Description: Taita Hills is a privately owned game park on the edge of Tsavo West National Park. For all practical purposes, it is an extension of Tsavo. Taita Hills has two lodges, Salt Lick Lodge and Taita Hills Lodge, and two camps. We arrived late in the afternoon at Salt Lick Lodge after safari runs in Tsavo. The rooms at Salt Lick Lodge were a set up as a several clusters of four circular two story high towers set on stilts about 15 feet above ground. Each cluster connects to the next and ultimately to the dining room/bar/lobby by a bridge so that game can pass right under the hotel going to the nearby water holes. Most rooms overlook a water hole.
Most of the lodges where we stayed were at water holes. During the dry season, animals have to visit water holes for water because the streams mostly dry up. The lodges are effectively set beside wild animal magnets, and do they come! One night at the lodge in Tsavo East, we decided to count elephant– 62 came to drink in about two hours.
A day at a game lodge begins around 8am with a full British style breakfast buffet. At 10am, a game run– everyone piles into their vehicle and sets out into the park to see the day time wildlife. Around noon, back to the lodge for a formal buffet lunch served by waiters in tie and tails at a table set with a lifetime supply of silverware. After lunch, off for the afternoon game run, and then the trip to the next lodge. From Salt Lick Lodge, we had a short trip to the next
overnight stop, Taita Hills Lodge, about two miles away, but very different in atmosphere and in wildlife.
The high point of our visit came after diner. Salt Lick’s claim to fame is a semi-underground tunnel that runs out to a bunker at the edge of the water hole. Game viewing was from open widows in the bunker, so close to the animals that at one point we reached out the window and rubbed an elephant’s knee. He seemed not to notice.
Rooms at Salt Lick Lodge were game park standard– extremely pleasant and comfortable and attractively decorated with a variety of native arts and crafts, understated luxury in the wilds of Africa. Beds came with a surrounding mosquito net tent. When you find that, use it. Don’t take chances with malaria, even though you are taking the anti-malaria drug.
Guests at Salt Lick can use the swimming pool at Taita Hills Lodge. Salt Lick will run you over in a van. However, when were there in late June, the water was far to cold for swimming, which is something I don’t understand doing anyhow when there is wild game no see.
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