Kenya · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

Boat Days in Kenya: 15 from Hippo Lakes to the Reef

33 tours  ·  from $30

Hippo boats on Naivasha, dhows on the reef, glass-bottom runs off Diani. The 15 below range from an hour on a lake to a full day at sea, each priced and clear about time in the water.

Day Trip: Hell's Gate Bike Ride & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride - Leaving Nairobi and crossing the Great Rift Valley
1-Day Tours, Bike Tours in Lake Naivasha, Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Cycling Tours, Day Trips in Lake Naivasha, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews

Day Trip: Hell’s Gate Bike Ride & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride

1.Day Trip: Hell’s Gate Bike Ride & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 251 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $34Our pick

Leave Nairobi early for a Great Rift Valley viewpoint, a guided Lake Naivasha boat ride, and Hell’s Gate National Park. Cycle 16 km past zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and buffalo, then walk through the gorge. Guides such as Ruth, Isaiah, and Erick have been praised for patient help, though park fees, the $25 boat ride, lunch, and bike costs may be extra.

“The day trip was great, well organised and friendly, knowledgeable and personable drivers. I was a single female and felt very safe. Only point worth checking is the fitness levels of your group as too much faffing can lead to a delay getting home. That said, I didnt hugely mind because the park is beautiful and everything was very relaxed.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Mombasa: Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch - The early road from Mombasa or Diani
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Marine Park Snorkeling Trips, Private, Snorkeling Trips in Diani Beach, Tour Reviews

Mombasa: Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch

2.Mombasa: Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 181 reviews · 8 hours · from $163

Board a private boat with guides such as Francis, Jimmy, or Eric, search for dolphins, snorkel Kisite’s coral reefs, and enjoy breakfast afloat. Later, eat Swahili seafood on Wasini Island, walk through its fishing village and mangroves, and visit Shimoni Slave Caves. Scuba is available for an extra €60 in cash.

“Road trip from Mombasa was 2 hrs each way, long but ultimately worth it. Dolphin sighting was better than most I’ve been on, and the snorkelling was excellent. The stop on the white sand bank was overcrowded but still worthwhile. On the downside the restaurant lunch on the island was not great, and the later visit to the “slave cave” was mercifully short but still quite shocking, but I guess necessary to understand the history and environment. The guide provides shocking details, so not for the faint hearted. All in all, an unexpectedly excellent trip.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Day Tour To Hell's Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha. - Entering Hell’s Gate by bicycle
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Day tour to Hell’s Gate National park and optional Boat ride on lake Naivasha

3.Day tour to Hell’s Gate National park and optional Boat ride on lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 161 reviews · from $125Top rated

Leave Nairobi at 7am for Hell’s Gate National Park, where you’ll cycle for about two hours with a private guide and look for zebra, eagles, and other wildlife. After lunch, add a one-hour Lake Naivasha boat ride for $25 per person. Guides such as Stephen, Gaddafi, Charles, and Sammy are praised for friendly, careful service.

“Stephen and the entire crew was amazing. The park and experience exceeded our expectations. Pick up and drop off was on time. We felt completely comfortable and safe.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Full Day Lake Nakuru Park and optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha - Morning game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Full-Day, Full-Day Tours in Lake Naivasha, Full-Day Tours in Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha Tours, Lake Nakuru Tours, Tour Reviews

Full Day Lake Nakuru Park and optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha

4.Full Day Lake Nakuru Park and optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 95 reviews · from $202

Leave Nairobi early for a private drive through the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. Spend about six hours on game drives, stopping for lunch and Makalia Waterfalls, then add a one-hour Lake Naivasha boat ride for hippos, fish eagles, and birds. Guides may include Paul, Peter, Jimmy, Simba, or Albert.

“Our guide was Jimmy again (yay) - and he's very patient and fun to hang with - amazing driver (both on road and offorad!) - we enjoyed our game drive in this park. He was able to spot animals for us and explain to us a lot of things. We've been to Southern Africa before and on several other game drives, yet we were still able to learn a lot from Jimmy on this game drive! Thanks for the tour and would recommend to friends and family!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Small Group Budget Tour to Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha Boat Ride - The 7 a.m. drive from Nairobi
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Budget Safaris, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Small Group Budget Tour to Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha Boat Ride

5.Small Group Budget Tour to Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 85 reviews · from $57

Join a shared day trip from Nairobi to cycle through Hell's Gate National Park, walk its narrow gorges, and take an optional Lake Naivasha boat ride. Guides such as David, Jaffar, Kazungu, and Patrick are praised for clear advice and safe driving. The $57 price excludes park entry, the $25 boat ride, and lunch.

