1 Day trip to Hells Gate and optional Lake Naivasha From Nairobi
Description
Ride a bike and hike through Hell’s Gate National Park on a full-day, private tour from Nairobi to the wildlife reserve and Lake Naivasha that includes hells gate entrance, bikes, and round trip-transport from Nairobi. This customizable tour offers the rare chance to see wildlife outside of a vehicle while exploring a scenic part of the Great Rift Valley. Note: If you cannot bike, you can tour the park with the vehicle or walk, the driver/guide is happy to stop for photos of wildlife and scenery In case you are also tired of biking and have not completed the trail, you can leave the bike on the side of the road and notify the guide and the car will come rescue you at no extra cost. Theres also an e-bike option for beginners fitness level, to cover the distance with less effort and enjoy the activity without strain
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin with 7am pickup in Nairobi, then travel to Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park, with a break to get views of the Great Rift Valley from a scenic overlook along the way. Upon arriving in the park at roughly 9am, begin a 2-hour, guided bike/walking tour: watch for beautiful rock formations, herds of Thompson’s gazelle, eland, zebra, giraffes, warthogs and hartebeest as you ride. Keep an eye on the sky throughout the tour, as Hell’s Gate National Park is home to more than 100 species of birds, including Verreaux’s eagles, augur buzzards, vulture, and swifts. Continue on foot into the park’s distinctive gorges, where narrow passageways and caves are sunk into sedimentary rock. After a 1-hour walk, depart for Lake Naivasha, then head to Naivasha Marina camp for lunch (own expense). Note: If you cannot bike, you can tour the park with the vehicle, the driver/guide is happy to stop for photos of wildlife and scenery at no extra cost
For an additional fee, you can explore Lake Naivasha wildlife on a optional 1-hour motor boat tour. Spot the hippos that linger just at the surface of the water, and see some of the diverse birdlife; African fish eagles, lesser flamingos, African spoonbill, and little grebe are all common here. The boat ride goes all the way to shores of crescent island(a part of the movie OUT OF AFRICA was shot here) At 4pm, begin the return trip to Nairobi, and finish the day with drop-off in Nairobi at roughly 6pm.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Apartments & Villas & Hostels & hotel/residence within Nairobi(the driver will ask for you at the reception or message you on whatsapp) Airport(the driver will have a placard with your name outside the arrival terminal)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Dress code is sporty casual wear
- Carry re-usable bottled water(single use plastic bottles not allowed)
- Wear comfortable sporty shoes
- Sunscreen/hat and sunglasses for sun and dust
- A small back bag to carry your personal items
Reviews(509)
I had such a great experience visiting Hell’s Gate! I went alone, but I felt completely comfortable and well taken care of throughout the entire trip. David was my driver and was extremely reliable, friendly, and helpful from beginning to end. Once I arrived at Hell’s Gate, Fredrick was my guide, and he made the experience even better. He was very knowledgeable about the park, explained everything along the way, and made sure I felt safe and comfortable exploring on my own. He was also really friendly and easy to talk to, which made the day feel much more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this experience, especially for anyone traveling solo. A big thank you to David and Fred for making my visit to Hell’s Gate such a memorable one!
Hello, Hope you are well Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a comfortable and memorable solo adventure at Hell’s Gate. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with David and Fredrick. It’s great to know their professionalism, knowledge, and friendly service made your experience special. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Kenya again! Warm regards Daisy
Patrick was an exceptional driver companion! Friendly and always on the ball, he delighted us with great company to Hell’s Gate, helping us also to get the quad bike to ride around the park and to Lake Naivasha, where we even managed to see the hippos! 5 stars and also highly recommended is Innocent, the Hell’s Gate guide, the Valentino Rossi of Kenya!
Dear George, Hope you are well Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We are delighted to hear that Patrick made your trip enjoyable and helped arrange your quad bike experience. We are also glad that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and seeing hippos at Lake Naivasha. We truly appreciate your kind words about Patrick and Innocent, and we will be sure to share your feedback with them. Best regards Daisy
Fantastic guide on this journey together! Patrick as a driver and Innocent as a guide were exceptional in helping us experience it to the fullest. We managed to see many animals and the explanations were useful for appreciating the park to the fullest. Let’s not forget Emma for the beautiful souvenirs!!!
