How to get to Hells Gate National Park and Green Crater Lake
Hells Gate National Park and Green Crater Lake are located South of Lake Navaisha and can be visited as a day trip from Nairobi. I was based in Lake Naivasha as part of my Tucan Travel East Africa Tour so had the opportunity to include them as a full day activity on our free day.
What to expect at Hells Gate National Park and Green Crater Lake
Green Crater Lake
This private ranch is only a 15 minutes drive from Hells Gate National Park. It was the first chance of the day to walk with the wildlife. We got so close to the zebras and giraffes, many of them just as curious about us as we were about them.
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During our 2 hour walk, our incredibly knowledgeable guide gave us a tonne of information. This ranged from facts about the flora and insects to wildlife, Kenyan history, and East African politics. He made it all so interesting and had the whole group engaged. Toward the end of our walk, we made our way up to one of the lookouts. This had a view of the three lakes on the property. After this, we climbed back down to the edge of the lake where we enjoyed lunch on a floating jetty restaurant.
After lunch, we made a stop at Lake Navaisha and spent an hour on a boat cruise. We admired the scenery, countless native birds and got scarily close to giant hippos! The mountains in the distance made for an absolutely stunning backdrop.
Hells Gate National Park
Located in the Great Rift Valley, Hells Gate National Park is home to the inspiration for iconic scenes from the Lion King. These include the legendary Pride Rock and the gorge where the stampede occured (RIP Mufasa!!). Like Green Crater Lake, we were walking side by side zebras and giraffes as we made our way toward the gorge.
My favourite part of the National Park was the geothermal area. There are natural hot springs and deep green vines that lace the unique gorge formations. We saw lots of cute hyrax (aka to me, little wombats) and had fun capturing the striking waves of the gorge.
Your local guide for Hells Gate National Park and Green Crater Lake
How to Book
I booked my day trip as part of my Tucan Travel Tour through East Africa. The cost of the day trip was $100 USD (this was bartered down from $120 with the activities manager at Crayfish Camp because there were 8 of us booking all three activities). This included all entrance fees, lunch, our guide, and transportation.
Overall,
My Hells Gate National Park and Green Crater Lake day trip was one of the most memorable highlights of my entire trip. There is nothing quite like standing side by side a wildlife, observing them in their natural habitat, surrounded by breathtaking scenery. It is a day I will never forget.
For more pictures from this excursion head over to @suitcaseandi and comment if you have any questions!
