Marafa Hell’s Kitchen is a famous tourist destination in Malindi, Kilifi County, well-known for its beautiful scenery formed by multi-coloured gorges.
It is situated to the northwest of the Malindi beaches and is connected to a well-maintained tarmac road.
The destination is described as an ideal hiking and photography destination due to the patterns of the coloured gorges.
Natives around its vicinities state that it was once a great sandstone ridge before turning into a series of jagged gorges caused by wind, rain, and floods.
They refer to it as "Nyari", - which means "the place broken by itself".
According to the natives, the configuration of the valleys changes after every rainy season due to erosion.
However, the locals have several fables which they advance as the cause for the evolution of Marafa's landscape.
One interesting folk tale holds that a prominent family inhabited the area in time immemorial. The fable adds that despite having other earthly coveted riches, the family struggled to access water for its domestic use and livestock.
This prompted the family to use milk as a substitute for water, a move which provoked their gods for misusing milk at a time when hundreds of other families struggled to secure food.
As a punishment, the gods ordered the ground to swallow the entire family hence multiple valleys were formed.
According to regular visitors in the area, it costs Ksh300 to access the destination and an extra Ksh1000 for a tour guide.
Photography enthusiasts flock to the area mostly at sunrise and sunset, which is attributable to the inherent aesthetics of the gorges.
However, regulars warn that temperatures, at times, rise to extremely high degrees hence visitors are advised to wear light clothes.
Despite the proclaimed value, the destination is yet to realize its full potential as a tourist destination, as it is usually eclipsed by other notable destinations in the coast region.
