When Nairobi starts to feel too tight, Naivasha is my favourite pressure valve. It's close enough for a Friday-evening escape and wild enough to feel like a real trip — and it doesn't have to cost much.

Getting there

It's roughly a two-hour drive, depending on traffic out of the city. If you're not driving, shuttles and matatus go from town regularly. Stop at the escarpment viewpoint on the way down — the view over the Rift Valley never gets old, even if you've seen it twenty times.

Day one: Hell's Gate on two wheels

Hell's Gate is one of the few parks where you're allowed to walk and cycle among the animals. Hire a bike near the gate (check the brakes before you leave!) and ride in past zebra, giraffe and warthogs grazing under the red cliffs.

At the end, take a local guide down into the gorge. It's narrow, warm and dramatic, with hot springs trickling out of the rock. Wear shoes with good grip — you'll be scrambling.

Day two: the lake

Go out on a boat early, when the water is still and the fish eagles are hunting. You'll see hippos, often closer than you'd expect. Many boat trips also stop at Crescent Island, where you can walk among wildebeest and gazelle.

Keeping it cheap

• Split a cottage or campsite with friends instead of a lodge.
• Carry your own lunch for Hell's Gate — there's not much food inside.
• Agree on boat prices before you get in.
• Buy fresh fish on the lakeshore and grill it yourselves.

Sometimes the best trip is the one close enough that you actually take it.

[Ayeesha — check and add current park fees and bike hire prices before publishing; they change often.]