Rift Valley Viewpoint to Get Cable Cars, Luxury Hotels in Major Tourism Upgrade

Aerial view of the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint, Kenya, showcasing the potential of the proposed transformation/AI illustration

The government has unveiled plans to transform the iconic Great Rift Valley Viewpoint along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway into a world-class tourism hub, introducing cable car transport, luxury hotel developments, and redesigned commercial spaces.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced that the proposed cable car system will cross the escarpment corridor, linking the A8 and A8 South highway segments.

“The viewpoint will be world-class, with cable cars connecting the A8 to the A8 South, the Escarpment corridor. It will be a magnificent tourism point,” Chirchir said during an interview with Kenyan Historian Enock Sikolia.

Aerial Views and Modern Infrastructure

The cable car network will transport visitors in suspended passenger cabins, offering panoramic aerial views of Mount Longonot, the floor of the Great Rift Valley, and the surrounding escarpment landscape.

Alongside the aerial cable system, the state plans to upgrade commercial infrastructure and attract private investment to lengthen visitor stays at the landmark stopover.

“We are going to redo the curio shops that will force tourists to stop and want to spend time. We will probably let investors put up hotels. We want to leverage the God-given tourist attractions of the Rift Valley,” he added.

The planned redevelopment coincides with ongoing widening works along the Rironi-Mau Summit highway, which have already disrupted local business operations at the viewpoint.

Demolitions of existing curio stalls and commercial premises have raised anxiety among long-term traders, who warn that structural shifts threaten hundreds of local livelihoods reliant on souvenir sales, wood carvings, and traditional ornaments.

Impacted vendors have appealed to the government to designate alternative trading zones or guarantee space allocation within the modernized complex once construction finishes.

CS Chirchir did not provide a specific timeline for cable car procurement, project costs, or funding models.

The viewpoint enhancement forms part of the broader Ksh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit highway expansion.

The Ministry of Transport recently adopted an accelerated construction strategy targeting the completion of one kilometer of road daily on the Rironi-Naivasha stretch. Contractors are prioritizing base-course preparation before laying final asphalt layers, aiming to open the 60-kilometer section to traffic before the end of 2026.

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