Kenya: Hell’s Gate National Park
For a tiny park, Hell’s Gate National Park has a surprising cinematic history. It has been featured in King Solomon’s Mines, Tomb Raider and inspired the wildebeest stampede scene in The Lion King. It is also close to the home of Joy Adams and her famous rescued lion, Elsa, made famous in the book and film Born Free.
Dramatic cliff face, with zebra for scale
We rented bikes and peddled through the park. While Hell’s Gate is known for its scenery more than its wildlife, we were cycling past grazing zebras, elands (the largest of the antelope family), warthogs and giraffes. It is quite an experience to stop your bike so a zebra can cross the road.
An 8km cycle brings you to a twisting gorge. Hiking down into it, you encounter spectacular wildebeest-stampede-canyon vistas, hot sulfur springs and myriad chips of obsidian (in case you need to fight the White Walkers).
If you go: You can rent bikes to cycle the park or pay a vehicle entrance fee and drive it instead. The road it bumpy and in full sun all day, so if you’re biking bring plenty of water and sunscreen. If I were doing it again, I would bike one way in, bike the gorge, and then arrange for a car pick-up rather than bike the same road back.
