Naivasha is a working town on the floor of the Rift Valley, at about nineteen hundred metres, and it exists because of the lake. Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake, a rare thing among the soda lakes of the Kenyan Rift, and its shores have been farmed, fished and fought over for a long time. Hippos graze on the lawns at night, fish eagles scream from the acacia trees, and the water is a shifting grey-green under a big sky. The surrounding land is covered in huge greenhouses that grow roses and cut flowers for Europe, which has made the town an unlikely player in the world flower trade.
The town is a place of dust, matatus and commerce, strung along the main highway, with markets, petrol stations, banks and cafes. It is a useful place, for riders and for everyone else, and one of the best places in the region for fuel, food and supplies. Roadside stalls sell fresh fruit and roasted maize, and grilled meat, nyama choma, is the standard meal, served with ugali, a stiff maize porridge, and a cold drink. The food is cheap and filling, and the service is friendly.
Natural attractions are close. Hell's Gate National Park lies a short ride to the south, a gorge of red cliffs, hot springs and wildlife where cycling and walking are allowed among zebra, buffalo and giraffe. It is said to have inspired the setting for a famous animated film, and the geothermal power station in the park supplies a good part of Kenya's electricity. Crescent Island, in the lake, is a sanctuary where visitors can walk among wildlife, and Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adamson, who wrote Born Free, is a museum on the shore. Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano with a walkable crater rim, dominates the horizon to the south-east.
The riding here is mixed. The highway is busy with trucks, and the surface can be patchy, with potholes and uneven edges, but the side roads around the lake are quiet and give a flavour of the countryside. Dust can be a problem in the dry months, and rain in the wet season can make dirt roads slick. Livestock on the road is common, so keep a modest pace. Traffic police are frequent, and carrying your documents is essential.
Naivasha has plenty of places to stay, from lakeside lodges to basic guesthouses, and it is a natural overnight stop between Nairobi and the western highlands. The evenings are cool and the sky is brilliantly clear, so a night here is a good way to break a long ride.