Chyulu hills national park

Chyulu hills national park

Chyulu hills national park is a picturesque national park situated in Makueni country in the south eastern region of Kenya with Tsavo as the nearest city, the park is famous for its spectacular landscape consisting of endless rolling hills covered by green vegetation that is why the park is referred to as the green hills of Africa. Chyulu hills national park covers an area of 741 square kilometers which is composed of the eastern flanks of Chyulu hills, the park is close to eastern west national park and it is part of the great Tsavo conservation area which consists of Tsavo west national park, Tsavo east national park, Chyulu hills and Kibwezi forest.

Chyulu hills national park was gazetted in 1983 and it is under the governance of Kenya wildlife services

Chyulu hills national park is one of the most visited national parks in Kenya which is contributed by different attractions in the park and these include.

Beautiful scenery

Chyulu hills national park has beautiful scenery which is created by various physical features, these features include volcanic ash cones, barren lava, big black rocks and caves beneath the hills which are covered by beautiful orchids.

  Chyulu hills

Chyulu hills are a long chain of hills and the park comprises of the eastern flank of the hills, Chyulu hills consists of  numerous small flows and cones and they were created as a result volcanic activity which is said to have taken place about 1.4 million years ago. The last eruptions of these hills occurred in 1856 and still these hills are considered active.

Levithan cave

Levithan cave is one of the most fascinating features in Chyulu hills national park, the cave is not only one of the visited sites in the park but it is ranked as the one of the longest and deepest lava tube. Levithan cave is locally referred to as Kisula cave and are divided into sections that are upper Levithan and lower and it was divided by the movement of tectonic plates, hot lava which flowed beneath a cooled crust is responsible for the formation of the lower Levithan. Levithan cave are cone shaped with stalagmites hanging above the sections of the wall and they were formed by cooled lava and the walls of the cava are of different colors.

Vegetation cover

Chyulu hills national park is dominated by various species of vegetation in different regions of the park, the lower slopes of the hills are dominated by grasslands and thickets. The top of the hills at the elevation of 1800 meters are dominated by montane forests consisting of tree species such as cassipourea malonsana, olea capensis, prunus Africana, tabernaemontana, stapfiana, neoboutonia macrocalyx, llex mitis and many more. The lower forest galleries consists of juniperus procera tree species and the plains of the park are dominated by savannah vegetation and thickets.

Wildlife                                                                                                                                                    

Chyulu hills national park is a home to a variety of wildlife species which are live in the shirt savannah grassland and montane forests dominating the park and these animals include mammals and primates, animals in Chyulu hills national park include cape buffaloes, eastern black rhinos, elephants, bush pigs, Masai giraffe, mountain reedbucks, wildebeests, grant zebras, cheetahs, bush pigs, elands, steenbok, leopards, baboons and skyes monkey.

Most of the animals in Chyulu hills national park migrate from the neighboring Tsavo west national park, these animals are spotted grazing in the low crest of the hills and black rhinos are specifically sighted around the northern region of the park.

Chyulu hills national park is also a home to a variety snake species in the park such as black mamba, puff adder and rock python.

Birdlife

Chyulu hills national park is an important birding site and great habitant for over 171 bird species which live in the montane forest, grassland and thicket dominated regions of the park. Bird species in Chyulu national park include endemic species such as Francolinus shelleyi, Pogonocichla stellata, Zoothera gurneyi, Bradypterus cinnamomeus, Hieraaetus ayresii, Stephanoaetus coronatus, Polemaetus bellicosus and Cinnyricinclus femoralis. Other birds species found in the park include helmeted guinea fowl, crested guinea fowl, scaly francolin, rameron pigeon, lemon dove, tambourine dove, African green pigeon, purple crested coucal, klaas cuckoo, Eurasian nightjar, alpine swift, black crake, crowned lapwing, gray heron, great egret, African harrier hawk, white backed vulture, brown snake eagle, crowned eagle, pearly-spotted owlet, speckled mouse bird, common scimitar bill and many more.

