While biking, you feast your eyes: in front of you a zebra crosses the road, to the left you see a young giraffe, and in the distance a group of buffalo is drinking. Are you dreaming? No, you are in Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya. The place where you go on safari while cycling among the wild animals. An unforgettable experience about which we are happy to share all our tips.
Content of this blog:
Is Hell’s Gate dangerous?
First, the most important question, isn’t it dangerous to bike among the wildlife in Hell’s Gate National Park? The answer is no. There are no big cats, rhinos or elephants in Hell’s Gate National Park. The zebras and giraffes are more afraid of you than you are of them and will not get too close to you.
The only animals you should be aware of are the wildebeest. If you get too close, a herd of wildebeest may feel hunted and turn toward you. Therefore, always keep your distance from the wildebeest. Especially if you see them crossing the road, it is wise to wait quietly at a distance until they are all safely on the other side.
How did the landscape of Hell’s Gate come to be that way?
In the past, there have been some sudden floods in the gorge where you may hike in Hell’s Gate. This was so sudden and severe that people died during the floods. Therefore, nowadays it is forbidden to enter the gorge without a guide and it is open only when the weather is good.
What makes Hell’s Gate National Park so special?
Hell’s Gate National Park is the only park in East Africa where you are allowed to bike or hike by yourself. The feeling you get when cycling along the steep cliffs and among the zebras is indescribable. Therefore, Hell’s Gate is in our opinion a must visit during your trip through Kenya.
What route do you cycle through Hell’s Gate?
When cycling through Hell’s Gate by yourself you will enter the park at Elsa Gate. From here you will bike 7 kilometers (unpaved) into the “Upper Gorge. This is a beautiful part of the park and you’ll feast your eyes. You cycle basically only straight ahead, but when in doubt, keep the signs for Ol Njorowa Gorge or Lower Gorge.
Soon after you enter Hell’s Gate you will see a pointy, large rock called Fischer Tower. For the sporty, it is possible to climb this rock. There are always park staff on hand to advise you on that.
Once you arrive at the Lower Gorge you park your bike and it’s time to get ready to hike through the gorge. You first have to pay an additional fee because you will be entering “Maasai land. We had to pay 4,000 Kes (€26) for 2 people. This can be done in cash or with Mpesa.
Hiking in the Lower Gorge
After you pay the extra fee, you will meet your guide. After the floods we mentioned above, it is mandatory to enter the Lower Gorge with a guide. You can choose between the short, medium or long hike. We were advised against the long hike because of the instability of the rocks you climb on and the physical challenge it would be.
We chose the medium hike, which took us an hour. We found this really tough (and we are used to some things). This is because you have to climb and scramble over rocks and even come down from a 10 meter high rock (without a rope or anything to hold on to). The guide then stands below you, giving instructions and holding you, but with Noëlle’s fear of heights, this was no fun.
It was a really cool experience though, but much more challenging than we expected beforehand. It’s not a long hike but technically exciting due to the climbing, pulling up on ropes and lack of safety railings. The short route seems to be a lot more doable. That one takes about half an hour.
When you have completed the walk you will come to another Maasai market where they have all kinds of souvenirs displayed. You can only pay here with cash so make sure you have enough with you. The guide should also be paid with cash (officially it is a tip). For the medium walk and his help with it, we gave the guide 2000 Kes (€13).
The Lion King is inspired by Hell’s Gate National Park
What is incredibly fun while walking in the Lower Gorge is that you can very clearly see that the Lion King was inspired by it. In fact, you walk through the gorge where Mufasa eventually died. You can now see the high cliffs and nature outlined in the Lion King in real life.
In addition, while walking in Hell’s Gate, you can also see the famous “Pride Rock” in the distance where the lions in the movie had made their home. With a little imagination, you can see this reflected in it.
Where do you rent a bike for Hell’s Gate National Park?
Almost all accommodations in Lake Naivasha offer bike rentals. We had rented an apartment where it was not possible, but you can always rent mountain bikes at Camp Carnelley’s. From here it is only 5 kilometers of biking to the entrance to Hell’s Gate at the Elsa Gate. Renting mountain bikes costs 800 Kes (€5.30) at Camp Carnelley’s. A mountain bike is really necessary because Hell’s Gate is completely unpaved.
Another option is to rent bikes on the road to Elsa Gate. This location(Google Maps) has dozens of bikes you can rent.
What should you bring?
Below we have put down what you should absolutely take with you when you go to Hell’s Gate National Park.
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Cap/hat (you cycle in full sun with no shade so good sun protection is important)
- Enough water (at least 1 – 1.5 liters per person, back at the entrance to Elsa Gate you can buy water or soft drinks)
- Energy bar, fruit or something else to eat
- Early morning sweater
- Good shoes for the hike
- Camera
- Cash money (for entrance, the hike, tips, a drink in the shop and for souvenirs from the Maasai market)
How much does entrance to Hell’s Gate cost and which entrance should you choose?
Entrance to Hell’s Gate National Park for foreigners costs $26. Through Kenya Wildlife Service you need to register and buy tickets. It is best to do this directly at the entrance itself because there the staff can help you well.
When you visit Hell’s Gate from Lake Naivasha you will enter the park through Elsa Gate. This is the largest and most famous gate. From there you will cycle in 7 kilometers to the Lower Gorge for the hike.
Start cycling early
This is a very important one. There is almost no shade to be found while biking in Hell’s Gate, so the sun can burn heavily. Be sure to start biking early so that you will be back at the entrance before the afternoon heat. At Camp Carnelley’s, you can rent bikes starting at 7:00 a.m. and then cycle to Elsa Gate in just under half an hour.
You can also visit Hell’s Gate with a jeep safari
While you are toiling on your mountain bike, you are sometimes passed by jeeps and minivans. And then you have to collect quite a bit of dust, which is why sunglasses are really a must in this park. So it is also possible to visit Hell’s Gate by car, but we would not recommend this.
The special thing about Hell’s Gate is that you can bike, hike and get off whenever and wherever you want in the park. It is an insanely beautiful park, but if you are physically unable to bike we would skip it because you can visit more impressive parks by jeep to go on safari. Think Tsavo East, Maasai Mara and Amboseli.
