Lake Naivasha

The freshwater lake northwest of Nairobi, outside the town of Naivasha, lies in the Great Rift Valley.

The name is derived from the local Maasai name Nai'posha, meaning "rough water".

The lake is approximately 139 square kilometers and is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes at 1,884 meters (6,180 feet). Much of it is surrounded by flower farms and increasingly, by fewer swamps. It is nevertheless pristine and rich with birdlife.

The lake has an average depth of 6 metres (20 feet), with the deepest area being at Crescent Island, at a maximum depth of 30 metres (100 feet).

Njorowa Gorge used to form the lake's outlet, but it is now high above the lake and forms the entrance to Hell's Gate National Park.

The lake is home to a variety of wildlife with over 400 species of bird.

There is a sizeable population of hippos in the lake.

There are two smaller lakes in the vicinity of Lake Naivasha:

• Lake Oloiden and
• Lake Sonachi (a green crater lake).