The name derives from the local Maasai name Nai'posha, meaning "rough water" because of the sudden storms which can arise. Lake Naivasha. Lake Naivasha.

The Naivasha Landscape consists mainly of the Lake Naivasha watershed or catchment basin that is approximately 3,200 Km² with diverse landform characteristics and development programmes. Critical land forms include Lake Naivasha at the floor of the rift valley and the natural forests to the upper attitudes .

Lake Naivasha is famous for its strong populations of hippos and flamingos. There are over 1,500 hippos in the area, and you are almost guaranteed to see one. The lake is a birder's paradise as it is home to over 400 bird species.

It is believed that some 6000-13,000 years ago, Lake Naivasha was part of a much larger lake that encompassed the present lakes Elementaita and Nakuru, and discarded down the Rift Valley southwards. The lake is a fresh water lake with a catchment of 2,378 km2