Fact File
Altitude: 1,560- 2,187 meters above sea level
Area: 68 sq. km.
Location: Lake Naivasha, Rift Valley Province
Distance from Nairobi: 100 km north-west of Nairobi
Gazetted: February 1984
Climate: Warm and dry
Vegetation A wide variety of succulents
Fauna: Include eland, buffalo, lion, giraffe, zebra, leopard, impala, Grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, klipspringer, hyrax and mountain reedbuck
Birds: More than 100 species of birds have been recorded
Roads: Good all weather roads
Despite its rather alarming title, Hell’s Gate National Park provides the ideal venue for a day trip from Nairobi, a truly panoramic picnic spot, or an evocative camping stopover. Cleft deep into the floor of the Rift Valley, this relatively small Park provides endless bio-diversity and is one of the only two Kenyan Parks to allow walking or cycling without an official KWS escort. Spectacular scenery including the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub- clad volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam make it one of the most atmospheric Parks in Africa
How to get there
By Road:
Take the A104 Uplands road from Nairobi to Naivasha and then take the Mo South Lake Road which leads around Lake Naivasha. It is 23km fro the Mo South Lake Road junction to the turn-off for Elsa Gate. From the turn-off, Elsa Gate is further 2km. Public service are in operation.
Open:
Daily 6am-7pm. entry is allowed on foot and no visitors will be allowed into the park after 6:15pm
WHAT TO SEE
The wildlife
The towering cliffs and undulating grasslands provide one of the few remaining places where you can walk alongside herds of buffalo, zebra, eland, hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle and giraffe. There are also troops of baboon, several cat and small numbers of klipspringer antelope to be seen. With regard to lion, leopard or the elusive cheetah, you’d be fortunate to spot them, but you might find their tracks in the dry dust of the roads. Or even those of the elephant that occasionally visit the Park.
The birds
An incredible 103 different species of birds have been recorded in this Park so you can confidently expect to spot at least 25-30 species during a one-day visit. The massive cliffs also provide a home for thousands of swift as well as a unique breeding ground for vulture, augur buzzard, the elusive Verreaux’s eagle and the rare Lammergeyer vulture.
The LowerGorge
Just beyond the Central Tower (a second, larger volcanic plug) is a track leading down into the fantastic curves of the OI Njorowa Gorge. Explorations are recommended, but proceed with care.
The O KariaGeothermalStation
The main road through the Park passes the 01 Karia Geothermal Station, an internationally financed power project, which is eventually expected to supply up to half of Kenya’s energy requirements. The 80 sq. km geothermal field is not only one of the hottest sources of natural steam in the world with an underground water temperature of 304°C but is also the first African
TOURIST CIRCUITS, NATURE TRAILS AND PICNIC SITES
Two tourist circuits loop around the Park, offering a variety of scenic beauty and wildlife viewing opportunities. They are signposted as the Twiga (giraffe) Circuit and the Buffalo Circuit. There are also two (walking) nature trails at Hobley’s Volcano and the 01 Basta Rock Tower and some scenic picnic sites at Lake View Point, Maibeni, the obsidian caves, Hell’s Kitchen and Kaparitan View Point.
WHERE TO STAY
There is no self-catering accommodation available in the Park; although a wide range of accommodation options are available in Naivasha town and along Moi South Lake Road, both of which are within easy reach of the Park.
CAMPING
Hell’s Gate offers some of the most scenic and well- equipped campsites in Kenya. Facilities include: picnic benches, sheltered picnic areas, shower blocks, water taps, pit latrines and rubbish bins. Sites include: 0/ Dubai special campsite (on the cliff top south of Fischer’s Tower) or the Nairburta and Endachata public campsites (across the gorge on the northern cliffs).
WHEN TO GO
Hell’s Gate National Park is accessible by 2WD vehicles all year round.
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
Drinking water, picnic items and camping equipment if you intend to stay overnight. Also useful are: binoculars, camera, hat sunscreen, sunglasses, guidebooks and walking boots.
Other Information:
Sporting pursuits: walking, mountain biking (bicycles are available for hire at Elsa Gate) hiking and rock climbing. there is also a KWS retail outlet and gift shop at Elsa Gate where you can obtain water, maps and a wide range of gifts for souvenirs
OBSERVE THE WILDLIFE CODE
Respect the privacy of the wildlife, this is their habitat.
Beware of the animals, they are wild and can be unpredictable.
Don’t crowd the animals or make sudden noises or movements.
Don’t feed the animals, it upsets their diet and leads to human dependence.
Keep quiet, noise disturbs the wildlife and may antagonize your fellow visitors.
Stay in your vehicle at all times, except at designated picnic or walking areas
.Keep below the maximum speed limit (40 kph/25 mph). Never drive off-road, this severely damages the habitat.
When viewing wildlife keep to a minimum distance of 20 meters and pull to the side of the road so as to allow others to pass.
Leave no litter and never leave fires unattended or discard burning objects.
Respect the cultural heritage of Kenya, never take pictures of the local people or their habitat without asking their permission, respect the cultural traditions of Kenya and always dress with decorum
Stay over or leave before dusk, visitors must vacate the Park between 7.00pm – 6.00am unless they are camping overnight.
