3 Day Tsavo West and Salt Lick Safari

Tsavo & Taita Hills

Rates From $605

About This Tour

Travelers find a steady rhythm on this short journey through two distinct landscapes in Kenya. The route passes through the volcanic springs of Tsavo West and offers elevated views of the Taita Hills Sanctuary.

This safari is designed for guests with limited time who still seek a deep connection with the wild. The experience offers a balance of active game drives and quiet observation from unique vantage points. It creates a calm transition from the city into the heart of the bush.

Our Community Impact

Johnbow prioritizes partnerships with lodges that provide steady employment to local residents. These collaborations help sustain the economies of the communities surrounding Tsavo and Taita Hills.

Our Sustainability Promise

We select properties that manage water and energy with care in these semi-arid environments. This approach ensures that tourism supports conservation efforts without straining natural resources.

Why This Safari Works

The itinerary uses a logical route that maximizes wildlife viewing while keeping road travel manageable. It transitions from the lush, spring-fed greenery of Tsavo West to the open plains of the Taita Hills. This sequence allows for diverse scenery and varied wildlife encounters over just three days. The pace remains steady, offering full days of activity without the fatigue of long-distance driving. It works best for couples and small groups looking for a short, high-value escape.

Your Trip at a Glance

A snapshot of your entire experience, from key highlights to where you'll stay and what to expect each day.

  • 4x4 Land Cruiser
  • Big Five Experience
  • Couple
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Game Drives
  • Photography Safaris
  • Private Safari
  • Road Transfer

Trip Summary

  • Day 1: Nairobi to Tsavo West National Park
  • Day 2: Tsavo West National Park to Taita Hills Salt Lick
  • Day 3: Taita Hills Salt Lick to Nairobi

Destinations

  • Tsavo West National Park
  • Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Where You Stay

  • Voyager Ziwani – 1 night
  • Salt Lick Safari Lodge – 1 night

Safari Highlights

  • Morning light over Mzima Springs
  • Volcanic landscapes of the Shetani lava flow
  • Elephant sightings against red earth
  • Views of animals from elevated lodge walkways
  • Quiet evenings by the Ziwani river
  • Wide vistas of the Taita Hills plains
  • Dusty trails leading to hidden waterholes
  • The gentle return drive toward Nairobi

Featured Destinations

Where You Stay

Route Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Itinerary Highlights

  • Drive through the scenic Eastern gate
  • Afternoon game drive in the volcanic park
  • Riverside relaxation at Ziwani

Itinerary information

The journey begins with a drive from Nairobi toward the rugged beauty of Tsavo West National Park. The landscape changes into a mix of volcanic cones and green springs as the vehicle enters the park. An afternoon game drive reveals a variety of wildlife moving through the acacia woodlands and scrubland. The day ends at a camp set along the banks of the Sante River, where the sound of water creates a peaceful atmosphere.

  • Meals: Lunch and Dinner
  • Accommodation: Voyager Ziwani

Itinerary Highlights

  • Sunrise views over the Tsavo plains
  • Short transit to the private sanctuary
  • Observation of wildlife from the lodge stilt walkways

Itinerary information

The morning starts with a final game drive in Tsavo West before moving toward the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. This private conservancy offers a more intimate setting for viewing animals across the open grasslands. The afternoon is spent at a unique lodge built on stilts, overlooking a busy salt lick and waterhole. Guests can watch elephants and plains game gather below from the safety of the elevated decks.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • Accommodation: Salt Lick Safari Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Final early morning game search
  • Breakfast overlooking the sanctuary
  • Steady drive back to the capital

Itinerary information

A final game drive at dawn offers the best chance to see predators active on the plains. After a relaxed breakfast, the safari concludes with a drive back to Nairobi. The route offers a final look at the vast Kenyan landscapes before returning to the city.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: N/A

JohnBow Safari Expert Insight

❝ We designed this route to offer a high-impact wildlife experience for guests with limited time. The transition between these two distinct ecosystems provides excellent variety and value. ❞

~Johnbow Safari Expert Team

Rates

Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences

SeasonDate Range2 Guests4 Guests6 Guests
Shoulder Season3 Jan – 31 March, 2026N/AN/AN/A
Peak Season1 July – 31 Oct, 2026$ 900$ 670$ 605

Important Rate Notes

  • Rates vary based on seasonal availability and room types.
  • A single room supplement applies for solo travelers.
  • Child policies vary by lodge and require confirmation at booking.
  • Similar standard lodges may be used if the listed ones are full.

