NDERE ISLAND NATIONAL PARK (Take a Trip to Lake Victoria)
Ndere Island National park is an island of Serenity and Beauty located on one of the islands in Lake Victoria, the park is a paradise with fresh smell of natural grass, beautiful butterflies, blooming flowers and spectacular views of the magnificent flora and fauna.
Ndere Island national park is found an island of Africa’s largest inland lake, Lake Victoria and is accessed by boat from the shores of Lake Victoria.
The park is an island on Africa’s largest inland lake, the stunning Lake Victoria. It is accessible by boat from the shores of the Lake covering an area of 4.2 square kilometers. .
Ndere Island national park was established in 1986 mainly to offer refuge to its distinct wildlife species that thrive along the shores of Lake Victoria.
Climate of Ndere Island national park
Because of the proximity to the lake, the climate in the park is humid and hot. Ideally, park
What to See and Do in Ndere Island National park
Attractions in Ndere Island National Park
Wildlife
The park is a home to an abundance of wildlife with main tourist attractions being hippos, impalas and Nile crocodiles. Among other wildlife species found in the park include reptiles such as puff adder and python, troops of monkeys, baboons, antelopes, zebras, warthogs, waterbucks seen in the park’s swamps. Other animals to see in the park include monitor lizards and aardvark.
The major wildlife attractions of the park include fish eagles, hippos, impalas, and butterflies. You will also spot aardvark as well as monitor lizards.
Birdlife
The park is a home to a huge population of birds with 100 recorded species, these birds include Great Cormorant, Long tailed cormorant, cattle Egret, little Egret, Green-backed Heron, Hammerkop, black stork, African Open-billed stork, Hadada Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Osprey, Black kite, Banded Snake Eagles, Common (Steppe) Buzzard, African Fish Eagle, Long Created Francolin, Helmeted Guinea Fowl among others.
Vegetation
The park is situated on a scenic island inhabited by grasslands mainly an indigenous grass of the species loundentia natalensis, this species is of brown color when flowering thus making the park look brownish.
The park is also dominated by indigenous trees with different shrub species, these include Carissa adulis, dovyalisx, macro calyx and euclea Divinorim among others which are classified as threatened species in Africa.
The park is encompasses of extensive woodlands stating from the lake shore to the park’s peak creating a stunning hiking for your, papyrus reed are also well spread along the shoreline creating a scenic birding area.
WHAT TO DO IN NDERE ISLAND NATIONAL PARK
Hiking the rolling Homa hills
For hikers, the park is a great destination to visit for hiking experience, the park consists of well-marked walking trails of the Homa Hills offering beautiful views of the park and distant breathtaking views of Lake Victoria, Homa Hills and Magere Island.
Bird watching
Ndere Island national park is an incredible birding haven with abundance of birds recorded to be over 100 different species, birds in the park inhabit in mostly grassland covered plains of the park. Some of the birds to lookout for during bird watching in the park include African fish eagles, black headed gonolek, grey headed kingfishers, green backed Heron, black stork, banded snake eagles, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, black crake, Helmeted Guineafowl among others.
Boat Rides
Boat rides in the park are organized and offered on the waters of Lake Victoria, this experience offers a chance to tourists to explore the waters of the Lake Victoria and enjoying encountering fisher men fishing.
Sport Fishing
Spot fishing is one of the entertaining safari activities to do in the park, this activity is done on in the waters of Lake Victoria in designated sites, when you are going to sport fishing boats are prepared days before your experience.
Game Viewing
Game viewing in Ndere Island national park is a thrilling experience offering you an opportunity to spot various animals inhabiting in the park and the waters of Lake Victoria such as Nile crocodiles, hippos, impalas, rare sitatunga antelopes, monkeys, baboons, impalas and various snake and fish species.
Park entry fees og Ndere Island national park
| Category | Citizens (Ksh) | Non-Citizens (USD$) |
| Adults | 600 | 25 |
| Children | 350 | 15 |
How to get to Ndere Island national park
The park is located on Ndere Island one of the islands in Lake Victoria in Western Kenya about 350 kilometers from Nairobi city, the park is accessed from Nairobi and Kisumu.
From Nairobi you will head to Kisumu the 3rd largest city in Kenya using domestic flights or by road, using road it is a drive of approximately 6 hours to get to Kisumu by bus. A flight from Nairobi to Kisumu takes about 45 minutes from Wilson airstrip to Kisumu International Airport.
From Kisumu, you will use a taxi to Bao Beach which is 12 kilometers away, from Bao Beach you will cross the short stretch to Ndere Island by a motorboat which is a 45 minutes ride.
Alternatively, you can take a boat directly from Kisumu City to Ndere Island which takes 45 minutes.
Accommodation in Ndere Island National Park
In the park there are various accommodation options offering accommodation and other required services and safaris to tourists on a Kenya safari, accommodation options in the park include
- the Bao Camp site
- Rock Resort
- The Hydeout Riviera
- Sunset Hotel
- Kiboki Bay Resort
- Dunga Resort
- Kisumu Resort
- Parkview Safari Hotel
- Kisinde Lodge
- Hotel Pikadili
- Milimani Beach Resort among others
