Lumo Conservancy & Taita Hills Self-Drive Group Tour

ABOUT LUMO CONSERVANCY

Background Information

Lumo Wildlife Community Sanctuary was created in 2001 as a merger between three community ranches namely Lualenyi, Mramba and Oza (thus the name “Lumo”) as an initiative by the local Taita community geared towards wildlife conservation and income generation for the community from tourism. At 40,000 hectares it is comparatively small conservancy compared with its much larger neighbor to the west, Tsavo West National Park but is larger than its better-known neighbor to the north, Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.

It is an important wildlife corridor and elephant migratory route between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks and as such forms an integral part of the Tsavo Conservation Area.

The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful, with the Taita Hills, Chyulu Hills, Pare Mountains, Usambara Mountains, Mkomazi Mountains and Mt. Kilimanjaro on the horizon. Lumo Conservancy and Taita Hills Wildlife Santuary are teeming with wildlife. You will spot many elephants, buffalo, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, giraffes, zebras and more.

Getting There

Because of how busy the Nairobi to Mombasa Highway is, a very early start is required. 5.30 am departure will ensure that we avoid most of the heavy transit trucks traffic. Nairobi to Voi takes about 4-5 hrs. The road from Voi – Mwatate is excellent tarmac and will take us roughly 30min. However, the tarmac ends soon after Mwatate Town. It’s a gravel road to Lumo Conservancy Gate.

The campsite is located about 15min from the main gate of Lumo Conservancy. The road to the campsite is slightly steep and rocky to the camping site so vehicles with decent clearance are required.

The Campsite

The campsite sits up the Lion’s Bluff (Hill) and overlooks tens of kilometers of the conservancy. You will enjoy great views of the plains below it.

The campsite has 3 structures. One structure houses a kitchen complete with sinks with running water, and lockable cupboards to keep food safe from baboons.The second structure hosts an ablution block with a sit-down (long-drop) toilet, sink and a shower both with running water.

There is also a nicely shaded patio, which comes in handy as the sun can be very hard during the day. It’s actually the only shade around, elephants have knocked down all the trees. The third structure has four beds with mattresses for those who may not have camping gear or for some insane reason want to sleep indoors.

Out & About

Lumo is a joy to drive through, the roads are smooth and the vegetation is low making it perfect for game spotting. The most common animals you will encounter at the Conservancy, are elephants.Payment at Lumo Conservancy grants us free access to Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary’s 28,000 acres.

Sundowners on Lion Hill about 40min from camp are not to be missed. Favourite part of this trip for many will be watching the day end with the sun setting beyond the horizon.