Hell's Gate National Park
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Hell's Gate National Park
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 Landscape in Hell's Gate NP |
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| location |
Nakuru County , Kenya
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| surface | 68 km² |
| WDPA ID | 7506 |
| Geographical location | 0 ° 55 ′ S , 36 ° 19 ′ E |
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| Setup date | 1984 |
| administration | Kenya Wildlife Service |
The Hell's Gate National Park is a Kenyan national park in the south of Lake Naivasha northwest of Nairobi . The 68 km² extensive park is located in the Great Rift Valley ( Rift Valley ) at an altitude of about 1500 m above sea level. The park is best known for its scenic beauty. The Hell's Gate or Njorowa gorge, two extinct volcanoes and two volcanic columns called Fischer's Tower and Central Tower are particularly worth seeing . Three geothermal power plants are in operation on the extinct volcano Ol Karia . The fauna is rich in species and has both steppe and rock inhabitants, the eagle and vulture rocks are significant.
history
Hell's Gate National Park (German "Höllentor National Park") is named after a narrow passage in the cliffs. This leads into a “hell-like” landscape or into a deep gorge in the lava rock where hot springs gush. In the gorge there was once the bed of a prehistoric lake. U. early humans lived in the Rift Valley. The area received its name "Hell's Gate" in 1883 from the explorers Gustav Adolf Fischer and Joseph Thomson . At the beginning of the 20th century, the volcano Mount Longonot to the southeast erupted ; the ashes can still be found around Hell's Gate today. The Olkaria geothermal power plant, the first of its kind in Africa, started operating in 1981 and produces geothermal energy from the area's hot springs and geysers . The national park itself was established in 1984. This was a wish of the "mother lion" Joy Adamson, who was murdered in 1980, and was carried out with financial support from her Elsa Conservation Trust .
geography
Hell's Gate National Park covers an area of 68.25 square kilometers, making it a relatively small national park by African standards. The park is located within Nakuru County near Lake Naivasha and about 90 km from Nairobi. The park is 14 km after the exit from the old Nairobi – Naivasha motorway. The climate is warm and dry. Ol Karia and Hobley's, two extinct volcanoes, and obsidian formations from the cooled lava can be seen in the park. Two volcanic pillars, Fischer's Tower and Central Tower, have formed in Hell's Gate Gorge, surrounded by red cliffs. A smaller gorge leads south from the Central Tower; from this a path leads to some hot springs.
Wildlife
The park offers a habitat for many different animals, even if many species are represented with only a few individuals. African buffalos , zebras , eland antelopes , red hartebeests , Thomson's gazelle and baboons are widespread , as well as mountain reedbucks , klipspringer and hyrax live in the park. Lions, leopards and cheetahs can be observed relatively often , and servals are also native here. So far, 103 bird species have been recorded in the park. B. bearded vulture , hawk vulture , hooded vulture , Black Eagle and rock Buzzard .
tourism
The park is popular because of its proximity to Nairobi and its low entrance fees compared to other national parks. Hell's Gate is one of two Kenyan national parks that allow hiking, cycling and motorcycling. In the park there is a Maasai culture center that provides information about the culture and traditions of the Maasai . There are three basic campsites in the park. There are several inns on Lake Naivasha.
Geothermal energy
Olkaria I was the first geothermal power plant in Africa to go into operation in 1981; today it has an output of 45 MW. The newer blocks Olkaria II and III deliver 105 and 12 MW. At the moment Olkaria I is being expanded and Olkaria IV is being rebuilt. Both plants will later generate 140 MW of electricity each, more than any other geothermal power plant in Africa. The Olkaria power plants I and II as well as IV belong to the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) . Olkaria III is operated by so-called Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Web links
- Hells Gate National Park ( Memento from February 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive )