Ndere Island National Park

Ndere covers about four square kilometres in the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, gazetted as a national park in 1986, at which point its few inhabitants moved to the mainland; it has been uninhabited since. The island is wooded and grassy, with impala and spotted-necked otters introduced or resident, hippos and crocodiles in the shallows, and a bird list that includes fish eagles, kingfishers and the papyrus specialists of the lake edge. There are no roads, no lodge and no shop: visits are day trips or camping with everything carried in. Getting there means arranging a boat at one of the mainland landings, a crossing of under an hour depending on the point of departure and the state of the lake. It is among the least visited national parks in Kenya, which is much of the appeal.

What you actually see

• Forested island interior - woodland and grassland with walking routes.
• Hippos and crocodiles - in the shallows around the shoreline.
• Fish eagles and lake birds - the raptors and kingfishers of Victoria.
• The empty shoreline - no settlement, no development.

When to go

Dry seasons, when the lake is calmer and the landings easier; storms on Victoria build fast and can strand or endanger small boats. Mornings are calmest. Camping overnight needs park arrangement in advance.

Honest expectations

Boats are small fishing craft with variable safety equipment, and Lake Victoria squalls are dangerous; do not cross in bad weather. There are no facilities of any kind on the island. Crocodiles and hippos make swimming a bad idea. Ranger presence is thin, so arrangements should be confirmed before setting out.

Nearby

Kisumu is the base city; Rusinga and Mfangano islands lie further out.