A small Rift Valley park of red cliffs, volcanic towers and gorges where you can cycle and walk among zebras and buffalo
Hell's Gate is a landscape of sheer red cliffs, grassy valleys and volcanic rock, shaped by the same forces that created the Rift Valley. Two volcanic plugs stand out on the valley floor, Fischer's Tower near the main gate and Central Tower further in, and beyond them a narrow gorge has been cut deep into soft volcanic rock by flowing water. Steam from the Olkaria geothermal field rises from the hills in the south of the park.
Unusually for a Kenyan park, KWS promotes hiking and cycling trails here, which gives it a very different feel from a classic game drive. Zebras, buffalo, eland, Thomson's gazelles, hartebeest and baboons are common along the tracks, and the cliffs are home to birds of prey. The scenery is said to have inspired the setting of the 1994 animated film The Lion King.
European explorers Gustav Fischer and Joseph Thomson passed through in 1883, and the name Hell's Gate is linked to their rival expeditions and to the narrow break in the cliffs. The towers are volcanic plugs left behind as softer rock eroded around them.
The area was gazetted as a national park in 1984 and is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service. Africa's first geothermal power station opened at Olkaria in 1981, and the field has since grown to several plants within and around the park, making the area an important source of Kenya's electricity. A geothermal spa now draws visitors as well.
The park borders Maasai land, and a Maasai cultural centre near the park introduces visitors to local traditions and crafts. Many guides who lead walks through the gorge come from surrounding communities. Naivasha town and the lakeside lodges provide most of the food and accommodation, and the nearby flower farms and geothermal plants are big local employers.
Most visitors hire bicycles near Elsa Gate and ride the main track through the valley to the gorge, then explore it on foot with a local guide. KWS lists hiking and cycling trails, rock climbing at Fischer's Tower, viewpoints and the Olkaria geothermal spa among the main attractions, and there are public campsites for those who want to stay overnight. It is an easy day trip from Lake Naivasha, and many people combine it with a boat ride on the lake the same day.
The park is open all year. The drier months, roughly January to February and June to October, are best for cycling and for walking in the gorge. During the rains the gorge can become dangerous, so check conditions with rangers before entering.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Lake Naivasha lies just to the north along Moi South Lake Road, with boat trips, lodges and Crescent Island. Mount Longonot National Park, with its crater rim hike, is a short drive east. The Olkaria geothermal spa is in the south of the park, and Lake Nakuru National Park is about an hour or so further north-west.
Kenya · 7 nights4★ LodgeKenya · 9 nights4★ ResortThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
