With a rather peculiar name, Hell’s Gate National Park is a popular destination by a majority of local and international tourists mainly due to its close proximity to Nairobi and the number of in-demand lodges in Naivasha town. Hell’s Gate is found in Naivasha in Nakuru County and 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 received the name “Hell’s Gate” by explorers Fisher and Thomson in 1883 derived from the most impressive feature in the park, the Ol Jorowa Gorge, which runs through the middle of the park. 

A small national park, it is known for its striking scenery and wide variety of wildlife. The main attractions are the Fischer’s Tower, Central Tower columns and the Gorge. This national park is also home to five geothermal power stations at Olkaria, which generates geothermal power underneath Hell’s Gate from the area’s hot springs and geysers. Olkaria Geothermal Spa is an attraction within the park that consists of three cascaded lagoons with the last pool being user-friendly, unlike the first two, for visitors to enjoy the benefits of a natural spa rich with several natural minerals that include silica and sulphur. 

You can enjoy a safari drive, biking, and a visit to the Maasai Cultural Center that offers education on the Maasai’s culture and traditions. The main wildlife here includes buffalos, elands, zebras, hyraxes, eland, hartebeest, Thomson’s gazelle and baboons. It is also home to klipspringer antelope and Chandler’s mountain reedbuck.

The main setting of the 1994 animated film The Lion King is heavily modeled after Hell’s Gate National Park and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, a 2003 film, was shot on location in this park.