Verdant rolling hills of endless green bush, great blue skies, and spectacular landscape views are what the Chyullu Hills National Park provides nature lovers with. The park comprises the Eastern flanks of Chyullu Hills including half the forest area. A magical land of black frozen lava studded with blazing red-hot poker trees. The hills hold no permanent surface water but rainfall percolating through the porous rock, feeds many permanent freshwater sources in the surrounding plains notably Mzima Springs, Umanyi, Kibwezi, Makindu, and the Tsavo River which feeds the Galana River.

Situated between Tsavo West and Amboseli National Parks, Chyulu Hills is primarily known for its magnificent bull elephants, picturesque views of Kilimanjaro, and exclusivity. In addition, the park has many signs of volcanic activity, including volcanic cones, craters, and lava tubes. With an altitude ranging from 3000-7000 ft, the landscape is varied, with cloud forest, woodland, riverine forest,s and open savannah.

Plains game is primarily concentrated in two Maasai-owned Group Ranches, each with only one lodge. Therefore, visitors essentially have the wildlife to themselves. A much broader array of activities is available at these ranches than most Kenyan wildlife areas, like guided walks, biking, hiking up to the cloud forests and down to lava tubes, and even horseback safaris! Visits to Maasai manyattas are possible as well.

Wildlife here includes cheetah, eland, impressively-tusked elephant, Maasai giraffe, lion, buffalo, wildebeest, and leopard. Because of the varied habitats, there have also been more than 400 bird species recorded.

Wildlife in Chyulu Hills National Park

Chyulu Hill National Park has a low concentration of wildlife, although visitors have a good chance of spotting animals such as elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebra, eland, and klipspringer.

Lucky visitors might also spot the region’s primates, Sykes monkeys and baboons. Although the park doesn’t have a large presence of wildlife, predators such as lions and leopards from Tsavo West National Park pass through the Chyulu Hills National Park. The park is also home to several species of reptiles such as rock python, puff adder, black mamba, lizard, gecko, and tortoise as well as various species of insects such as dung beetles and butterflies.

Chyulu’s unique ecosystem also offers a rich environment for birdlife. The park is home to over 300 bird species: bird enthusiasts may come across its extraordinary birdlife such as Hartlaub’s turaco, purple-crested turaco, Delegrogue’s pigeon, tambourine dove, African palm-swift, Eurasian nightjar, black crake, crowned lapwing, great egret, African harrier-hawk, mountain buzzard, African wood-owl, speckled mouse bird, and cinnamon-chested bee-eater. These birds can be seen across  Chyulu Hills at spots including its savannah plains, forest galleries, and along Lake Jipe’s shores.

Chyulu Hills National Park Premier Attractions

  • Chyulu Hills: Chyulu Hills, a mountain range within the park, is a 100 km long volcanic field offering spectacular views from the Chyulu Hills. It is one of the youngest volcanoes that last erupted in 1855, forming cylindrical passages known as lava tubes that were hollowed out by the flow of molten lava within the hills. This led to the formation of the Kisula caves, another highlight of the Chyulu Hills.
  • Kisula or Leviathan Caves: Chyulu Hills National Park is home to one of the longest caves in Africa: the Leviathan cave is 11 km long. During a visit, travelers can explore the cave and have the chance to see the cone-shaped stalagmites hanging from the cave walls.

List of Activities to do in the park

  • Game viewing
  • Birdwatching
  • Bush walks
  • Camping
  • Horse riding
  • Mountain climbing

When to Visit Chyulu Hills National Park

The best time to visit Chyulu Hills National Park for wildlife viewing is during the dry season, from June to October and January to February. During the wet season, the Chyulu Hills are a rewarding sight, but the poor road conditions make visiting difficult. Since a visit in the wet season can get tricky and sometimes dangerous, the dry season is an ideal time for wildlife and bird watching.