1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour Kariandusi Hyrax Hill
Our 1-day guided tour of Nairobi to Kariandusi and Hyrax Hill Museum offers a deep dive into Kenya’s and the world’s prehistoric past, covering Acheulean hand axes from 1 million years ago and Neolithic burial sites. Located near Gilgil and Nakuru, these sites are often visited together, with stops at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint.
Kariandusi Prehistoric site is located about 2 km east of Lake Elementaita, while the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Museum is atop a hill about 4 km from Nakuru Town, overlooking Lake Nakuru.
Kariandusi Prehistoric site was unearthed by Louis Leakey in the 1920s and has been a rich source of prehistoric obsidian tools, made by early humans between 1.4 million and 200,000 years ago. Most of the tools found at Kariandusi are cutting implements that seem to have been used for butchering meat.
Hyrax Hill Prehistoric site was also unearthed by Louis Leakey in the 1920s and ever since has been a rich source of Neolithic fossils, tools, and Iron Age artifacts. Our one-day tour departs from Nairobi between 0600 Hours and 0700 Hours, drives through the Great Rift Valley, and returns in the evening.
1 Day Kariandusi and Hyrax Hill Museum Tour Highlights
✓ Experience: The tour is educational, suitable for history enthusiasts, and provides a scenic view of the Rift Valley, including Mount Longonot and Lake Elementaita
✓ Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site: Located near Nakuru, this site features a small museum, Neolithic burial sites, and “Sirikwa holes” (depressions believed to be ancient livestock enclosures)
✓Kariandusi Prehistoric Site: Discovered by Louis Leakey in 1928, this site is a prime example of an Early Stone Age site, featuring in situ stone tools, including hand axes and cleavers, and fossils from a prehistoric environment
1 Day Kariandusi and Hyrax Hill Museum Tour Itinerary
0700 Hours: Depart from Nairobi to beat traffic and maximize your time at the sites
0830 Hours: Brief stop at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint for photos of Mt. Longonot and the valley floor
1000 Hours – 1200 Hours: Explore Kariandusi Pre-Historic Site. Highlights include the excavation site with in situ Acheulean handaxes, the museum, and a nature trail leading to Lake Elmenteita.
1230 Hours – 1330 Hours: Lunch break. You can picnic at Kariandusi or stop at a restaurant in Gilgil or near Lake Elmenteita
1430 Hours – 1630 Hours: Visit Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site & Museum. Explore the Neolithic burial mounds, the “Sirikwa Hollows,” and the hilltop for panoramic views of Lake Nakuru.
1530 Hours: Begin the return journey to Nairobi.
Important Information:
✓ Guides: Knowledgeable local guides are available to explain the significance of the stone tools and geological feature
Practical Travel Tips
✓ Wildlife: At Hyrax Hill, be cautious of baboons at the viewpoint; they may attempt to snatch food or bags
✓ Gear: Bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water, as both sites involve outdoor walking with limited shade
✓ Transport: The distance between Kariandusi and Hyrax Hill is approximately 33 km, taking about 50-60 minutes to drive via the A104 highway
✓ Guides: Onsite guides are at both locations to understand the context of the excavations, which can otherwise look like simple rock formations to the untrained eye
1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour Kariandusi Hyrax Hill is a guided day tour from Nairobi to 2 archaeological sites in Kenya, namely, the Kariandusi prehistoric site and the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Museum.
Kariandusi Prehistoric site is located about 2 km east of Lake Elementaita, while the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Museum is atop a hill about 4 km from Nakuru Town, overlooking Lake Nakuru.
Kariandusi Prehistoric site was unearthed by Louis Leakey in the 1920s and has been a rich source of prehistoric obsidian tools, made by early humans between 1.4 million and 200,000 years ago. Most of the tools found at Kariandusi are cutting implements that seem to have been used for butchering meat.
Hyrax Hill Prehistoric site was also unearthed by Louis Leakey in the 1920s and ever since has been a rich source of Neolithic fossils, tools, and Iron Age artifacts.
1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour Kariandusi Hyrax Hill Itinerary
0700 Hours: Our thrilling Pre-Historic sites day trip departs Nairobi after an early breakfast at your hotel/residence. The drive takes us through scenic farmlands, bustling small towns, and to the expansive Great Rift Valley.
Along the way, you make a brief stop at the Mt. Longonot viewpoint, where one can take photos and pose for a while to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Rift Valley. Among the striking features visible from the viewpoint include Mt. Longonot (a dormant volcano) and Mt Suswa.
1000 Hours: Our first Kenya Archaeological site – the Kariandusi Prehistoric site, an African Stone Age Site dating back to around one million years!
This site was discovered by the legendary Kenyan Paleoanthropologist and archaeologist Louis Leakey in 1928 during an expedition to the Kariandusi Riverbed. Our guided tour includes a museum curator who gives detailed information on both prehistory and the history of the Kariandusi Archaeological site and Kariandusi Museum.
Other attractions at the site include a Nature trail, caves, and a monumental church building. The area is also known for diatomite mining, used for filtering soft drinks and manufacturing toothpaste.
1200 Hours: After an informative and exciting tour of the Kariandusi Prehistoric site, we proceed to Nakuru and stop for lunch, then continue to the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Museum, discovered by Louise and Mary Leakey.
Hyrax Hill Museum depicts the lifestyle of prehistoric people who lived in seasonal settlements at least 3,000 years ago. The Museum is a former farmhouse ceded to the monument in 1965 by the Late Mr. A. Selfe.
A small museum was opened here, where artifacts from the Hyrax Hill site and other sites in the Central Rift Valley are displayed. Numerous sites around the hill date to different periods, with the earliest finds dating back to the Neolithic. The site takes its name from the hyraxes, which were once abundant and lived in the rock cracks in this area.
Our guided tour of this Kenyan archaeological site will highlight the following areas: Hyrax Hill Museum, Neolithic Site, Sirikwa Hollows, and the Tortoise Pit.
1500 Hours: Later, we depart by road back to Nairobi.
1800 Hours: Arrive back in Nairobi and be dropped off at your hotel/residence.
1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour Kariandusi Hyrax Hill Prices
1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour, Kariandusi Hyrax Hill from Nairobi Includes:
✓ Picnic Lunch Boxes
✓ All Museum entry fees
✓A bottle of water while on the day trip safari
✓ Services of our professional driver guide and a local guide at all the prehistoric sites
✓ Return road transport from Nairobi to Kariandusi Prehistoric Site, Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site, and back in our customized vehicle with pop up roof
| Dates From | Dates To | Price Per Person | Children Aged 3 to 12 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January 2026 | 31st December 2026 | Request for rates | Request for rates |
Notes
* Kindly bring along with you a bottle of drinking water, comfortable walking shoes, tracks or jeans, shorts, a T-shirt, sweater, sun cream, cameras, and a sunhat
1 Day Prehistoric Sites Tour Kariandusi Hyrax Hill from Nairobi Excludes:
* Tips or gratuities
* Drinks, Extra Meals
* Visa and any related fees
* Medical cover and travel personal insurance
* Any other item not mentioned in the inclusive
Booking & Reservations Kariandusi Prehistoric Site and Hyrax Hill Day Tour Contact
Mobile: +254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com