Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru day trips from Nairobi
Lake Nakuru National Park is 156 km northwest of Nairobi on the A104. Many tours start in Nairobi and add Lake Naivasha, and some add Hell's Gate National Park as well. The gates of Lake Nakuru and Hell's Gate are open from 06:00 to 18:00, so the day has to fit those hours.
A Lake Nakuru tour differs from the next one mainly in what it includes. Some cover park entry, others do not, and the fees for each stop are different. The list below shows live offers, and the tables on this page show what the stops cost on their own.
Treat a route with all three stops as a long day. Look at the pickup and return time in the tour description before you book, and think about dropping a stop if the schedule looks tight.
Our picks: day trips from Nairobi
The group day trip is the cheaper way in, while the private trips give you your own schedule. The two-day option adds a night and Crescent Island, and park entry depends on the tour, so check what your option covers.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
2-day safari: Lake Nakuru, Naivasha and Crescent Island
- Lake Nakuru game drive
- Boat ride on Naivasha
- Guided Crescent Island walk
A private trip in a pop-up roof 4x4 bus with one night and full board. The tour details do not list the park fees, so check before booking.
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Private day: Lake Nakuru and Crescent Island
- Lake Nakuru game drive
- Crescent Island walking safari
- Hotel pickup and return
A long day for up to eight people, with an early start from Nairobi. Entry to Lake Nakuru and to Crescent Island is extra.
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Private day trip: Nakuru, Rift Valley view and Naivasha
- Naivasha boat ride included
- Hotel pickup and return
- Private guide and driver
About three hours of game driving in Lake Nakuru, plus a viewpoint stop over the Rift Valley. Park entry is only in the price with the matching option.
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Private day trip: Lake Nakuru and Naivasha
- Accommodation or airport pickup
- Private vehicle and guide
- Return transfer
Lake Nakuru National Park, with a boat ride on Naivasha only on the matching option. Park entry also depends on the option, so check before booking.
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Lake Nakuru day tour with a Lake Naivasha boat ride
- Open-roof tour van
- Pickup and return
- Guide and water
An early start and a long day. The Lake Nakuru park fee and the boat ride on Lake Naivasha are paid on top.
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Group day trip from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and Naivasha
- Hotel pickup
- Pop-up roof 4x4 van
- Lunch and water
The drive from Nairobi takes about 2.5 to 3 hours each way. The Lake Nakuru park fee is extra and is paid at the park by card.
Check availability →Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru tours from Nairobi
Day trips with Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate and Lake Nakuru, with live prices and availability. Check which fees each tour includes.
Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island
Crescent Island is reached by boat. Prices are for 2026. For boat rides and the island walk, see the Lake Naivasha guide.
Boat only
At present the only way to Crescent Island is by boat. The boat transfer and the island entry are paid separately.
Island entry
Non-resident adults pay $33, students $22 and children $16. Kenya residents pay KES 1,100 for an adult and KES 550 for a child, and Kenyan citizens KES 800 and KES 400. Children are 5 to 15 years old. The rates apply from 1 January to 31 December 2026, and the operator can change them. You pay the entry on the island.
Boat transfer
The return transfer is priced per boat, for up to 7 people. Prices differ by departure point, from KES 2,500 to KES 8,000, so there is no single boat fee for Naivasha.
Booking and payment
A normal island visit needs no booking. School groups must book, and booking also helps if you want to be sure of a guide. M-Pesa, cash in KES, USD or GBP and cards other than American Express are accepted.
Hell's Gate National Park
The stop that is often combined with Naivasha.
Hell's Gate National Park offers walking, cycling and climbing, and its gates are open from 06:00 to 18:00. Entry in 2026 is $50 for a non-resident adult and $25 for a child. East African citizens pay KES 500 and KES 250, Kenya residents KES 675 and KES 350, and other African citizens $20 and $10. Cycling costs extra: KES 300 per day for East African citizens and Kenya residents, and $10 per day for the other categories.
Check whether the Ol Njorowa Gorge is open before you plan a walk through it, because access can change. Ask your operator, and ask at the gate. Cycling, the gorge walk and fees are covered in the Hell's Gate guide.
What the stops cost in 2026
Adult and child entry fees, side by side.
| Stop | Non-resident adult / child | East African citizen adult / child | Kenya resident adult / child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Nakuru National Park | $90 / $45 | KES 1,500 / KES 750 | KES 2,025 / KES 1,050 |
| Hell's Gate National Park | $50 / $25 | KES 500 / KES 250 | KES 675 / KES 350 |
| Crescent Island | $33 / $16 | – | KES 1,100 / KES 550 |
At Crescent Island, Kenyan citizens pay KES 800 for an adult and KES 400 for a child. The boat transfer, a vehicle fee and the tour itself come on top of all three. For most non-resident visitors, a day with all three stops means $90, $50 and $33 per adult in entry fees alone. Choosing two stops keeps both the cost and the day shorter.
What to check before you book
Tour listings differ more in their details than in their route.
Are entry fees included?
Some tours include park entry and others do not. Compare the tour's list of inclusions with the fee tables above before you pay twice.
Entry fee 2026 →Pickup and return time
The park is 156 km from Nairobi. A day with several stops is long, so look at the departure time, the return time and the planned stops.
Gate hours
Lake Nakuru and Hell's Gate are open from 06:00 to 18:00. A late start leaves less time inside the park.
Lake Nakuru safari →Payment and ID
Park fees are paid online through KWSPay on eCitizen, and you need valid ID at the gate. Ask the operator who pays the park fee and when.
Roads inside the park
Floods have put parts of the shore roads under water. Your guide or the gate staff will know which routes are open on the day.
Makalia Falls and Baboon Cliff →Plan the rest of your trip
Where the day trips fit.
Lake Nakuru safari
The game drive rules and what to expect.
Entry fee 2026
Every visitor category and the vehicle rates.
Nairobi to Nakuru
If you would rather drive yourself or take a bus.
Nairobi has a national park of its own. Its day trips from Nairobi are a good option for a shorter day, and the Masai Mara has its own guide to Masai Mara trips from Nairobi.
Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru tours: frequently asked questions
Can I visit Lake Nakuru as a day trip from Nairobi?
Yes, tours run from Nairobi. The park is 156 km away on the A104, so the day is long. Check the pickup and return time in the tour description.
Can I see Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru in one day?
Many tours combine the two lakes, and some add Hell's Gate. Ask the operator for the schedule and be ready to drop a stop if the day looks too tight.
Does the tour price include park entry?
It depends on the tour. Some include park entry and others do not. Read the inclusions, and compare them with the fees in the table above.
How much does Crescent Island cost?
Island entry in 2026 is $33 for a non-resident adult, $22 for a student and $16 for a child. The boat transfer is paid separately and priced per boat of up to 7 people, from KES 2,500 to KES 8,000 depending on the departure point.
Can I walk through the gorge at Hell's Gate?
Check whether the Ol Njorowa Gorge is open before you plan it. Hell's Gate offers walking, cycling and climbing, and the gate times are 06:00 to 18:00.