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    Taita Hills

    Kenya

    Taita Hills

    Point of Interest

    The Taita Hills rise northwest of Voi from the plains of Tsavo. Small remnants of cloud forest like Ngangao are home to birds found only here, and from Vuria, the highest peak at 2,228 meters, you gaze far across the savanna.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Kenya
    7. Amboseli & Tsavo
    9. Taita Hills
    The Taita Hills rise northwest of Voi from the plains of Tsavo. Small remnants of cloud forest like Ngangao are home to birds found only here, and from Vuria, the highest peak at 2,228 meters, you gaze far across the savanna.At the foot of the hills lies the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the Salt Lick Safari Lodge, whose stilt buildings stand over a watering hole.

    Sights in Taita Hills

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Lion Rock
    Attraction

    1Lion Rock

    A rock viewpoint in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary overlooking the savanna at the foot of the Taita Hills. It is visited on game drives through the sanctuary.
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    Ngangao Forest
    Natural Feature

    2Ngangao Forest

    One of the larger cloud forest remnants of the Taita Hills, north of Wundanyi. Home to bird species like the Taita Thrush and Taita Apalis, found nowhere else in the world. A local guide is recommended for the hike.
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    Restaurants in Taita Hills

    Nature, Culture

    Cloud Forests with Endemic SpeciesThe forest islands on the peaks are designated by BirdLife as an Important Bird Area. The Taita Thrush and the Taita Apalis occur worldwide only in these forests.Ngangao ForestThe cloud forest north of Wundanyi, the main town of the hills, is among the larger remaining forest remnants. The highest peak of the Taita Hills is Vuria at 2,228 meters.Wildlife Sanctuary at the Foot of the MountainsWithin the approximately 28,000 acres (just over 110 square kilometers) Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, at about 1,200 meters, is the Salt Lick Safari Lodge. It features 96 stilted rooms overlooking a waterhole.

    Getting Here & Info

    Getting ThereThe starting point is Voi on the Mombasa Road, served by the Madaraka Express. It's about six hours by road from Nairobi, and three hours from Mombasa. From Voi, continue into the hills to Wundanyi or the wildlife sanctuary.Exploring the HillsFor hikes in Ngangao and up Vuria, a local guide is recommended.Game Drives in the SanctuaryGame drives in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: bookings and prices are handled by the lodges within the sanctuary.

    Accommodations in Taita Hills

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    Nearby

    Tsavo East National Park

    Tsavo East National Park

    Tsavo East National Park, located east of the Nairobi–Mombasa road, covers 13,747 square kilometers. It is known for its elephants, which wallow in the red dust, giving them a reddish shimmer.Vast, dry bush savanna, the Galana River with Lugard Falls, and watering holes like Aruba Dam and Mudanda Rock define the game drives.
    Tsavo West National Park

    Tsavo West National Park

    Tsavo West National Park extends west of the Nairobi–Mombasa road over 9,065 square kilometers. Volcanic cones, black lava fields, and the clear Mzima Springs characterize the park.At Mzima Springs, you can observe hippos and crocodiles from an underwater viewing chamber. The Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary is home to rhinos, and from viewpoints like Roaring Rocks, the view extends to Kilimanjaro on clear days.
    Amboseli & Tsavo

    Amboseli & Tsavo

    Between Nairobi and the coast lie some of Kenya's most famous national parks: Amboseli at the foot of Kilimanjaro, the two Tsavo Parks on either side of the Mombasa Road, as well as the Chyulu Hills volcanic range and the Taita Hills near Voi. Elephants, lava fields, and clear springs characterize this dry savanna landscape.
    Chyulu Hills

    Chyulu Hills

    The Chyulu Hills are a chain of young volcanic cones, approximately 100 kilometers long, east of Amboseli. Grass-covered hills, mountain forest above 1,800 meters, and lava caves make them a destination for hikers and cavers.Inside lies the Leviathan Cave, one of the world's longest lava tubes at approximately eleven to twelve kilometers. The national park covers 741 square kilometers and borders Tsavo West to the northwest.
    Amboseli National Park

    Amboseli National Park

    Amboseli National Park, in southern Kenya bordering Tanzania, approx. 240 km southeast of Nairobi, overlooks Kilimanjaro across the border. Elephant herds against the peak, towering over the plains on clear days, define its iconic scene.Across 392 square kilometers, dry plains, the mostly dry Lake Amboseli, and green swamps alternate. From Observation Hill, you overlook swamps and plains.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI