Hells Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate is 90 km or 55 miles northwest from the capital of Nairobi and just south of Lake Naivasha. At only 68 sq. km (25 sq. mi) Hell’s Gate is a compact park. But there’s much to see in the arresting geographic features packed into this dramatic place of grassland, cliffs and gorges. The park rises 1,900 meters or 6,200 feet above sea level. Hell’s Gate Gorge is the main attraction and basis for the park’s name. Red walled cliffs travel along the gorge and feature two volcanic rock formations known as Fischer’s Tower and Central Tower. A smaller gorge trails away from Central Tower and leads to an area of hot springs. The springs are hot enough to cause burns. There are two extinct volcanoes known as Olkaria and Hobley’s found with the park boundaries. Hell’s Gate is a popular national park in Kenya because of its easy access from Nairobi as well as the variety of wildlife and amazing landscapes that can be experienced with a visit to the park. The wildlife numbers are smaller, but the variety of wildlife is abundant. Some of the predator species include lion, leopard, hyena, serval, and cheetah. Other popular species include zebra, eland, buffalo, hartebeest, klipspringer, reedbuck, hyraxes, and Thomson’s gazelle. There are more than 100 species of birds with some of the larger species including the Verreaux eagle, augur buzzard, and vultures including the rare lammergeyer vulture. The best time for wildlife viewing is at dawn, when most of the animals are in evidence; try to avoid the mid-day hours if you can, because the Park can become intensely hot. Rock climbing, walking, mountain biking, nature trails, bird watching and driving tours are all highly recommended, especially since the Park offers unrivalled views of the Aberdare Range, Lake Naivasha and Mount Longonot. The evocative scenery has also been used in a number of films, most recently in the 1980 Hollywood film, ‘Sheena Queen of the Jungle’.
The climate pattern in the areas is January-March hot and dry. April-June hot and wet. July-October very warm and dry. November and December warm and wet. Hell’s Gate is open for wildlife viewing throughout the year however the rainy season could impede your touring during the wet season months of March through May.