Hell's Gate and Lake Naivasha tour: Cycle and hike with wildlife

Walk, cycle or hike through a park where you share the terrain with giraffes and zebras

A full-day tour from Naivasha combines Hell's Gate National Park (where you cycle 7 kilometers on flat terrain or walk among wildlife) with a boat ride on Lake Naivasha to spot hippos and birds. The guide leads you through the park's gorges and history, and you stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint on the drive. Hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, water and a professional English-speaking guide are included. Lunch, park fees, cycling and the boat ride are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hells Gate and Lake Naivasha

• Pickup from hotel early morning
• Drive 1.5-2 hours to Rift Valley viewpoint
• Stop at Rift Valley viewpoint
• Proceed to Hell's Gate National Park
• Cycle or drive through Hell's Gate Park
• Visit souvenir shops near the gorges
• Lunch break
• Drive to Lake Naivasha
• Take 30-60 minute boat ride on Lake Naivasha
• View hippos and bird species from boat
• Return to Nairobi

The experience

What sets Hell's Gate apart from other Kenyan parks is that you're not confined to a vehicle. You can cycle an easy 7-kilometer loop on smooth, flat terrain through the park, or walk and hike if you prefer: both let you move at your own pace while giraffes, zebras, antelopes and buffalo roam the same ground. There are no predators in the park, which changes how close you can get. The guide walks or cycles with you, explaining the park's volcanic formation and the animals you encounter, and you'll pass souvenir shops on the way to the gorges.

After the park, you drive to Lake Naivasha for a thirty-minute to one-hour boat ride. From the water you see kingfishers, fish eagles and marabou storks. Along the shores, giraffes and antelopes drink while hippos surface nearby. The lake sits in the Rift Valley, which you also see from a viewpoint stop on the drive: a massive geological feature stretching from Jordan, marked by volcanic mountains, lakes and gorges. The whole day runs six to seven hours from hotel pickup to return.

The 1.5 to 2-hour drive from your hotel passes Mt. Longonot, a crater mountain surrounded by wildlife, before reaching Hell's Gate. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and WiFi on board. Lunch, park entry fees, bicycle hire and the boat ride are not included in the tour price and are arranged separately.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a professional English-speaking guide for all activities.
• bottled water.
• WiFi on board.
• access to Hell's Gate National Park terrain for cycling, walking or hiking.
• the Rift Valley viewpoint stop.
• and a boat ride on Lake Naivasha.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 90 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 114

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Happy Tribe Travel

Is this one for you?The six to seven-hour commitment fits a full day but leaves the evening free for your hotel or Naivasha town. The cycling is optional and flat, so moderate fitness is the realistic bar, not a training requirement, but the terrain and wildlife interaction do demand you be comfortable on your feet or on a bike for stretches of the day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I cycle through Hell's Gate if I've never done it before?

The cycling route is 7 kilometers one way on flat, smooth terrain with no hills, so it's easy for beginners. Cycling is optional. You can walk or hike instead, and the guide will accompany you either way.

What animals will I actually see in Hell's Gate?

Giraffes, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes and smaller animals live in the park. There are no predators, so you can move through the terrain on foot or by bike without a vehicle barrier between you and the wildlife.

How long is the boat ride on Lake Naivasha?

The boat ride lasts thirty minutes to one hour. You'll see hippos in the water, kingfishers, fish eagles, marabou storks, and wildlife like giraffes and antelopes along the shores.

What's included in the tour price and what do I pay separately?

Hotel pickup, the air-conditioned vehicle, a professional guide, bottled water and WiFi are included. Hell's Gate National Park entry, lunch, bicycle hire, the Lake Naivasha boat ride and any hiking or rock climbing activities are separate charges.

How much time does the whole tour take?

The tour runs six to seven hours total, including the 1.5 to 2-hour drive from your hotel, time in Hell's Gate, the Rift Valley viewpoint stop and the Lake Naivasha boat ride.