Taita Taveta county is located in the coastal region of Kenya and I had an amazing time exploring this country with seven other ladies passionate about travel. Most of us were meeting for the first time but that did not stop us from bonding and having an absolutely grand time.

One of the travelers, Yvonne captured in detail our experience on her blog.  If you want to find out how total strangers that met via instagram  bonded on a  holiday getaway, here's the link that describes everything we were up to.

CATCH UP: Taita Taveta, A Perfect Travel Weekend Holiday

As it turns out, there was a lot to drink. I mean to do and we did both in equal measure. So what do you do in Taita Taveta county?

1. Game drives in Taita Taveta

Did you visit Kenya if you did not go on a Safari? Are you truly Kenyan if you have never been on a game drive?

Well, Taita Taveta county has two national parks: Tsavo East and Tsavo West. The best part is these national parks have accomodation options for the travelers although we never stayed in the parks.

On this trip we went to Tsavo west . The game drive lasted about five hours but I found it disappointing because we did not spot a lot of animals. The reason could be because our game drive was at noon . I figure it was too hot for the animals to be wandering.  Apparently the best time to go for a drive is either early morning or late evening when it's not too hot.  Regardless, a visit to any of these national parks is a great idea. You are guaranteed to see wild animals in the wild.  Speaking of animals, have you ever seen Zebras hugging? Well, i thought it was endearing seeing that most Zebras we saw were always hugging. Turns out, it's not a romantic gesture but a survival tactic. The hug ensures that no predator can sneak up on them since they all look in different directions having a 360 degree view of the plane.

Catch up : Tsavo National Park fees

 

 

2. A guided trek to Mzima springs

Mzima springs is one of the most beautiful attraction in Tsavo West. The park is rather dry and Mzima Springs is like an Oasis.

3. A Visit to Lake Jipe &  border crossings to Tanzania

Lake Jipe straddles on the border of Kenya and Tanzania . If you happen to take a boat ride on Lake Jipe, you will cross over into Tanzania without getting your passport stamped. hehe.  It's not illegal since you will be on the boat throughout the ride taking in the views of Usambara block mountains among others. It can only be illegal if the captain decides to land in Tanzania.  Seven of us decided to on a boat ride and we were charged Kes 300/3 USD per person.  Note that the road that leads to Lake Jipe is red, sandy and terrible. It's bad that sometimes the driver would create his own path on the road. The 4WD came very much in handy. 

Alternatively,  if you love camping and nature, you can choose to camp on the shore of Lake Jipe inside Tsavo West National park.  You will have these mountains as your backdrop and  you might see the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro from a distance. 

 

4. A Guided Visit to Lake Chala, Taita Taveta County

Lake Chala like Jipe is also shared between Kenya and Tanzania. It is a gorgeous crater lake! I remember vividly  girls' reaction when they saw Lake Chala. Wendy stopped in her tracks and screamed out loud. Yes! I like to call it the Chala effect. Lake Chala is absolutely beautiful with zero tourists. Yeah, find your way to this Lake before it becomes toursity.   We hiked down to see the Lake up close. The trek was not bad at all, except a few people tripped and fell. This is just a reminder to be careful when trekking to avoid falling.  We visited lake Chala an hour to sunset and I believe late afternoon would be the perfect time to visit.

 

5. Catch the views of Mount Kilimanjaro

Since Taita Taveta county is close to Tanzania, you will most likely spot Mount Kilimanjaro. We were fortunate enough to stay at River Lumi resort, where we could see the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in the morning.

Unfortunately, we had only two nights in Taita Taveta and we did not exhaust it.  Here are some of the places you might want to check out when in Taita Taveta county.

6. Visiting Grogon Castle

7. Hiking at Taita Hills which includes camping option

8. visit to Aruba dam, a watering hole for wildlife like Elephants

9.See the longest lava flow in the world that is Yatta plateau

10. See Lugard Falls 

11. A visit to Ngutuni wildlife conservancy near Tsavo East 

12. Camping at Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary 

 

Did I miss anything? Let me know.

Should you have any question about our trip feel free to contact me.

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