The Taita Hills Treat: Moments of Magic & Exciting Experiences

About four hours after we left Nairobi, riding on the Madaraka Express – the standard gauge railway (SGR), we arrived at Voi Station. We disembarked with our luggage in tow and briskly found our way outside the station where two Safari Jeeps were waiting to take us down to Taita Hills. We were nine in total; Diana, Caleb, Oliver, Raphaëlle and I, along with the MKTE team comprising team leader Anne Kanini, Lynnrose, Njeri and Edna.

Oliver, Edna and I got into one of the jeeps, while the rest rode in the other. Away from the station, we hit the expressway and as we rode down the Mwatate-Taveta Road, the Taita Hills loomed in the distance, on both sides. The road seems to narrow in some area and you can see people and livestock walking close to or even on the tarmac. Thoughtfully, a couple of speed breakers mark those spots with communities.

Dida, our driver provided us some information. The expressway stretches on about 100km, leading all the way to Taveta town which borders Tanzania. According to him, the locals are predominantly farmers who mainly cultivate farm produce like maize, vegetables and beans, as well as sugar cane. After a while, we veered left off the asphalt on to a bush track and Dida assured us that we would soon be at our destination. He slowed down for us to take pictures of the stone signpost which confirmed we were inside the heart of Tsavo National Park – Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.

On arrival at the Taita Hills Safari Resort & Spa, we got the cold towel reception, followed by a refreshing glass of cold juice. While our room keys were being sorted out, we went to the restaurant for lunch. We retired to our respective rooms to get some rest afterwards.

About an hour later, Oliver tapped on my door. We went downstairs to the Educational Centre. The rest of the team joined us, and the guide – a shame I forgot his name – took us on a brilliant crash course on wildlife in general. We barely had time to catch our breath before getting into the Jeeps for a game drive. Straight out of the resort’s perimeter and the usual suspects appear — impalas and zebras. Further on, we spotted elands, giraffes, more zebras and later on baboons.

Suddenly, static noise hissed from Dida’s transceiver. Rattling off in Swahili into the mouthpiece, he swiftly shifted gears and the vehicle responded. Excitedly, Edna explained that a lion had been spotted. In another world, Dida would be a rally driver. In no time, we were on the scene – active participants like envoys led on a royal tour of a palace by her majesty.

They call her the Queen of the Wild at Lion’s Rock and she strutted along with feline elegance and majestic grace – we followed. Unperturbed by all the vehicles around, she never broke her stride. Cameras clicked away, but she was used to the paparazzi.

Dida shifted gears again, reversed and went through another path. We were now outriders, looking back at the approaching queen. Then in a moment in time, we locked eyes – the queen and I. It was pure magic. Still walking with a steady stride, she dismissed us by veering off the path into the grassland. It was time to leave. As we raced back to the resort, we noticed one disgruntled elephant and its baby had blocked our path. So we had to take another route.

The next day, we set out for an early morning game drive. We spotted baboons, giraffes, elands, zebras and a whole herd of elephants crossing the road like they had some special community engagement to attend. Later on we saw two felines hiding in the grassland far away. They weren’t interested in any show today and after a while we drove off. We returned to the resort for breakfast before setting off for Salt Lick Safari Lodge.

We arrived at Salt Lick in time for lunch, because we had gone down to Lumo Community Wildlife Conservancy to examine some properties under the Soroi Collection. Lunch was barely over when animals started arriving at the watering holes below us. Lots of zebras, with some giraffes far off in the background. Then an elephant came to drink at the watering hole right below the restaurant. We eventually left to get some rest in our respective rooms, because we still had a sundowner to come.

The sun was still very much up as we set off for Kudu Point, a scenic viewpoint within the sanctuary, where guests of both sister properties experience unique and magical moments. The stunning natural scenery provides the backdrop for local cultural performances, while guest nibble on snacks and down drinks. We lingered on the road spotting wildlife when suddenly we realized the sun was fast going down.

Dida shifted gears and raced down to Kudu Point before the sun disappeared from the sky. A group of Taita women sang, drummed and danced. Guests were encouraged and some joined the dancing. We nibbled on some nuts and quaffed a few glasses. It got darker and chilly, and we sat by the fireplace, stripping tender flesh off bones and washing it down with glasses of cocktail. The performance ended and we returned to the lodge.

The next morning, we left the lodge and made a brief stop at the resort to leave something meaningful behind. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) had launched a “One Tourist, One Tree” initiative – and we were not about to pass up the opportunity. Designed to promote sustainable tourism through the planting of trees, the initiative helps tourists offset their carbon footprint, protect biodiversity and contribute to Kenya’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Joined by the General Manager of the Taita Hills properties, Toney Kitonga and other staff, we paired up. With the trees duly planted, we said goodbye to Taita Hills and set off to catch the Madaraka Express en route our next destination – Watamu.