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Tsavo West national
park covers 9000 km2, South Eastern Kenya, from
Nairobi (240 km) and
inland from Mombasa, approximately 30% of Kenya's area under parks,
and contains a diversity of habitats, wildlife and a mountainous
scenic landscape. The park is a vast expanse of savanna stretching
from the Athi river, North of the Mombasa-Nairobi road and south to
the Tanzanian border. The North Eastern boundary along the Athi
adjoins Tsavo East National Park, but Tsavo West has a more varied
topography and a more diverse array of habitats than its neighbour.-The park's habitats
include open plains alternating with Savannah bush and semi desert
scrub, acacia woodlands; rocky ridges and outcrops and more extensive
ranges and isolated hills; belts of riverine vegetation; palm thickets
and on the Chyulu hills, mountain forest. There are numerous rocky
outcrops and ridges and part of the park, towards the Chyulu Hills, is
of recent volcanic origin with lava flows and ash cones including the
Shetani lava flow, an example of a recent volacano.-In the far south
western corner on the Kenya Tanzania border is Lake Jipe, part of
which is in the park. This very attractive lake is fed by runoff from
Mt. Kilimanjaro and the North Pare mountains.At Mzima Springs, in
the North of the park, water that has filtered underground from the
Chyulu Hills gushes from below a lava ridge into a series of clear
pools.
Major attractions;
Recent volcanoes, lava flows and caves with potential for geological
and cave exploration, and hiking. Mzima Springs & underwater hippo
watching, Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, Lake Jipe, Mt. Kilimanjaro, elephant
and rhino. Accommodation; Lake Jipe Safari
Lodge; Ngulia Lodge; Kilaguni Lodge;
Campsites:
Lake Jipe
(public); Kamboya (public); Royal Little (special); Lake Jipe; Chyulu
Gate; Diani Camp; Finch Hattons Camp.
Bandas:
Lake Jipe; Kitani;
Ngulia.
Wildlife; Elephant, Kudus, Aardwolf, Bushbuck,,
Hunting Dog, leopard, lion, hippos, hyena, eland, bush duiker, impala,
lackals, hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra, grant and thomson gazelle,
cheetah, civet, giraffe, klipspringer, reedbuck, waterbuck, Mongooses, black
rhino, african buffalo....Birds; Starlings, weaver birds,
kingfishers, hornbills secretary bird and other raptors, rollers,
herons, and stocks.doves, drongo, vultures,
eagles, egrets, cockoo...Reptiles:
Crocodile, Python,
Cobra, Monitor Lizard, Crocodile Terrapin, Tortoise, Lizard.
Insects/arthropods: Grasshopper,
Butterfly, Moth, Beetle, Scorpions, Bee.
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