“Jeffer and Patrick our tour guides took there time and where knowable. The bike ride throughout the park was not bad, meaning the distance and time it took. Saw lots of animals. The boat ride was also good, hippo sighting chances was 100%.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Day Tour To Lake Nakuru Park With Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha - The Great Rift Valley viewpoint
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Lake Nakuru Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Day Tour To Lake Nakuru Park With Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha

6.Day Tour To Lake Nakuru Park With Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · from $210

Leave Nairobi at 6:00am for Lake Nakuru’s flamingos, pelicans, and game drive, then continue to Lake Naivasha for an optional one-hour boat ride with hippo viewing and eagle feeding. Your private driver-guide handles the day’s transport. Park admission and boat fees are extra, and the entry fee must be paid by Visa card.

“We had an excellent day around beautiful, peaceful Lake Nakuru. The national park offers much more than the famous flamingos; we saw plenty of wildlife while enjoying the surroundings. Samuel was a highly knowledgeable guide who really made an effort to give us the besRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Day Tour To Hell's Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha. - Entering Hell’s Gate by bicycle
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Day Tour To Hell’s Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha.

7.Day Tour To Hell’s Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $65

Leave Nairobi at 7am for Hell’s Gate National Park, where you cycle about 16 kilometers beside zebras, giraffes, and warthogs with a park guide nearby. Add a boat ride on Lake Naivasha for hippos, pelicans, and fish eagles. Calvin, Frank, and other local guides have led this private day trip.

“Calvin and Frederick were excellent!! They made our day fantastic! The bike ride and hike were great to see the scenery. Wear hiking/good walking shoes. Our tour was just myself and my husband so it was great to have flexibility. This is not thRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Diani Beach: Glass Boat Cruise to Robinson Island - The glass floor is the first main attraction
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Malindi & Watamu Tours, Tour Reviews

Diani Beach: Glass Boat Cruise to Robinson Island

8.Glass Boat Cruise to Robinson Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 69 reviews · 4 hours · from $42

Florence may collect you from your Diani hotel by tuk tuk before guiding you to the glass-bottom boat. Captain John, Tobias, and Mishe have helped guests spot fish, eels, starfish, and sea urchins on the way to Robinson Island. You will snorkel, swim, and walk the sandbank before returning to Diani Beach.

“Great crew, very good value for money. You see a lot marin life”

Check availability →Read our full review

Diani Beach: Kongo River Estuary Sundowner Boat Tour - The private tuk tuk ride from Diani Beach
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Diani Beach: Kongo River Estuary Sundowner Boat Tour

9.Kongo River Estuary Sundowner Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 39 reviews · 2 hours · from $42

Florence collects you by private tuk tuk in Diani Beach for a two-hour English-guided canoe trip with Captain Abdul. You’ll explore the Kongo River Estuary, watch birds among the mangroves, walk through a local village, then return on the river for sunset. Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.

“Very relaxing boat trip as the sun went down. The estuary is beautiful.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Private Tour to Mount Longonot and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha - Leaving Nairobi at 6:00am
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Mount Longonot Hikes, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Tour to Mount Longonot and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha

10.Private Tour to Mount Longonot and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · from $125

Leave Nairobi at 6:00am with a private guide and driver for Mount Longonot National Park. Hike toward the volcano summit and crater, then continue to Lake Naivasha for lunch and an optional one-hour boat ride. Guides such as Frank, Patrick, Victor, Joshua, and Meshack have led this route.

“Thanks for a spectacular tour to Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha. Peter and "black Santa" picked me up at the hotel early in the morning. Black Santa brought us in two hours to the starting point of the hike. Climbing up the crater of Mount Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kisite Marine Park Private Boat Snorkeling with breakfast & Lunch - Breakfast as the dhow leaves Shimoni
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Marine Park Snorkeling Trips, Private, Snorkeling Trips in Diani Beach, Tour Reviews

Kisite Marine Park Private Boat Snorkeling with breakfast & Lunch

11.Kisite Marine Park Private Boat Snorkeling with breakfast & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $161

Spend about eight hours sailing a traditional dhow through Kisite Marine Park, with dolphin watching, snorkeling, breakfast, tropical fruit, and lunch on Wasini Island. Your private group gets boat transport, equipment, park fees, and hotel or port pickup. The day also includes a fishing village, coral garden, and Shimoni Slave Caves.

“This was not our favorite snorkeling experience. To start, it was not clear to me that the driver was not the guide, but only a taxi basically - he picked us up and took us to and from the marine park. He did ride with us on the boat, but was not very friendly. We went out on a rRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Bike Tour at Hell's Gate National Park, Boat Ride at L. Naivasha - Fischer’s Tower and the chance to climb
Bike Tours in Lake Naivasha, Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Cycling Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bike Tour at Hell’s Gate National Park, Boat Ride at L. Naivasha

12.Bike Tour at Hell’s Gate National Park, Boat Ride at L. Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · from $92

Join guide Reagan for a 5 to 8-hour outing from Naivasha. Cycle and walk through Hell’s Gate National Park past giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and warthogs, then take a boat across Lake Naivasha for hippos, birds, and Crescent Island views. A Maasai market visit adds a cultural stop.

