Safari to the Chyulu Hills

pretty landscapes of domed hills and savannas

Set 180 km southeast of Nairobi, Chyulu Hills is a relatively little-known area of beautiful upland scenery, which lies between the flatlands of Amboseli and Tsavo West, 75 km to the northeast of Mount Kilimanjaro which provides a scenic backdrop on clear days.

Unlike the national parks on either side, Chyulu Hills attracts very few visitors and therefore retains a much greater sense of wilderness.

Central and south

The core upland areas, which form the bulk of the national park, are comprised mainly of dome-topped hills, in part covered by patches of open acacia woodlands and dense forests.

These altitudes are much better watered than the surrounding plains and provide sanctuary to many animals during the Jul-Oct dry season, notably elephants, elands and hartebeests.

The plains to the southwest of the hills contain a network of large private conservancies and Maasai tribal lands, home to a very wide range of wildlife, notably including giraffes, elephants, zebras and wildebeest. Predators including lions, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, leopards and servals are also present, but sightings can be relatively few and far between.

However the wildlife densities in this area are likely to be relatively low during the Jan-May green season, when the animals tend to head down to the plains.

The main accommodation options in this area are the genuinely high-end Ol Donyo Lodge and the characterful owner-hosted Campi ya Kanzi.

North

Outside the borders on the northeastern side of the reserve, the land is relatively densely populated with shamba and commercial farming operations, whilst areas inside that part of the reserve are dominated by thick forest, which contains a good deal of biodiversity, but where the wildlife viewing can be really difficult, meaning that the few vehicle tracks tend to be relatively little-used.

The main accommodation option here is Umani Springs Camp, a specialist property which is connected to the renowned Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and forms a part of their elephant orphan release scheme.

The Chyulu Hills area is often included in longer high-end explorations of Kenya, usually combined by air with quality lodges in the Maasai Mara and other safari areas further north.

The usual stay duration is 3-4 nights.

Getting there

The more popular lodges on the southwest side of the Chyulu Hills can be accessed by light aircraft into local airstrips or via the main airstrips down in Amboseli National Park.

The lodges on the forested north side are usually accessed by road, along the main Nairobi to Mombasa highway.

the upmarket alternative to Amboseli