Dear Giorgio, Hope you are well Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that Patrick and Innocent made your Hell’s Gate experience so enjoyable and helped you discover the park and its wildlife. We are also happy that Emma made your visit extra special with her beautiful souvenirs. We truly appreciate your kind words. Warm regards Daisy
We booked a one day trip to Hell's Gate and Lake Naivasha on August 2026. We were one mis 60'a couple on our own but willing to join others. We left Nairobi at 0700 from our hotel promptly with no issues. Booking was online through Tripadvisor with payment through Tripadvisor. There were no issues with payment methods but as a bit of advice for those staying in Kenya, make sure you get a SafariCom eSIM ans the M-PESA app. Almost every business transaction you make in Kenya will use M-PESA. I was a little surprised when a decent Toyota Sedan pulled up and it was just the two of us on the tour. That said, it made for a very personable experience, with our exceptional driver Patrick, Awesome Hell's Gate Guide Gomez and Lake Naivasha Guide David "The Sea Eagle Caller". The drive from Nairobi was very unique in an exciting sort of way. The day was full and we were glad we picked both the ebike option and the boat tour. The road through the plain enroute the Hell's Gate canyon is a long, dirty and dusty experience and with a regular bike, you may struggle at times. The road is 8km downhill on the way there and the same uphill on the way back. The boat tour was a great ads in as we saw Sea Eagles, Pelicans of various types, Marabou, Hippopotamus (mother and baby) and many, many other birds and sea life. Lunch was very well organised as was the timings for the day. Very highly recommended
Dear Kristoff, Hope you are well Thank you so much for your detailed and wonderful review! We are delighted that you enjoyed your Hell’s Gate and Lake Naivasha experience and that Patrick, Gomez, and David made your day special. We are especially happy that you enjoyed the electric bicycle ride and boat tour, and had the opportunity to see such a variety of wildlife and birdlife. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are glad that the organization, timing, and lunch arrangements met your expectations. It was a pleasure having you with us. Warm regards Daisy
I enjoyed the Tour. My Guide Patrick drove savely on challenging roads and was on time. The Bike Guide was nice and patient, so that I could take pictures of the animals. I can recommend the optional boat Tour. The boat Guide David showed me various birds and how they hunt fish.
Hello, Hope you are well Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful feedback! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Patrick made your journey comfortable and safe, especially on the challenging roads. We are also pleased to know that he was punctual and professional throughout the day. It is wonderful to hear that your bike guide was patient and gave you enough time to take pictures of the animals and enjoy the experience at your own pace. We are also glad that you enjoyed the optional boat tour and that David made it even more memorable by showing you the different bird species and explaining how they hunt for fish. Thank you for recommending our tour. We truly appreciate your kind words. Warm regards Daisy
This was an amazing experience! Patrick was on time picking us up, explaining the day, and was there the entire day. Fredrick was our tour guide in Hells Gate. He was thorough, patient and even helped my son bike back from the hike. He was so kind! At the lake, Kevin was very patient to ensure that we saw all of the wild life. What an amazing experience!
Hello Halisha, Hope you are well Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you had such an amazing experience exploring Hell's Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha with us. It is especially rewarding to know that Patrick, Frederick, and Kevin made your day so memorable. We will be sure to pass along your kind words to them—they will be delighted to know their dedication and care made such a positive impact, especially Frederick's assistance to your son during the bike ride. Warm regards Daisy
I had an amazing time cycling with my awesome guide Javan while my wife took the easy ATV haha. Javan is knowledgeable of Hell’s gate. This couldn’t have happened without David being punctual, great conservationist, knowledgeable of the entire tour and country as a whole. I think our experience was better because of David and Javan.
Dear Nahid, Hope you are well Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you had an amazing experience at Hell's Gate. Javan and David will be thrilled to know they made your tour so memorable with their knowledge, professionalism and punctuality. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Kenya! Warm regards Daisy
This tour was absolutely amazing! My driver, Patrick, was fantastic from start to finish. He picked me up on time, drove me safely to all the destinations, and shared plenty of interesting information along the way. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the journey enjoyable. Our tour guide, Leki, was equally incredible. He was funny, engaging, and truly passionate about Hell's Gate National Park. His enthusiasm made the experience unforgettable, and he also turned out to be an excellent photographer, capturing some amazing memories for me. I highly recommend this tour, and if you have the chance, ask for Patrick and Leki. They make an outstanding team, and you definitely won't regret it!
Dear Oyenmwen, Thank you so much for your fantastic review and for choosing African Beast Tours & Safaris for your Hell's Gate adventure. We are delighted to hear that you had such an amazing experience from start to finish. Patrick will be thrilled to know that his punctuality, safe driving, and insightful commentary made your journey enjoyable. We are equally pleased that Leki's passion, humour, and knowledge of Hell's Gate National Park made your visit truly unforgettable. We're also glad he helped capture such wonderful memories through his photography! Your recommendation means a great deal to us, and we will be sure to pass your kind words on to both Patrick and Leki. They will be delighted to know they made such a positive impact on your trip. Thank you once again for your thoughtful review. Best regards Daisy
This 1-day trip was fantastic! Cycling through Hell’s Gate National Park was such a unique experience – riding among zebras and giraffes with the cliffs in the background was unforgettable. After that, the optional boat ride on Lake Naivasha to see hippos and birds was the perfect way to relax. The guide was friendly, professional, and made sure everything ran smoothly. Great value for money and highly recommended for anyone looking for adventure close to Nairobi!
Hello, Hope you are well Thank you for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed cycling through Hell's Gate National Park and the boat ride on Lake Naivasha. We are pleased that our guide made your trip enjoyable and ensured everything went smoothly. Warm regards Daisy
Patrick was an incredible tour guide. Al great were very keen on taking lots of photos and our tour took a lot longer than expected, but he was super patient and made sure we still filled the itinerary. Frederick was an incredible tour guide inside the park, really knowledgeable. Would highly recommend.
Dear Samy, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for recommending us. We are delighted to hear that Patrick and Frederick made your safari such a memorable experience. Patrick will be pleased to know that his patience and dedication in ensuring you had plenty of time for photos while completing the itinerary were appreciated. We’re also glad that Frederick's knowledge and expertise inside the park enhanced your wildlife experience. Your kind words mean a great deal to our team, and we truly appreciate you choosing African Beast Tours and Safaris. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Kenya. Kind regards, Daisy African Beast Tours and Safaris
