The World Championship Rally (WRC) has shone the light on the magical Naivasha tourism, a great town in Nakuru county. Rift Valley is known for its tourism and wildlife exploits. They all begin in Naivasha with an abundance of wildlife and a necklace of culturally distinctive hotels in Naivasha, resorts and lodges.
World Rally Championship Rally
With WRC Rally Naivasha tourism is roaring back to Kenya after 19 years, tourists from different parts of the world have flocked to Naivasha. Scores of Kenyans from different parts of the country have pitched camp in the town for the safari rally championships.
WRC rally Naivasha. [Photo: Standard]
Hotels on the rallying circuit have recorded full bookings in all three-star and four-star establishments. Each driver and co-driver have at least a crew on standby during the rally.
Official data by the Nakuru County Tourism Association (NCTA) states that there are more than 8,300 tourists in Naivasha courtesy of WRC safari rally going down for four days.
Farid Abdalla, NCTA’s treasurer maintains the rally that is of international magnitude has brought with it a lot of car enthusiasts. It has spurred local tourists to visit Naivasha in their numbers.
Foreigners in Naivasha for WRC will stay for three more weeks after the completion of the rally. Most of them booked longer stays to enjoy the sceneries in the area including wildlife and mountains.
“This is a welcomed move for tourism and hospitality industries, which have spurred up businesses that had a sudden drop from last year from the effects of coronavirus pandemic,” the NCTA treasurer said.
Luxurious facilities within Naivasha town have been occupied by service crew members in their numbers. But Naivasha is in no shortage of state-of-the-art hotels.
“There is a likelihood the effects of the rally could spill over to Nakuru Town from the trend of activities we have studied for the past three weeks,” he added.
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha. [Photo Hippos Travel]
Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya located outside Naivasha town in Nakuru County and is part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Naivasha covers approximately 140 square kilometres with an average depth of five metres and it has an island, Crescent Island Game Sanctuary.
The island is located in the middle of the lake. It is inhabited by wildlife; giraffes, buffalos, Columbus monkeys, gazelles and the rare bongo. There are also waterbucks on the island.
Fishing and tourism are the major activities that happen around the lake community. Fish cost ranges from $1 to $5 depending on size while tourism activities include; boat riding, bird watching, camping, game viewing and walking (or bike riding)
Lake Naivasha was derived from a local Maasai name Nai’posha, meaning ‘rough water’ because of the sudden storms arising. Waters in Lake Naivasha rise to dangerous levels during the wet season when rains pour heavily.
Accommodation is not a problem here.
Here are the top 5 hotels to book your stay while in Naivasha
Sawela Lodge
This facility is located at the shores of Lake Naivasha with a view of the lake at the comfort of your room. The lodge has a restaurant that serves all the African food and a cool bar to enjoy your drinks.
Enashipai Resort and Spa
The five-star resort offers eloquent views of Lake Naivasha. With its elegant rooms fitted with Wifi connectivity, satellite TV, coffee making facilities and bathtubs the facility provides a cool setup to enjoy a home away from home not forgetting a variety of culinary ks at the classy nightclub. it is one of the best hotels in Naivasha.
Naivasha Kongoni Lodge
One of the best hotels in Naivasha is a four-star hotel is near the shores of Lake Naivasha. It is a blend of the African heritage with the warmth of a home away from home feel. The spacious African rooms with a mix of rich colours give an ideal temperature to have a relaxing night.
Elsamere Conservation Centre
The Four-star lodge sits on the shores of Lake Naivasha giving a view of the lake and the grazing hippos during the night. The facility has only 10 rooms fitted with all the essentials for a private and comfortable stay.
Lake Naivasha Crescent camp
This is the place to be if you love camping with the best view of the lake. The Crescent camp is 3.7 km from the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary various animals such as wildebeests, impalas, giraffes are accessible on boat rides. The camp offers a wide variety of activities and entertainment including hiking, secured private swimming pool, bike riding and team-building activities.
