Hell’s Gate National Park

Ryan:

Hells Gate National Park (Kenya) is located in the Rift Valley next to Lake Naivasha. The park is most famous for its two volcanic cores (50-150ft spires) that have remained over time after the more fragile surrounding rock has weathered. Much of the park trekking runs between the metamorphic cliff walls of a descending canyon. The basin of the canyon has been filled with the sediment of cliff erosion, compacted into sandstone rock layers, and then carved (by thousands of years of water flow) into a maze of winding gorges (not unlike those found in parts of Utah).

We were on foot for most of this trip, passing within feet of zebra, impala and warthogs as we moved along. Occasionally we needed to divert from the path to avoid a pair of malnourished buffalo that had strayed several miles from the rest of their group (these buffalo are big and they can become dangerously aggressive if you get to close). Upon first arrival at our camp site, we discovered a hungry resident baboon digging through the trash bin.

This being our first backpacking trip of the summer, it was not without its trials and tribulations.

Night 1 - Back in the states, I had removed the lighter from my pack in preparation for airport security. This item was never replaced (meaning no functioning camp stove) so we spent our first night in the sticks eating dry ramen noodles + flavoring out of a zip-lock bag.

Day 2 – Teizeen was determined to correct our stove situation. After eating an apple and a few raisins, we hiked 3k back to the ranger station to buy a lighter. While we were at the station, the desk attendant asked us if we had packed up our tent, “because the baboons could tear it apart looking for food.” As he was speaking, I was recalling/exaggerating (in my head) the size of the baboon we saw at our campsite and the determination with which it was sifting through the trash bin. In anticipation of possible animal problems, we had brought all food items along with us – but we had not packed the tent. In fact, I might have even left my toothpaste in the tent!

Our day already slipping by us, we decided to rent mountain bikes, race back to the camp site, pack/hide the tent, and continue the rest of our day trip on wheels.

Back at the campsite no damage to the tent – whew! But the baboon was right there – it was looking at us – and I knew it was thinking about causing trouble - I could see it on its chubby baboon face!

So we packed up everything.
Question to self: “Now that we have packed all our stuff, where do we hide it so that the baboon won’t run off with it?” Well the obvious answer was to hang/lock our packs inside the filthy smelly pit latrine. Teizeen does not like this idea but reluctantly goes along with it.

Ryan: “Ok – problem solved – let’s get to the good stuff!”
Teizeen: “My bike has a flat tire”

Doh!

We take a second trip back to the ranger station &, after a brief disgruntled exchange with the rental folks, get a new bike for Teizeen. Finally, by around 12:00, we are off to the canyons.