Crescent Island is a game sanctuary located on Lake Naivasha in Kenya. This is where the renowned movie “Out of Africa” was filmed. The island was established 3 years after the movie, in 1988. Crescent Island is privately owned and operated, unlike Lake Naivasha, which is run by the government. Crescent Island is characterized by acacia woodland, savannah grasslands, and swamps. The island is a great place for picnics, day trips, and weekend getaways.
Crescent Island is a wildlife sanctuary, and some examples of wildlife you will find there include waterbucks, zebras, elands, hippos, impalas, bat-eared foxes, Kirk’s dik-dik, bushbuck, spring hares, velvet monkeys, silver-backed jackals, mongooses, Thompson’s gazelles, Grant’s gazelles, wildebeests, giraffes, and more. Crescent Island is one of the only places in Kenya where you can interact with wildlife on foot. The absence of predators on the island allows tourists to explore and get up close to wildlife.
Crescent Island is also a birder’s paradise, attracting a variety of bird species, especially water birds. Some of the bird species you can find include the African fish eagle, red-billed fire finches, grey-capped warblers, grey-backed fiscal, Goliath heron, hadada ibis, bush shrike, giant kingfisher, African jacana, common waxbill, black crake, common bulbul, village indigo bird, long-toed lapwing, Verreaux’s eagle owl, tropical boubou, and Rupell’s starling, among others. The best time for bird viewing at Crescent Island is from October to March when migratory birds are present.
Crescent Island provides good terrain for biking, and this is one of the activities commonly enjoyed on the island. There are also established trails for guided nature walks, where a knowledgeable tourist guide will take you through the island’s flora and fauna. Be warned not to walk alone, especially during dark hours, because this is when hippos come out of the water to graze.
One of the unique ways to explore Crescent Island is by horseback riding, allowing you to interact with wildlife, which is not possible in other Kenyan conservation areas. Crescent Island also offers the best photography experience for travelers.
While at Crescent Island, you can stay at various accommodations around Naivasha town.
The entry fee to Crescent Island is $30 for foreign non-resident adults, $20 for foreign non-resident students, and $10 for foreign non-resident children. Foreign residents will need to provide proof of a national identity card. Foreign resident adults will pay Kshs 1000, while foreign resident children will pay 500 Kshs. Kenyan citizen adults will need to present their national identity cards, and they will pay 800 Kshs, while Kenyan citizen children will pay 400 Kshs. Kenyan school groups will pay 250 Kshs for primary schools and 350 Kshs for secondary schools. Guides will pay 500 Kshs, and teachers will pay 450 Kshs.
Crescent Island is open every day from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. We always advise tourists to be on the boat by 5:00 pm because hippos will be wandering around for night grazing during the late evening hours. There are several boat operators in Lake Naivasha traveling to Crescent Island, and most of these boats offer different prices.
Crescent Island is located about a 3-hour drive from Nairobi. When you reach Naivasha, you can access the island by boat through Lake Naivasha or by a narrow road through a swamp from the sanctuary farm. For a more adventurous experience, you can take a horse to the island through the swampy road. Access by boat takes about 15 minutes only.
The best time to visit Crescent Island is during the dry seasons of June to September and December to February when the vegetation is not as thick, making it easier to spot wildlife.
All travelers to Crescent Island should be cautious when boarding boats from Lake Naivasha. Do not pay the island fee to the boat operators because entrance can only be paid when you arrive at the island, so avoid being conned. Pets are strictly not allowed on the island.
You can also take the time to visit Elsamere museum found at the shores of Lake Naivasha. Elsamere was the home of Adamson George and his wife Joy Adamson, the famous authors of the book “Born Free,” published in 1960. The museum is a conservation center providing field study opportunities to tourists and depicting the life of the Adamsons in relocating wild animals back to the wilderness.
Visiting Hell’s Gate National Park, located south of Lake Naivasha, will make your trip more memorable. Hell’s Gate National Park is renowned for its beautiful scenic views, along with several wildlife and bird species. Alternatively, you can go mountain climbing or hiking at Mount Longonot, found in the southeastern part of Lake Naivasha. The climb to the peak takes about 4-5 hours, depending on the climber’s pace.
