Taita Taveta County is in the coastal region. The county has four constituencies: Wundanyi, Mwatate, Voi and Taveta. Lying 200km northwest of Mombasa and 360km southwest of Nairobi city, the region is known for its wildlife ranches. There are 48 forests, remnants of a larger forest that once draped the Taita hills. 28 are gazetted.The Taita Hills are part of the Eastern Arch mountain range that stretch into Tanzania with the Usambara Mountains as part of the chain. The forests thrive because of moisture from evening clouds and ocean breeze.
Tourist Attractions in Taita Taveta County
Taita Hills
Covering 1,000km2, Taita Hills form the northern most par of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Vuria is the highest peak at 2,208 metres above sea level.
The Taita Hills forests have 13 taxa of plants and nine taxa of animals that are endemic. in addition 22 plant species found in the Taita Hills forests are typical of the Eastern Arc forests including the indigenous species of the African violet.
Tsavo National Park
Dubbed the “Theatre of the wild’, Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks form one of the largest national parks in the world covering a massive four per cent of Kenya’s total land area. Tsavo East, the larger of the two, lies to the east of the Nairobi —Mombasa road, halfway between Nairobi and Mombasa. It is dominated by thorn bush land with the Galana River flowing through and bordered by the Yatta plateau, the longest lava flow in the world. The park is known for its large herds of the famous ‘red’ elephants. The park is accessible through Mtito Andei, Voi, Buchuma, Manyani, lthumba or Sala gates.
Access
Roads: The Mtito Andei Gate is 233km south of Nairobi and 250km north of Mombasa on the main Nairobi-Mombasa road.
From Malindi, take the western road (C103) and enter the park via Sala gate.
Airstrips: Voi, Aruba, Satao, Sala, lthumba, Sangayaya, Mopeo, Bachuma, Cottars.
Major Attractions
- Elephants.
- Aruba Dam on the northern banks of the seasonal Voi River, is a popular drinking hole for wildlife.
- Mudanda Rock. The enormous rock towers above a natural dam, which draws elephants and thousands of other animals to it.
- Yatta Plateau. The longest lava flow in the world stretching 300km.
- Lugard Falls. Named after Captain Lugard, the first proconsul to East Africa, the falls feature bizarrely eroded rocks through which the waters of the Galana River flow over foaming rapids and crocodile—infested pools.
Wildlife
The Park is famous for its large animals such as vast herds of red dust-coated elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, Lesser kudu, gerenuk and hirola.
The prolific bird life features 500 recorded species.
Accommodation
In – Park Accommodation
Lodges
Voi Safari Lodge, KingfisherTentecl Camp, Ndololo Tented camp. , Tarhi Eco Camp, Satao Camp, Epiya Chapeya tented Camp, Patterson’s Safari Camp, Aruba Ashnil.
Out-side Park Accommodation
Voi Wildlife Lodge, Man Eaters, Red Elephant lodge and budget hotels on the fence line.
Camping Facilities
Public campsites: Ndololo Campsite.
A selection of special campsites are available which must be booked in advance
Activities
Game drives, Camping, Trekking, Bird watching
Tsavo West National Park
“Land of Lava, Springs and Man-eaters.”
The park is in southeast Kenya, 240km from Nairobi along the western side of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. The savannah land has wide grasslands, scrublands, acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation and rocky ridges. The wildlife attractions are elephant, rhino, hippos, lions, cheetah, leopards, buffalos, diverse plant and bird species including the threatened corncrake and the Basra Reed Warbler.
Access
240km from Nairobi, 250km from Mombasa (Mtito Andei Gate).
There are three airstrips in the park
Gates: Tsavo, Lake Jipe, Mtito Andei (Kamboyo HQ), Chyulu, Maktau and Ziwani.
Roads: The main access routes are through Chyulu Gate from Amboseli and Mtito Andei Gate from Nairobi.
Visitors from Mombasa can use Tsavo Gate near Manyani.
The Park can be reached via Taveta —Voi road through Maktau,Ziwani and Jipe Gates.
Airstrips: Kamboyo, Kilaguni, Tsavo Gate, Jipe, Kasigau, Finch Hattons, Ziwani and Maktau.
Major Attractions
Recent Volcanoes, volcanic Chaimu hill, Roaring rocks, Poacher’s outlook, Shetani lava flow and underground caves with potential for geological and cave exploration and hiking, Mzima Springs, rhino sanctuary and underwater hippo and fish observatory room.
Wildlife
Leopard, cheetah, wild dogs, buffalo, rhino, elephant, giraffe, zebra, lion, crocodile, mongoose, hyrax, dik- dik, Lesser kudu and about 600 species of birds.
Accomodation
In- Park
Ngulia Safari Lodge, Kilaguni Safari Serena Lodge, Kitani Severin Safari Camp/ Lodge, Finch Hattons Tented Lodge, Voyager Safari camp.
Self — Catering
- Kamboyo Guest House
- Lake Jipe Bandas
Camping
3 public campsites (with water and latrines) Kamboyo Campsite (8km from Mtito Andei Gate), Chulu Campsite, (1km from Chyulu Gate) and Lake Jipe Campsite (on the lake shore).
A wide Variety of ‘special campsite’ (no facilities) exist and must be booked in advance through the warden or KWS HQs.
Activities
- Game drives
- Underwater Hippo and fish watching at Mzima Springs.
- Cave exploration at the Shetani caves.
- World War 1 sites
Best time to visit
All year round
|
Useful Links
|
|