Hells Gate national park : In the Rift Valley Province of Kenya, in the Nakuru County, and between Lake Naivasha, Longonot, and Suswa Volcanoes, sits the picturesque Hells Gate National Park, a popular destination for safari travelers. The Hells Gate national park is located about 14 kilometers off the old Nairobi-Naivasha route, 90 kilometers south-west of Nairobi. The park’s name comes from a tiny cliff-side opening that was originally a tributary of an ancient lake that provided food for early inhabitants in the Rift Valley. Fisher and Thomson, two explorers who traveled through the region in 1883, gave the park its name.
Hells Gate National Park is made up of a very picturesque landscape made of various features created during the eruption of Mount Longonot, which occurred over 100 years ago and the ashes cover the park. The park has a total area of 68.25 square kilometers and is located at an elevation of 1,900 meters above sea level. Hot springs, a geothermal station (Olkaria geothermal station), geothermal steam, volcanic gorges, Fischer’s Tower, and the Central Tower, two volcanic plugs boarded with red cliffs, are some of the magnificent features that make up the landscape of Hells Gate national park.
The park was created in 1984 as a small national park with the goal of safeguarding the diverse fauna that can be found there as well as the breathtaking natural features including Fischer’s Tower, Central Tower, and Hell’s Gate Gorge.
The vast plains of Hells Gate National Park are also home to a variety of animals, including cape buffalo, lions, leopards, black-backed jackals, Thomson gazelles, eland, cheetahs, impala, zebras, spotted hyenas, and defassa waterbuck.
With approximately 130 kinds of birds, including the well-known indigenous lammergeyer, raptors, and migratory bird species, the national park is also a fantastic habitat for birds. Hells Gate National Park is home to a variety of birds, such as African kestrels, Arrow-marked babblers, Chinspot batis, Egyptian vultures, Golden-winged sunbirds, Eastern imperial eagles, Jackson’s widowbirds, Bearded vultures, Mottled swifts, Nyanza swifts, Red-winged starlings, Schalow’s wheatears, Verreaux’s eagle
Kenya safari activities to do in Hells Gate national park
Game viewing
Game viewing is a fun Kenya safari activity that allows you to go around the park’s savannah region in a 4X4 with a pop-up roof. Hells Gate National Park is home to many different species of animals that you may see while on a game viewing safari. Both morning and afternoon game drives are available. During these drives, keep an eye out for species including lions, cheetahs, leopards, gazelles, giraffes, zebras, rock hyraxes, cape buffaloes, and many more.
Bird watching
One of the best places to go on a birding safari in Kenya is Hells Gate National Park, which is home to over 100 different bird species.The national park is known for being a prime location for lammergeyers to breed, and visitors who go birding there will enjoy seeing a variety of colorful bird species there, including African kestrels, Arrow-marked babblers, Chinspot batis, Egyptian vultures, Golden-winged sunbirds, Eastern imperial eagles, Jackson’s widowbirds, Bearded vultures, Mottled swifts, Nyanza swifts, Red
Rock climbing
The national park is a well-known location for rock climbing safaris in Kenya. It has a variety of characteristics, including deep, secret canyons and high, rocky cliffs that can be scaled. You can climb to Fischer’s tower while rock climbing at the Gate National Park. This tower was created when semi-molten granite was pushed to crack, cooled, and hardened while extruding.
A Maasai folktale will be told to you by the local guide as you ascend the Fisher Tower, which is close to the park’s main gate and sits at a height of 25 meters. When you look at the tower and its design, it resembles the shape of a female, which is in keeping with the Maasai folktale that claims a Maasai girl was turned into a stone for disrespecting her family before being married.
Bicycle riding
Riding a bicycle through the park’s rough terrain is a very adventurous activity that allows you to take in the scenery and see many of the animals that live there, including Thomson’s gazelles, olive baboons, hartebeests, and elands, among others.
Hiking
For those who wish to spend more time in nature and take in the breathtaking landscape of the park, hiking in the park is an excellent activity. Hiking in the park will take you through hot springs, geysers, towering rock formations, deep gorges, and more. The Obsidian cave is visited during your walk on the Buffalo circuit in Hells Gate National Park. The cave was formed as a result of the rapid cooling of molten volcanic lava coming into contact with water while being poured into a lake or ocean, resulting in a glassy texture of the rock. You can enjoy watching tiny air bubbles create fascinating effects while exploring the cave, such as the common golden sheen known as Sheen Obsidian or Rainbow Obsidian.
Accommodations at the Hells Gate National Park
In this beautiful park, there are a lot of nicer places to stay when on a safari in Kenya. These places range in price from cheap to luxurious, and include places like Camp Carnelley’s camp and Fish Eagle Inn.
How to get to Hells Gate national park
The park is located in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province, with Nakuru City being the closest city. It is easily accessible by both road and air, both of which are widely available in Kenya.
By road
The majority of safaris to Hells Gate National Park begin in Nairobi, the nation’s capital. From Nairobi, the park is reachable through a tarmac road that travels 90 kilometers via Naivasha Town on the Lake route South at a junction 5 kilometers south of Naivasha. You can use a vehicle provided by your tour operator or simply proceed to the park from Naivasha Town if you lease a special automobile.
By air
There are available domestic chartered flights to the park. Domestic flights from Wilson Airstrip to Naivasha Airstrip, which serve the park and the surrounding areas, are provided by a number of domestic carriers, including Safari Link.