Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya , which lies north west of Nairobi. It is situated in the Great Rift Valley. The name is derived from the  Maasai name ɛnaɨpɔ́sha , meaning “that which heaves,” a common Maasai word for  large water bodies  .

Between 1937 and 1950, the lake was used as a landing place for flying boats on the Imperial Airways passenger and mail route from Southampton in Britain to South Africa. It linked Kisumu and Nairobi.

The lake is home to a variety of types of wildlife including over 400 different species of birds and a sizable population of hippos. The fish community in the lake has been highly variable over time, influenced by changes in climate, fishing effort and the introduction of invasive species.

There are two smaller lakes in the vicinity of Lake Naivasha: Lake Oloiden and Lake Sonachi (a green crater lake). The Crater Lake Game Sanctuary lies nearby, while the lake shore is known for its population of Europeans immigrants and settlers.