do I get to Crescent Island from Nairobi?

Your driver picks you up at your hotel lobby in Nairobi, drives you to Lake Naivasha with a stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, then you board a speedboat that ferries you across to the island. The boat ride takes about 30 minutes and is part of the tour.

What's included in the tour price?

Pickup and drop-off at your Nairobi accommodation, the speedboat ride to and from the island, and a guided walking tour with an English-speaking guide are all included. Lunch is at your own expense.

How much walking is involved?

You walk through the island's vegetation and climb to the hilltop for the panoramic view. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though the terrain is natural ground and the climb is moderate.

Why is the island unfenced when other parks have fences?

Crescent Island is deliberately left unfenced to allow wildlife from the shrinking mainland habitat to move freely onto the island as a refuge. This design lets you see animals in a more natural state, though it also means encounters with larger animals like hippos and hyenas are possible.