Our Top Tips for Visiting Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya

Where is Hell’s Gate National Park?

Hell’s Gate National Park is in Kenya, East Africa. It’s just south of Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley, around 90 kilometers northwest of Nairobi.

Where to stay in Hell’s Gate National Park:

We stayed at the Lake Naivasha Country Club which is only 10 km from the Elsa Gate into Hell’s Gate. We got a cab here on the day and it was really reasonable, I think the cab cost us around $5 USD (646 KES).

It’s a 5-star property and our room was a large bungalow and there was loads of wildlife (especially monkeys) roaming the grounds here. We even spotted a group of monkeys jumping on the trampoline on one occasion, it was hilarious.

We also recommend the following resorts close to the park. FYI, there are no accommodations within the park itself – unless you want to camp (more on that below) –

• Lake Naivasha Resort – this 5-star hotel is a 20-minute drive from Hell’s Gate, it’s a boutique-style property with an indoor pool.

• Crater Lake Tented Camp And Game Sanctuary – This is the most safari-like accommodation near the park and it’s super luxurious!

You can also camp overnight in Hell’s Gate:

There are three dedicated campsites inside the park: Endachata, Naiburta, and Olduvai – all of which offer a rustic camping experience (limited facilities). Thus, you will need to bring your own drinking water, a fire source, and cooking utensils

Prices for the campsites here range from $35 – $15 USD per night. And reservations can be made through the park warden or the KWS headquarters reservations desk. 

Obviously, you should take safety precautions when camping in Hell’s Gate – as there is lots of wildlife around and not leave any rubbish/food lying around.

If you plan to camp here, you will need to rent your bikes for two days – let the company know this so they’re not waiting for you at the end of the day.

Hell’s Gate was the inspiration for The Lion King:

Yep, Hell’s Gate National Park served as an inspiration for the setting for Disney’s “The Lion King.” The park is packed with jaw-dropping scenery like dramatic cliffs, deep gorges, and vast savannahs, which look a lot like what you see in the movie’s version of the African wilderness.

In addition to its stunning scenery, the park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including giraffes, and zebras, which helped bring the movie’s vibrant ecosystem to life. The filmmakers visited Hell’s Gate National Park during their research trips to Africa, drawing from its natural beauty to create the iconic backdrop for Simba’s journey.

Hell’s Gate was also a filming location for “Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life”. Yep, the gorge and caves within the park were used for various scenes in the film!

Why not read next? We also did a safari in Amboseli National Park and a safari in the super-famous Serengeti National Park during our time in East Africa!

Our safari experience in Hell’s Gate National Park:

“Welcome to hell” – I’m sure you’ll hear that a couple of times as you cycle through the park! It’s the local guide’s favorite catchphrase.

Hell’s Gate National Park feels like you’re on another planet – with its massive rock formations, deep gorges, and bubbling hot springs. And as I said earlier, unlike most parks in Africa, you can walk or bike around it – as there are no predators here (no lions, cheetahs, etc.), making it easy to get up close to zebras, giraffes, and tons of birds.

And this is exactly what we did – we got a cab from our hotel to the park and were at the gates at around 9 am. The gates open from 6 am and you can rent a bike this early if you wish – we kind of regret not getting here for sunrise (I’m sure it’s magical!)

It’s advisable to start cycling early – as it gets hot from mid-day. So, what we did was do the brunt of our cycling in the morning and then explore the sights (the gorges and geothermal spa) during the hottest time of day. And then we started to cycle back to the gate at around 4 pm when it got cooler.

Renting a bike in Hell’s Gate:

We rented some bikes from the Elsa Gate entrance (these are outside vendors – not employed by the park) and we found the bikes to be of good quality. They will also assist you in setting up the bike (adjust your seat, etc). But, please be sure to check the brakes and the gears before setting off.

The cost to rent a bike in Hell’s Gate ranges from 500 – 1000 KES ($4 – 8 USD) per day, depending on the type of bike you want and how many hours you want it for. FYI, you will need to add an extra 215 KES ($1.65 USD) to your park entrance fee if you are taking a bike in.

(You could also rent a bike from your hotel or in the town of Navaisha – this will be cheaper than the company at the gate – but you will need to transport your bike to the park).

There are two biking routes that you can cycle through the park and both start at the Elsa Gate. They are called The Buffalo Circuit (14 km) and The Twiga Circuit (9 km).

We opted to do the Buffalo Circuit and we spent almost a full day cycling along it – it’s flat for the most part (the steepest section we encountered was at Hobley’s Volcano). Overall, it was a fairly easy ride and it wasn’t too hot either.

We saw zebras, antelopes, gazelles, and giraffes mostly. I’ll also add that this circuit is downhill in the beginning – which will make you seem like it’s easy-breezy but remember you’ll have to cycle up that on the way back to Elsa Gate.

Top sights to see in Hell’s Gate:

Hell’s Gate Gorge –

The park’s namesake, the Hell’s Gate Gorge, is where you can trek through narrow canyons and check out hot springs and geysers. This was closed when we visited due to heavy rains the weeks previous.

Olkaria Geothermal Spa –

This spa is part of the Olkaria Geothermal Project, which harnesses geothermal energy from the Earth’s core, making it one of Africa’s largest geothermal power plants. Here, you can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of soaking in its naturally heated, mineral-rich waters while surrounded by stunning landscapes, including towering cliffs and expansive savannahs.

The entry fee to the spa is $18 USD per person (it’s less for Kenyan Citizens).

Fischer’s Tower –

Fischer’s Tower was a highlight of the landscape for us, this unusual rock formation made of lava is a whopping 75 feet high. And you can rock climb up it if you’re into that sort of thing.  

Ol Njorowa Gorge –

This skinny gorge was shaped by volcanic eruptions and erosion over time – its towering walls are like a canvas of awesome patterns and colors. And it’s definitely one of the most-visited areas within the park however, you can only walk through it with a local guide (that’s because some tourists sadly died here in 2019).

It’s here that you can see Hell’s Kitchen and a couple of hot springs.

You can hire a guide at the entrance to the gorge and there are different routes they can take you on (ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours long). Expect to pay around $15 USD per guide.

Hobley’s Volcano –

Follow the signposts for this, as it’s a bit off the path of the biking routes. You can cycle up to the rim (it’s steep) and peer into its crater as this dormant volcano still puffs steam.

The Best Tours of Hell’s Gate National Park

This full-day tour from Nairobi to Hell’s Gate and Lake Naivasha is a private tour so it means you don’t have to share your experience with anyone else. It includes return transfers from Nairobi and your bike rental at Hell’s Gate. You’ll also have a local guide to guide you through the park and point out all the sights and animals along the way.

You can also add on a boat cruise on nearby Lake Navaisha (where you’ll likely see hippos) – but this is an additional cost.

It costs just $65 USD per person, which doesn’t include the entrance fee to Hell’s Gate, so be sure to bring cash for that.

Another alternative is this 1-day trip to Hells Gate and Lake Naivasha – which has a 97% satisfaction rating from past guests. It’s pretty similar to the above tour, except this one includes the Hell’s Gate entry fee. It costs from $110 USD per person. You can ask for pick-up from Nairobi or Naivasha.

How many days do you need in Hell’s Gate National Park?

My best advice is to allow two days to explore Hell’s Gate National Park – and I definitely recommend biking it, if you can.

With two days here, you can cycle both biking routes and take your time exploring the sights, like the Ol Njorowa Gorge and the Olkaria Geothermal Spa.

How much does a safari to Hell’s Gate cost?

That depends on how you want to see the park – do you want to DIY it and rent a bike at the gate and explore it that way? Or would you prefer to book a guided tour?

Is Hell’s Gate National Park worth visiting?

Yes, Hell’s Gate National Park definitely is worth visiting! Especially if you’re keen to experience the place that inspired “The Lion King”. I must admit, that was a big reason for me visiting Hell’s Gate – because the movie was one of my favorite ever childhood movies.

Hell’s Gate also offers a less-crowded safari experience and the fact that you can cycle through the insane landscape here means this was one of the best safari’s I did in Africa.

Are you after a National Park that’s not too difficult to get to? Perfect – Hell’s Gate is just over 2 hours in a car from Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. 

So in short, despite the spooky name, Hell’s Gate is a must-see in Kenya!

Thanks for Reading!

We also did gorilla trekking in Uganda and visited the stunning island of Zanzibar on our honeymoon. We visited the famed Rock Restaurant on Zanzibar – be sure to read about our experience there! You can also read about how to climb Kilimanjaro! It was honestly the best travel experience of our lives to date!

Tell me have you visited Hell’s Gate National Park? Is there anything I’ve missed from this blog post? I would love to hear your thoughts on it in the comment section below.

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Last Updated on June 29, 2025 by snaphappytravel