Safari activities in Chyulu hills national park

Game viewing

Game viewing is the highlight safari activity in Chyulu hills national park as the park is a home to a reasonable population of animals, game drive in the park is offered in sessions that is morning game drive and afternoon game drive. As you drive through the plains of the park you enjoy sights of many animal species as they graze in the savannah and thicket vegetation cover, they animals include bush pig, elands, eastern rhinos, wildebeests, giraffe, zebras, cape buffaloes, leopards, cheetah and many more.

Game drives in Chyulu hills national park are more fascinating and adventurous in the morning as you sight many animals in huge numbers before they sparse off and hide because of the scotching sunlight. The best period of time to done and more amazing in the dry period that is from January to February and from June to October.

Bird watching

Chyulu hills national park is a paradise for bird enthusiastic as the park is a home to a variety of bird species which make bird watching an exciting safari activity, bird watching is a chance for a tourist to enjoy sights to bird species such as helmeted guinea fowl, crested guinea fowl, scaly francolin, rameron pigeon, lemon dove, tambourine dove, African green pigeon, purple crested coucal, klaas cuckoo, Eurasian nightjar, alpine swift, black crake, crowned lapwing, gray heron, great egret, African harrier hawk, white backed vulture, brown snake eagle and many more.

These birds are spotted in the forest galleries, savannah plains and around Lake Jipe which is an excellent birding spot in Chyulu hills national park, the best time for bird watching experience in the park is in the dry period of January to February and June to October.

Hiking

For scenery, nature and wilderness lovers hiking safari experience in Chyulu hills national park is your perfect experience, the park is made up Chyulu hills which are covered by green vegetation cover thus creating beautiful scenery. There is a couple of well maintained trails which are used during hiking experience, these trails run through forests leading to the high altitudes of Chyulu hills. On the hiking experience you get to spot forest animals such as baboons, Skye’s forest and many birds such as African green pigeon, purple crested coucal, klaas cuckoo, Eurasian nightjar, alpine swift, black crake, crowned lapwing, gray heron, great egret, African harrier hawk, white backed vulture, brown snake eagle and many more.

On the high altitudes of the Chyulu hills you are rewarded with the view of mountain Kilimanjaro snow covered ranges,

Bush walks and cave tours

Chyulu hills national park is gifted with amazing nature consisting of green vegetation cover and many wildlife species which are be discovered and enjoyed on bush walks and cave tours, bush walks in the park takes you through a series of vegetation cover with sights of numerous plant species such as orchids, acacia trees, woodlands and many birds. Cave tours in Chyulu hills national park offers tourists an opportunity to visit the famous Levithan cave, cave tours is done under the supervision of a tour guide and with a help of a flashlight and in the cave you will enjoy magnificent views of cone shape stalagmites hanging on the walls of the cave. On this experience you will also visit the two sections of the cave that is the upper and lower cave.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding experience is an advanced and most ecological friendly way of touring Chyulu hills national park done while riding on the back of the horse, this safari experience is unique from game drive as it offers tourists a chance to get close to the animals while on the back of a horse. As you ride through the plains of the park you spot many animals such as the majestic giraffe, wildebeests, leopards, cheetahs and many more as they graze.

Cultural tours

Cultural tours in Chyulu hills national park takes tourists on a visit in the Masai local community who were the former inhabitants of the Chyulu hills and its plains of the park, the Masai people are pastoralists with most their culture and practices untouched by modernity and technology .on your visit in the Masai community you will be entertained by local songs and dances,  be amazed with their local dressing code, get involved in rearing cattle and many more .

Where to stay in Chyulu hills national park

There is not so many accommodation facilities used by tourists visiting Chyulu hills national park for a safari and these include Kiboko campsite, Kathisayo campsite situated in the park. Others include Ol Donyo lodge situated 26.18 kilometers from Chyulu national park, Shushan palace situated 27.95 kilometers from the park, Kanzi house, Campi ya kanzi, savannah paradise hotel and many more.

How to get to Chyulu hills national park

Chyulu hills national park is accessed by both road and air means of transport, by air domestic flights are offered from Nairobi’s Wilson airport to two airstrips. By road private and public means of transport are offered from Nairobi via Nairobi- Mombasa route via Emali town to Loitokitok road