The Naivasha Yacht Club is one of the most beautiful and least accessible spots on Lake Naivasha. Occupying a small island connected to the mainland by a causeway on the eastern shore of the lake, it is a members-only facility with sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and a fully equipped clubhouse, a piece of colonial-era social infrastructure that has survived and adapted into a vibrant, modern sporting club.
Accessing the Yacht Club as a non-member requires an invitation from a current member. This means that for most visitors, the club is a place to know about and appreciate from a distance, and to seek access to if you happen to have the right connections.
For Nairobi-based expatriates and long-term residents, many of whom are members or know members, it is one of the great quality-of-life assets of proximity to Lake Naivasha.
The Club and Its Facilities
The Yacht Club’s island position gives it a unique quality: surrounded by the lake on all sides, it has an atmosphere of complete separation from the surrounding landscape. The clubhouse has kitchen facilities, a bar, and comfortable social areas.
The sailing fleet includes a range of dinghies and larger vessels. Kayaks and paddleboards are available for members. The lake itself, with its consistent afternoon winds created by the interaction between the cool lake surface and the warmer surrounding land, provides good sailing conditions for much of the year.
The club is particularly active on weekends during the dry seasons when the wind is reliable. Regattas, club races, and social sailing days bring members together on the water. The atmosphere on a good sailing afternoon; boats moving across the lake against the backdrop of Mount Longonot and the Aberdare Range, is genuinely lovely.
Wildlife
The club’s island position means that wildlife is a constant backdrop. African fish eagles call from the acacia trees, pelicans raft on the water, hippos surface near the clubhouse in the evenings, and the yacht club has developed an unusual local reputation: members sometimes swim in the lake near the island, in areas where the hippos have become habituated to human activity. This is firmly local-knowledge, experienced-member territory and is not something to attempt without guidance from those who know the specific conditions.
| Access | Members only — invitation required for non-members |
| Location | Small island on eastern Lake Naivasha, connected by causeway |
| Activities | Dinghy sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming (experienced members) |
| Best season | Dry seasons for consistent sailing winds: January–March, July–October |
| How to access | Contact through Nairobi expat networks; some hotels can facilitate introductions |
| Access TipIf you are based in Nairobi and interested in visiting the Yacht Club, ask long-term expat residents or your hotel concierge. Many Nairobi residents are members or know members, and the club welcomes guests of members warmly. The sailing and the lake view make it worth pursuing an introduction. |