“The tour was great! We had a great time with Reagan as our guide! He even bought us waters which we really appreciated!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Diani Beach: Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Robinson Island - From your hotel to the Diani shore
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Malindi & Watamu Tours, Tour Reviews

Diani Beach: Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Robinson Island

13.Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Robinson Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 22 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Spend two hours cruising from Diani Beach to a sandbank known as Robinson Island. Tina may meet you at your hotel, and the English-speaking captain shows marine life through the glass hull before guiding you to snorkel. Tuk-tuk transfers, gear, and a welcome juice at the Mashariki Breeze Centre are included.

“Tina picked us up from our hotel and we travelled to the departure area in our tuk tuk. Great trip and Tina stayed with us for the whole experience We loved it and thank you”

Check availability →Read our full review

Diani: Sunset Cruise along Kongo River on Wooden Canoe boat - The Sunset Is the Main Event
Boat Trips in Diani Beach, Canoes & Kayaks, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dhow & Sunset Cruises, Diani Beach Tours, Tour Reviews

Diani: Sunset Cruise along Kongo River on Wooden Canoe boat

14.Sunset Cruise along Kongo River on Wooden Canoe boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 20 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Kongoriver Safaris takes you by tuk-tuk from selected Diani hotels to Kongo River Beach for a private, English-guided wooden canoe ride. You’ll explore mangroves, watch birds, enjoy a light snack, and return as the sun sets. The outing lasts two hours and costs $35 per person.

“Retki oli aika mitään sanomaton. Joella ei ole juurikaan nähtävää ja auringonlaskukaan ei ollut kovin kummallinen. Kuljetus oli järjestetty tuk tukilla, jossa meitä oli yhteensä 6hlöä (!). En menisi uudestaan.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Hell's Gate Guided Tour with Option Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha - Leaving Nairobi at 7am
Boat Trips in Lake Naivasha, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hell’s Gate Guided Tour with Option Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha

15.Hell’s Gate Guided Tour with Option Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $265

Leave Nairobi at 7am for a private day trip with an English-speaking guide. Cycle through Hell’s Gate, walk its gorge, pause for lunch, then take an optional $20 boat ride on Lake Naivasha for hippos and birds. Guides such as Stephen, Jeff, and Gadaffi have led this route, which also includes a Maasai community visit.

“Bikeride through the Canyon and the spektaculare view from the viewpoint where the movie "Lion king" was shot. The driver, Jeff, was good and friendly. Spoke very good English. There guide on the biketour, Gadaffi, as well! Good sence of humor 😊”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in Cruises & Boat Tours

★ 5.0Lake Nakuru Day Trip Safari – & Optional Lake Naivasha BoatFrom $1805 reviews
★ 5.0Private Layover Tour to Hells Gate National park with Optional Boat RideFrom $904 reviews
★ 5.0Hells Gate Cycling park & Lake Naivasha Boat tourFrom $1504 reviews
★ 4.5Lake Naivasha Private Day Tour with Boat Ride from NairobiFrom $1453 reviews
★ 4.0Glass-bottom Boat Ride with Underwater ShowFrom $304 reviews
★ 4.7Nairobi: Full-Day Mount Longonot Hike with Boat TourFrom $2455 reviews
★ 5.0Kisumu Lake Victoria Boat Ride and Hippo HuntFrom $555 reviews
★ 5.0Hell’s Gate & Lake Naivasha: Bike Tour, Hike & Boat RideFrom $363 reviews
★ 5.0Hell’s Gate Bike Ride & Crescent Island Boat Ride ExperienceFrom $1053 reviews
★ 4.3HELL’S GATE AND LAKE NAIVASHA BOAT RIDE FROM NAIROBI.From $753 reviews
★ 3.5Sunset Dhow Cruise with DinnerFrom $704 reviews
★ 4.9Crescent Island And Boat Ride Day TripFrom $1504 reviews

Keep browsing

Marine Park Snorkeling Trips23Dhow & Sunset Cruises13Fort Jesus & Old Town Tours16Haller Park Visits11Diani Beach Tours76Mombasa Tours50Malindi & Watamu Tours22
Scroll to Top

Kenya, park by park

Pick a park, a lake or a stretch of reef.

On safari

Jeep SafarisGroup JoiningPrivate SafarisBudget SafarisLodge Safaris

Around Nairobi

Nairobi National ParkGiraffe CentreElephant OrphanageKibera WalksKaren Blixen Museum

Rift Valley

Mount LongonotCrescent IslandHippo BoatsHell’s Gate by BikeHikes & Treks

On the coast

Marine ParksDhow SailsFort JesusHaller ParkBoat Days