Kenya · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips in Kenya

33 tours  ·  from $30

Hippos on Naivasha, dolphins off Wasini, a dhow dinner in Mombasa harbour. The 15 below range from an hour on the lake to a full day at sea, priced and clear about how much time you get in the water.

Day Trip: Hell's Gate Bike Ride & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride - Early pickup and the Great Rift Valley drive
1-Day Tours, Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Cycling Tours, Hell's Gate National Park Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Nairobi 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

Spend 9 to 10 hours exploring Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Ride 16 km past zebras and giraffes in Hell’s Gate, walk through a geothermal gorge, then cruise Lake Naivasha near hippos and birdlife. Guides such as Ruth, Isaiah, Erick, and Patrick have earned special praise for their care and local insight.

“The excursion was nice overall. The driver and guide were punctual and we arrived soon enough to the place. We could eat at a place that was a bit too touristic but otherwise we could visit Hell’s gate national park and Naivasha Lake during the day. I recommend !”

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Mombasa: Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch - The boat ride and the search for dolphins
Cruises & Boat Tours, Lunch Experiences, Mombasa Tours, Private, Tour Reviews, Wasini Island & Kisite Marine Park Tours

Mombasa: Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch

2.Kisite Park Private Cruise with Breakfast and Lunch

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

Spend eight hours on a private coastal outing from Mombasa or Diani. Cruise for dolphins, snorkel Kisite Marine Park, relax on a sandbank, eat Swahili seafood, walk through Wasini village, and visit Shimoni Slave Caves. Guides such as Francis, Jimmy, Eric, and Ali are praised for careful water support.

“Our day out to Wasini island and Shimona caves was stunning. Our driver Jimmy picked us up and dropped us back at our accommodation, so all was smooth and easy. The team were knowledgeable and friendly. Snorkelling on the reef was amazing, Francis took time to show us special sights like octopus in the coral. White sand beach in the middle of the sea. Fantastic meal on Wasini Island. Tour of the caves included a local guide who told us the history - a hard listen but a good thing to know about. We felt really safe and well looked after all day, and saw some amazing sights. Highly recommended!”

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Day Tour To Hell's Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha. - The 16-Kilometer Ride Through the Park
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hell's Gate National Park Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Nairobi Tours, National Parks, 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 your private guide leads a two-hour bike ride past zebra, eagles, and dramatic rock walls. After lunch at Fisherman’s Camp, add a $25 Lake Naivasha boat ride for bird watching and hippo sightings. Guides may include Stephen, Gaddafi, Charles, Isaac, or Sammy.

“Amazing trip, so fun and went rock climbing which was an amazing experience. Would definitely recommend as a nice one day trip. Driver Charles was also very friendly and we had very interesting conversations :) thank you all!”

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Full Day Lake Nakuru Park and optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha - Entering Lake Nakuru National Park around 9 a.m.
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Full-Day, Lake Naivasha Tours, Lake Nakuru Tours, Nairobi 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 Lake Nakuru’s rhinos, giraffes, lions, flamingoes, and birdlife, then continue to Lake Naivasha for an optional hippo and eagle boat ride. Private guides such as Paul, Peter, Jimmy, and Simba tailor the day, though park fees, meals, and the boat cost extra.

“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!”

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Small Group Budget Tour to Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha Boat Ride - The 7 a.m. departure from Nairobi
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Budget Safaris, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hell's Gate National Park Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Nairobi Tours, National Parks, 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 guides such as David, Jaffar, or Kazungu for a shared day from Nairobi to Hell’s Gate and Lake Naivasha. Cycle 8 kilometers through the park, walk the gorges, then add a one-hour boat ride for hippos and birds. Vehicle support is available if the bike ride wears you out.

“This was a major highlight of my trip to Kenya. My driver and guides were great and gave me lots of time to make stops to watch the animals or take pictures. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone”

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Day Tour To Lake Nakuru Park With Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha - Lake Nakuru from about 9:00am to 3:00pm
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Lake Nakuru Tours, Nairobi 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 with a private driver-guide for Lake Nakuru wildlife viewing, a Great Rift Valley viewpoint, and an optional Lake Naivasha boat ride. Guides such as Festus Kazungu and Samuel are praised for warm, personal guiding. Bring a VISA card for the $60 park fee.

“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”

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Day Tour To Hell's Gate National Park and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha. - The 16-Kilometer Ride Through the Park
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hell's Gate National Park Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Nairobi Tours, National Parks, 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 7 a.m. with a private driver and guide, stop above the Great Rift Valley, then cycle about 16 kilometers through Hell’s Gate beside zebras, giraffes, and warthogs. Add a Lake Naivasha motorboat ride for hippos, pelicans, and fish eagles. Guides may include Calvin, Frank, or Gaddafi.

