Walks Around Nakuru

October 31, 2026

Travel advice, 31 October 2026: Kenya is at Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) in the US State Department system and an Ebola outbreak is being reported in Nairobi. Nakuru is outside the do-not-travel areas the UK and US list. Read the UK government Kenya advice and the CDC Kenya notice before you book.

Walking is limited around Nakuru. Lake Nakuru National Park is a vehicle-only park: the Kenya Wildlife Service offers no walking safari or bike hire there, so you stay in your vehicle except at the designated picnic and viewpoint sites. The walks that do exist are a hill at Hyrax Hill, the rim and caldera of Menengai Crater with a guide, a walk through town, a guided walk on Crescent Island and the gorge at Hell’s Gate.

Hyrax Hill

Hyrax Hill is about 4 km from the town centre and is the easiest walk on this page. A short walk up the hill leads past the open excavation sites to a stone-walled hill fort on a lava spur about 50 m high. Tortoises and guinea fowl live on the site. The National Museums of Kenya also runs bird-walk programmes, and these must be booked in advance through the museum page . Entry is KSh 500 for adults from outside Africa and KSh 100 for Kenyan and East African citizens.

Menengai Crater with a local guide

Two walks are described: about 4 km round trip from the viewpoint, and about 7 km through the caldera, leaving by the London estate. The ground is steep volcanic ash that turns slippery, flash floods follow rain, there have been falls and rescues, and isolated paths carry a crime risk. Walk with a local guide and not alone, and agree the route and the price before you start. Do not go after rain.

A walk in Nakuru town

The town centre is walkable. Places that people include are Afraha Stadium, Wakulima Market and Christ the King Cathedral. Plan your own route and keep valuables out of sight. Boda-bodas, tuk-tuks and matatus fill the gaps between places.

Crescent Island, Naivasha

Crescent Island is a private sanctuary on Lake Naivasha, reached by boat, about 1 to 1.5 hours south of Nakuru. Walking is guided only, among giraffe, zebra and antelope, and there are no predators. Entry is about USD 33 with the boat extra.

Hell’s Gate gorge

Hell’s Gate National Park near Naivasha allows walking and cycling, and it is the best place to walk among scenery in a day trip from Nakuru. A non-resident adult pays USD 50 and a child USD 25.

Tips

Carry water and wear sturdy shoes with grip.
Start early, since mornings are cool at about 1,850 m.
Do not feed or approach wildlife.

Find guided walks and tours at Viator .