Tsavo & Chyulu Hills

Tsavo East and Tsavo West combine to form one of the biggest reserves in Africa, covering an area of over 4 million hectares, which is larger than the island of Jamaica. This means visitors can enjoy game viewing without encountering the crowds of the more popular parks yet still having a decent choice of places to stay.

The Chyulu Hills lie between Amboseli and Tsavo West. This volcanic mountain range is a wonderful place to connect with your surroundings on a walking safari or on horseback. Chyulu has two incredible luxury camps (Ol Donyo and Campi ya Kanzi)

• Wildlife in Tsavo and the Chyulu Hills:  This is elephant country, great herds make this terrain their home, there is ample space for them. It’s also popular for lion, kudu, rhino, buffalo and giraffe.
• Birdlife of Tsavo: Tsavo has a healthy bird population with weavers, hornbills, sunbirds, rollers and raptors just a fraction of what you might see.
• Tsavo and Chyulu landscapes:  The landscapes in Tsavo go on for miles, quite literally. It incorporates hills, acacia forests and wide-open savannah, simply stunning. Chyulu offers distinctive rounded hills, volcanic vents and black lava flows with magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.
• Additional experiences:  Horse riding and walking safaris are popular in the Chyulu Hills, it makes for a nice change from game driving. Fly camping is also an option, chat with us about this exciting activity. For those interested in reptiles, there is an underwater observatory at Mzima Springs where you can watch crocodiles swimming from a safe distance.
• When to visit the Tsavo and the Chyulu Hills:  See our When to Go page for more detail, but as a rough guide we’d recommend avoiding the rainier months of April and May.