Most Kenya safaris happen through a car window. This one doesn't get near one. Hell's Gate on a bike, a volcanic gorge on foot, a rock pillar to climb and then horses at the base of a dormant volcano - it's a full day of moving through the landscape rather than watching it go by. The horseback safari is the part of this trip that people talk about afterwards. The horses know the terrain and the wildlife knows the horses, which is why you end up closer to a grazing zebra than most people get on an entire safari holiday. The Rift Valley opens up around you, Longonot's rim sits above and the plains stretch out as far as you can see. Stay the night at Fisherman's Camp and the pace shifts completely. Hippos come out of the lake after dark and graze on the lawn a few meters from your tent. The campfire goes until late. It's only 90 minutes from Nairobi but it feels about as far from the city as you can get.
You cycle through open plains with zebras grazing alongside the track, hike deep into Ol Njorowa Gorge through narrow obsidian walls where steam vents rise from the ground and natural hot springs bubble up at the bottom, then cycle back out. The gorge and the bicycle safari are the core of the day. On top of that, a few optional activities can be added (extra fee). Fischer's Tower - a freestanding volcanic pillar - is there to be climbed if you want the extra challenge. The horseback safari at the foot of Mount Longonot is worth serious consideration: you ride through open plains with the volcano's crater rim above you and the horses are calm around wildlife, which means zebras, eland and gazelles carry on around you as if you're not there. After Hell's Gate, a boat ride on Lake Naivasha is a natural way to end the day - hippo pods surfacing alongside the boat and fish eagles hunting overhead. The day can also turn into two. Camping at Fisherman's on the lakeshore, with the boat ride saved for the following morning.
Choose the option with pick-up for private transfer from and to Nairobi (hotel pick-up / drop-off). Details can be discussed via Whatsapp or call
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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