Sawela Lodges is a welcoming mid-range property on the shores of Lake Naivasha, one of Kenya’s most scenic freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley. The lodge serves as an ideal base for exploring the lake, nearby Hell’s Gate National Park, and the crater rim of Mount Longonot.
Forty comfortable rooms and cottages are set in lush gardens that run down to the lakeshore, each with en-suite bathrooms and either garden or lake views. The lakeside restaurant serves Kenyan and international cuisine, with outdoor dining overlooking the water where hippos surface at dusk.
Boat rides on the lake are a highlight, passing through channels of papyrus reeds and past Crescent Island — a private sanctuary where guests walk among giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest. Cycling trips to Hell’s Gate, horse riding, and guided bird walks along the lake margin are popular activities.