The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will, for safety reasons, temporarily close the renowned Gorge Camp tourist attraction at Hell's Gate National Park, Naivasha, during the El Niño rains expected to begin this month.
Popularly known as the "Devil's Kitchen", the gorge has offered local and international tourists scenic views of some of the world's natural wonders.
This emerged during the launch of a holiday package for local tourists to the national park in Naivasha during the festive season
In 2019, seven Indian nationals died after heavy and devastating flash floods swept through the gorge, prompting KWS to close the site pending investigations.
KWS Senior Warden for Hell's Gate National Park Nelson Cheruiyot said the gorge would remain closed throughout the El Niño season as a precaution.
Addressing the press in Naivasha, Cheruiyot said the agency had introduced pocket-friendly packages for local tourists visiting the park during the festive season.
He said Hell’s gate continues to see growing demand from local and international tourists due to its unique attractions and wildlife.
"We continue to register growing numbers of local and international tourists visiting Hellsgate as a result of our diverse attractions, including the gorge, bird watching and the geothermal spa," said Cheruiyot.
He said KWS was working with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife to address emerging human-wildlife conflict along the lakeshore, including hippo attacks near Lake Naivasha.
KWS Marketing and Development Officer Sammy Towett launched the "Nature Ndio Form" campaign as a rallying call to attract local tourists to the park.
Towett said the agency had introduced affordable festive-season packages and was planning to welcome more than 700,000 local visitors.
He said tourists would see a wide range of wildlife, adding that KWS had introduced a sustainability agenda to ensure the park continues to serve its purpose.
Rafael Waweru, a director at the National Chamber of Commerce who lives with a disability, said KWS had ensured that people with special needs could access its facilities free of charge.
Waweru commended KWS for entrenching inclusivity, noting that members of disability forums could attend the agency's various forums with ease.
KWS Marketing Manager Ms Mutiithi said Kenyans were being offered a treat of nature and adventure, including hiking, swimming and rock climbing.
"We are offering Kenyans an adventure-themed experience at Hell's Gate National Park at an affordable rate of Sh500 per adult and Sh300 per child," said Mutiithi.
