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Experience New Zealand's most active geothermal reserve and mud spa, where the centre of the earth meets the sky. Enjoy the healing properties of the geothermal mud and sulphur water, the interactive geothermal walk, and the twilight spa experience.
- About
Hell’s Gate and our surrounding region are known by a name...
- Experience
Hell’s Gate is surrounded by thriving native flora, waiting...
- Groups
The Hell’s Gate education programs are a unique interactive...
- Book
Hell’s Gate Mud Bath and Spas. Hell’s Gate mud spa is a...
- Contact
Hell’s Gate is located just outside of Rotorua’s city...
- Our Beliefs
As guardians of this land, we at Hell’s Gate see it as our...
- About
- Overview
- Bike through a herd of zebras
- Peek into Earth’s history
- Related: 30 stunning wildlife pictures from across the globe
- Treat yourself to a sustainable spa
- How to get there
- Make a weekend of it
- Where to stay
The film’s setting is real, wild, and open for visitors.
Hiking trails wind around the staggering Ol Njorowa Gorge in Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya.
The animators of Disney’s The Lion King traveled to a park with dramatic landscapes in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley to get a feel for, as Mufasa puts it, the great circle of life. When visitors to Hell’s Gate National Park reach the sweeping cliffs carved by a prehistoric lake that gives the park its name, they’ll discover that Pride Rock’s real-life inspiration is no less majestic.
The fact that you won’t actually see Simba (which means lion in Swahili) is the park’s secret advantage: the lack of predators means you can take in savannas and come face to face with giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and warthogs on your own two feet—or better yet, on bicycle wheels. Hell’s Gate is one of the only places in East Africa where you can hike the totality of a park. You can even go on a biking safari—a far cry from peeping animals through a safari vehicle’s roof. (Walt Disney Company is majority owner of National Geographic Partners.)
Hell’s Gate is smaller and less packed with animals than Kenya’s other parks, but there’s nothing like pedaling your bike past a herd of zebras or trying to keep pace with a galloping giraffe. The best bike ride stretches four miles from the main entrance of the park, Elsa Gate, to the picnic site and ranger station near the entrance to the Ol Njorowa Gorge. (Here are some tips for responsible wildlife tourism.)
Set out on the dirt road in the early morning or late afternoon to escape the harsh equatorial; you’re likely to see animals all day, such as families of warthogs dashing across the road or herds of gazelles frolicking through acacias. The park proves a popular spot for birdwatching, with more than a hundred species. Give the water buffalo plenty of distance; they’re more dangerous than they look. (Find more destinations around the world to see unusual birds.)
Bring a packed lunch—and a cold Tusker, Kenya’s favorite lager—to picnic at the Ranger’s Station picnic area. Be warned, vervet monkeys and baboons abound and unlike Simba’s mandrill friend, Rafiki (which means friend in Swahili), these monkeys are more likely to steal your food than offer sage advice.
From here, you can hire a guide—the area is community-run by Maasai people—to take you on a hike through the Ol Njorowa Gorge. The trail is not for the faint of heart; you’ll ford streams, scramble over boulders, and scale short rock faces, but the impressive views are well worth the effort.
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"We arrived mid-afternoon at Meru National Park during the September dry season. We wandered the tracks and late in the day noticed a large group of African elephants with babies on the move; presumably in search of new foraging areas. The hot and dusty conditions at sunset simply added to an unimaginable and unforgettable mood and atmosphere!"
Meru National Park, Kenya
"We arrived mid-afternoon at Meru National Park during the September dry season. We wandered the tracks and late in the day noticed a large group of African elephants with babies on the move; presumably in search of new foraging areas. The hot and dusty conditions at sunset simply added to an unimaginable and unforgettable mood and atmosphere!"
Photograph and caption by Charles Walker, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest
Kenya was the first African country to tap geothermal energy and Hell’s Gate is a leader: The park’s geysers and hot springs are used to harvest geothermal energy and fuel almost half of Kenya’s electricity. Environmentalists and safari enthusiasts worry about threats to the wildlife and natural beauty. This may be true, but harvesting that kind of...
Hell’s Gate is located about nine miles from the turnoff from the Nairobi-Naivasha highway. The two hour drive from Nairobi is a trip in itself, especially with the Escarpment Road’s stunning views of the Great Rift Valley. If you’re prepared to bargain, there are opportunities to buy Kenyan tchotchkes from vendors along the way. The road was const...
Hell’s Gate is situated near two volcanoes, Longonot and Suswa, both of which make great day hikes. It’s also near Nakuru National Park, where you can catch the rhinos you’ll miss at Hell’s Gate, and Lake Naivasha, where you can go boating. The brilliant pink strips at the edge of the lake? Yes, those are flocks of flamingos.
Hell’s Gate has three camping sites: Endachata, Naiburta, and Oldubai, where you’ll fall asleep to the eerie sound of a hyena’s cackle and wake up early for a sunrise game drive. Daybreak is when you’ll see the most animals and when the park will be drenched in golden light.
If you’re looking for a little more infrastructure, Camp Carnelly’s is a 15-minute drive from the park’s entrance. There, you can pitch a tent along the shores of Lake Naivasha or stay in a cabin tucked under fever trees. Either way, unwind at the Lazy Bones restaurant with a gin and tonic and one of their inventive samosas. Next-door Fisherman’s Camp offers similar amenities—and excellent brick oven pizza.
Consider Airbnb options if you'd like to rent a rustic cottage or larger home for a group of friends (including Pumbaa, perhaps).
Based in Washington, D.C., Abigail Higgins spent years as a foreign correspondent and researcher in East Africa. Follow her on Twitter.
- Abigail Higgins
Explore the stunning scenery and diverse wildlife of Hell's Gate National Park, a natural wonder in the Rift Valley. Learn how to get there, what to expect, and why you should bike through this unique park.
Hell's Gate National Park lies south of Lake Naivasha in Kenya, north west of Nairobi. Hell's Gate National Park is named after a narrow break in the cliffs, once a tributary of a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley. It was established in 1984.
Hells Gate is a park in the Great Rift Valley with geothermal activity, scenic cliffs and gorges, and diverse wildlife and birds. It offers activities like mountain biking, rock climbing and natural spa.
Experience the power and beauty of the Fraser River and the historic Hell's Gate gorge on a fully suspended airtram. Enjoy the fudge factory, fisheries exhibit, suspension bridge, gold panning and more at the gorge.
Jul 25, 2023 · Popular activities in Hell’s Gate include a bicycle safari, hiking through an exciting slot canyon, camping, and even rock climbing. Guides can be arranged on arrival for most activities, and entrance fees are generally lower than other national parks in the area.