“Hell’s gate and lake Naivasha is a must!!!!! This is by far one of the most unique experience I have had while traveling period. The opportunity to bike alongside a wide variety of animals was incredible!! Even without any animal sightings the Read more”

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Diani Beach: Glass Boat Cruise to Robinson Island - Seeing the reef through the glass floor
Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach 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

From Diani Beach, Florence and the English-speaking crew take you by tuk tuk and glass-bottom boat toward Robinson Island. Watch fish through the clear floor, snorkel with a guide, then swim and relax on a tide-dependent sandbank. Bring swimwear, towel, sunscreen, and a camera.

“An amazing morning - Florence is wonderful, and accommodated all our timings. Great fun, and a lovely crew.”

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Diani Beach: Kongo River Estuary Sundowner Boat Tour - The private tuk tuk pickup from 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

You’ll ride from your Diani Beach hotel with Florence in a private tuk tuk, then join Captain Abdul by canoe on the Kongo River Estuary. Expect mangroves, birdwatching, a village visit, and a peaceful sunset cruise. The two-hour tour is in English and costs $42 per person.

“Beautiful sunset, quite and serene experience on the river. Really amazing guides, Abdul the guide was really amazing. He attended to everyone of our requests respectfully.”

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Private Tour to Mount Longonot and Optional Boat Ride on Lake Naivasha - Leaving Nairobi at 6:00 am
Boat Trips in Nairobi, Cruises & Boat Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, Mount Longonot Hikes, Nairobi Tours, 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 6:00 am for a guided Mount Longonot hike, a Rift Valley viewpoint, and lunch beside Lake Naivasha. Your private guide can set the walking pace, while the optional boat ride adds birdwatching and hippo viewing for $25 per person.

“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”

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Kisite Marine Park Private Boat Snorkeling with breakfast & Lunch - A dhow ride and the search for dolphins
Cruises & Boat Tours, Lunch Experiences, Malindi Tours, Private, Snorkeling, Tour Reviews, Wasini Island & Kisite Marine Park Tours

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

Travel by private dhow from Shimoni to Kisite Marine Park for dolphin watching, snorkeling, breakfast, and underwater photos. After a seafood lunch on Wasini Island, visit a coral garden, fishing village, and Shimoni Slave Caves. Hotel or port pickup, equipment, drinks, and entry fees are included.

“We had an amazing adventure! The entire day as planned and arranged seamlessly. Beautiful coral reef, lots of fish, dolphins, amazing food, and site seeing. We loved our guide and boat captain. Highly recommend!”

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Bike Tour at Hell's Gate National Park, Boat Ride at L. Naivasha - Fischers Tower, rock climbing, and the first park stop
Cruises & Boat Tours, Cycling Tours, Hell's Gate National Park Tours, Lake Naivasha Tours, National Parks, 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

Spend 5 to 8 hours cycling and walking through Hell's Gate National Park, spotting giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and birds before a Lake Naivasha boat ride. Guide Reagan leads the day, with a stop near Fischer's Tower and views toward Crescent Island. Pickup from Naivasha costs $25 extra.

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

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Diani Beach: Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise to Robinson Island - Starting with a tuk-tuk through Diani
Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach 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

You’ll ride from Diani Beach to Robinson Island in a glass-bottom boat, watch the captain attract protected fish beneath the hull, then snorkel and swim at a sandbank. Tina may handle your tuk-tuk transfer, and the English-speaking crew helps less confident swimmers join in safely.

“Dankjewel aan Tina en de mensen van de boot om deze activiteit zo leuk te maken!”

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Diani: Sunset Cruise along Kongo River on Wooden Canoe boat - Upstream through mangroves and bird country
Canoes & Kayaks, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diani Beach Tours, Evening Experiences, 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

You’ll ride a traditional wooden canoe upstream on Kongo River from Kongo Beach, with an English-speaking guide, mangrove viewing, bird watching, a light snack, and sunset on the return. Hotel pickup in Diani is by tuk tuk, and the outing lasts about two hours.

“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.”

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Hell's Gate Guided Tour with Option Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha - The 7am drive from Nairobi to the Great Rift Valley
Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Hell's Gate National Park 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 Hell’s Gate tour with a bike ride, gorge walk, Great Rift Valley viewpoints, and a Maasai community visit. Finish with an optional one-hour Lake Naivasha boat ride for hippos and birds. Guides such as Stephen, Jeff, and Gadaffi are praised for friendly service.

“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 😊”

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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
★ 4.7Full-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

Maasai Mara Safaris285Nairobi National Park Tours130Giraffe Centre & Elephant Orphanage Tours110Amboseli National Park Safaris162Lake Naivasha Tours108Mombasa Tours96
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