Rift Valley Lakes

The lakes are a mere three hours from Nairobi by road, including a viewpoint stop to behold the Rift in all its glory, and Mount Longonot too — a living geography lesson on your family safari holiday. The beautiful flat scenery is mirrored in glass-calm waters with gently rolling hills in the background, making for a photographer’s dream.

Lake Nakuru is wonderful for wildlife, most notably leopard — and there’s even scope for spotting black rhino. The birding is excellent, and Naivasha’s waters are peppered with pods of happy hippo.

Staying on the lakeshore is lovely for waking to those views and reflections on the water, while the nearby conservancies are great for being in amongst the game. For the perfect Kenya luxury safari combination, we like to stay near Lake Naivasha, and take in Nakuru National Park on a day visit.

During the rains there’s a risk that the water levels can rise and rule out some of the fun, so it’s best to plan your family safari holiday between July and October when game viewing is at its best and all the activities are available.

Alongside wonderful wildlife in Nakuru, there’s great boating to be done on Lake Naivasha — and for fans of Born Free, the Adamsons’ conservancy, Elsamere, is within easy reach to add a spot of history to your Kenya family safari.