🕓1-Day Horse riding safari on Mt Longonot& Crescent Island

Most safari days look the same – into the vehicle, out of the vehicle, back to camp. This one is different. A boat on the lake at dawn, a walking safari on a volcanic island and an afternoon on horseback at the foot of Mount Longonot. Three completely different ways to get close to wildlife, none of them from a car window.The day starts on the water. Lake Naivasha is one of Kenya’s few freshwater lakes and the birdlife here is exceptional. You’ll spot African fish eagles, pelicans, kingfishers and cormorants on the morning crossing, with hippo pods surfacing alongside the boat as you make your way across to Crescent Island.Crescent Island is a sunken volcanic crater that sits in the middle of the lake. There are no predators here, which means the wildlife – Maasai giraffes, zebras, waterbuck, Thomson’s gazelles and impalas – is completely relaxed around people. You walk among them on foot with your guide, at your own pace and at close range. No fences, no vehicle, no barrier between you and the animals. It’s a quieter, more personal experience than a standard game drive and one that tends to stay with people longer.Lunch after the island, at a local restaurant on the lakeshore.In the afternoon, a short transfer to the foot of Mount Longonot – a dormant volcano rising to 2,776 metres on the floor of the Rift Valley. This is where the horseback safari takes over. You ride around the base of the volcano through open plains and acacia woodland, with Longonot’s crater rim above you and the Rift Valley stretching out in every direction. Zebras, eland and gazelles are common on this stretch and the horses are used to wildlife – which means you get considerably closer than you would on foot or in a vehicle. Rides are suitable for all experience levels and the stable team will match you to the right horse before you set off.Three safaris. One day. None of them a game drive.