Taita Taveta

Do you think of crystal-clear lakes when you think of Taita Taveta? Or is it vast acres of sisal that come to mind? Or perhaps it is the slow moving enormous elephants that the Tsavo is so well known for? Well, all three would be correct.

For the more intrepid amongst us, a trek south to the Tanzanian border to find the sparkling water bodies of Lake Jipe and Lake Chala is an adventure worth embarking on. If you are lucky enough to find these hidden treasures, you can swim in their waters and be one with nature. Keep an eye open though – crocs and hippos abound!

Voi, Wundanyi, Mwatate, all towns in Taita Taveta county offer many things – a stopover for travellers on their way to and from the coast, Ngangao Indigenous Forest where rock climbing at Wesu Rock takes place and the Cave of Skulls can be found. Then there’s Teita Sisal Estate – the largest sisal property in East Africa.

Not forgetting Tsavo – that big open expanse that is home to the largest elephants ever seen by man, which spans thousands upon thousands of acres and becomes Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania. The county of Taita-Taveta is home to both Tsavo East and West, which combined make up our largest national park system and is home to several conservation activities. Historically, we recall the terror of the man-eating lions of Tsavo (whose actual claws can be found in the Nairobi Railway Museum!) and the scary tales of how these creatures would drag unsuspecting railway workers from their camps and disappear into the night during the construction of Kenya’s first railway over a hundred years ago. What many may not know is that a similar terror reigned during the construction of the new SGR … but this time it was leopards and not lions.

Home to traditional holy sites such as Ngomenyi “Cave of Skulls” in the majestic Taita Hills, Taita Taveta can be easily explored through hiking off from Mwachora Hill, an easy drive from Wundanyi.

County 006 bills itself as the county of opportunity and we can see why! Agriculture, tourism, history and conservation wraps up into a pretty inspiring package.

Our featured photographer is TT native Janice Iche. She is an artist – documentary & portrait photographer, musician, lover of life who uses photography as a medium for sharing the beauty and truth in the world as she sees it. She divides her time between Mombasa, Voi and Nairobi, travelling back and forth all year round documenting her life experiences and encounters.