Chyulu Hills are a mountain range in Makueni County, Kenya’s south-eastern region. It forms a 100-kilometer-long volcanic field that runs in an elongated NW-SE orientation. Its highest point is 2188 meters above sea level.
For the filming of Out of Africa, the Chyulu Hills stood in for the Ngong Hills. If you enjoy exploring caverns, you should also go to Chyulu Hills National Park. The Levithan tube (also known as the Kisula caves) is approximately 11 kilometers long. One of Kenya’s and Africa’s longest caverns. It is preferable to travel during the sunny months of January to March and June to September. The Chyulu Hills National Park is part of the Tsavo conservation region, including Tsavo West National Park, Tsavo East National Park, and the Kibwezi Forest.
The park’s main entrance is in Kibwezi, Makueni County, Kenya.
How do I get there?
By Roads:
From Kibwezi, turn right off the Mombasa Route (coming from Nairobi) onto a signposted road to Kithasyo Gate and Park Headquarters after 9 kilometers. The road from Tsavo West: The park can be reached by road from Tsavo West.
By Air:
There are two airstrips that serve the park.
Geography
The Chyulu Hills are roughly 150 kilometers east of the Kenya Rift. The hills are made up of hundreds of tiny flows and cones. Volcanism began in the area some 1.4 million years ago in the northern parts of the hills. It spread to the southeast throughout time. Since their last two eruptions (Shaitani and Chainu) in 1856, these volcanoes are still considered active. The Leviathan Cave, one of the world’s longest lava tunnels, is located among the hills.
Kibwezi settlement is 30 kilometers northeast of the Chyulu Hills.
The Chyulu Hills lack permanent rivers; however, rainfall on the hills supplies the Tsavo and Galana rivers and Mzima Springs in the adjacent plains.
The Chyulu hills separate the Tsavo and Amboseli plains. Maasai and Kamba people live in the area.
Ecology
The lower parts of the hills are covered with grassland and shrub, while the montane forest dominates above 1800 meters. Neoboutonia macrocalyx, Tabernaemontana stapfiana, Prunus Africana, Strombosia Scheffler, Cassipourea malonsana, Olea capensis, and Ilex mitis grow in the woodland. Erythrina abyssinica dominates in some isolated areas. Juniperus procera or Commiphora baluensi dominate the lower regions of the forest.
Eastern black rhinos (Diceros bicornis michaeli), Cape buffaloes, bushbucks, elands, elephants, bushpigs, Masai giraffe, leopards, lions, mountain reedbucks, steinbok, wildebeest, and Grant’s zebras are among the mammals found in the hills.
Cheetahs can be seen in the Chyulu Hills plains. The hills are home to various snakes, including the black mamba, puff adder, and rock python.
The hills are home to various bird species, including some indigenous races. Francolinus Shelley, Pogonocichla stellata, Zoothera gurneyi, Bradypterus cinnamomeus, Hieraaetus ayresii, Stephanoaetus coronatus, Polemaetus bellicosus, and Cinnyricinclus femoralis are among the bird species.