What's Included

  • Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle
  • Regular game drives
  • All meals as listed for each lodge
  • All national park and sanctuary entry fees
  • Professional English-speaking driver guide
  • Drinking water in the safari vehicle

Optional Addons

  • Bush sundowner
  • Domestic and international flights
  • Extra meals
  • Premium drinks

What's Not Included

  • Optional activities
  • International and domestic flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Entry visas for Kenya
  • Tips and gratuities

Ready to start planning your Safari? Tell us your travel dates, who you are traveling with, and what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

This safari is rewarding year-round, but the dry months offer the best wildlife viewing as animals gather at waterholes.
The drive from Tsavo West to Taita Hills is short, typically taking under two hours.
While sightings are never guaranteed, Tsavo West and Taita Hills are home to lions, leopards, and many elephants.

See What Our Travellers Have To Say

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Dorcas Munga profile picture
Dorcas Munga
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Great planning and communication. My trips have been smooth. All expectations met 💯
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Mike Bourassa
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Our driver, Patrick, made the experience even more special with his outgoing personality and his knowledge of each park. He always made certain that he positioned his vehicle just right so we could get a perfect photo. He shared a lot about African culture an answered our questions. His keen eye spotted a cheetah from a long distance and we experienced the animal stalk and catch his prey (only to have a hyena steal it from him at the end). The accommodations were excellent at Massai Mara but were a bit too primitive at Amboseli. The large openings between the sleeping area and the bathroom brought way too many bugs into the tent. Wonderful memories of the entire experience!! We hope to come back next year and Patrick will be our choice of guide.
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Kate Mandere
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Wonderful team, very warm, helpful and well coordinated!
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Emmy Chepkoech
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I recently booked my 1st trip with Johnbow Tours and Travel and it was an outstanding experience from the start to finish. The team was professional, well-organised, helpful and incredibly friendly. Transfer to my hotel room and back was handled smoothly allowing us to relax and enjoy our journey. The fact that they allow lipa mdogo mdogo was not overwhelming paying for the package...I can't wait to book again with Johnbow 😊
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Gloria Kikete
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Jonbow has offers seamless travel service with a personal touch.
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Lolo Chgn
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Safaris de 5 jours depart Nairobi et arrivée à Diani beach Visite des parcs d’amboseli, tsavo ouest et est , t.hills Découverte d une faune magnifique Notre chauffeur Chombo a tout fait pour rechercher les animaux et il était à notre écoute ! Dépaysement total garanti Les hôtels étaient tout confort avec des conditions d’alimentation en eau et électricité précaire ! Nous remercions vraiment Morris et Chombo pour ce magnifique Safari
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Irene Nduku
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Excellent services, the team was friendly, efficient and went above and beyond to meet my need.Their service was prompt and effective. I highly recommend
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Cheyenne van den B profile picture
Cheyenne van den B
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We had a two day tour with Johnbow Tours & Travel to Tsavo West. The park itself is not that good to be honest, but we stayed at Salt Lick lodge and that was amazing. The animals are coming so close to the lodge, it is really beautiful to see. The driver Pius was also really nice and he had a lot of knowledge about the animals. I have been in contact with Morris and that was also really pleasant because of the arrangement we had.
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virginia mumo
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As a team of 12pax..we had an exceptional good experience with the Johnbow team. Well informed and humble team who contributed a lot to an enjoyable trip and creating memories.
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Stay06810033473
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Customer Servive Customer service was great!Communication was timely and effective especially as there were some flight changes.Either way the bookings were perfect, customer service was exceptional and we even got a treat for our anniversary, at no extra costElijah and Sam were very helpful.
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Annette M profile picture
Annette M
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Exceptional Experience with Johnbow Tours and Travel! I had an unforgettable trip to Bali and Thailand, the guides were amazing, the places beautiful and the itinerary on point. Bali has very many temples and beautiful rice terraces, the swings and sunset views unforgettable. thank you Johnbow for the tour.
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KSP
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Memorable Safari with a Great Team and Guide We had a really good experience with Johnbow Tours during our Kenya safari. Morris, our main point of contact, was communicative and professional throughout. He stayed in touch via WhatsApp both before and during the trip, answering all our questions quickly and clearly, which gave us a lot of confidence going in.The pricing felt fair for what we received, and the Land Cruiser was comfortable, especially considering the long drives. They also provided snacks at the start of the trip upon request, which was thoughtful.Our guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable. He had a sharp eye for spotting animals and shared interesting facts about everything we saw. We had plenty of game drives and were lucky to spot a wide variety of wildlife.The only small issue was around water. We had been told water would be included throughout, but at a couple of the lodges, we were charged for drinking water, tea, or coffee during meals. It wasn’t a big deal, but having clarity on that from the start would’ve been helpful.Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable safari. The team was dependable, the schedule was well planned, and we felt taken care of from start to finish. I’d absolutely recommend Johnbow to anyone planning a private safari in Kenya.
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Alain V profile picture
Alain V
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A great experience, a must for everyone who reads this Jonbow, our driver who has the same name as the agency, took very good care of us. He was on time for the appointment. Once on the road he was super attentive. In the park he was always the first to spot the game. He gave us very good explanations about all the animals we saw. No effort was too much to make us spot all the game. Super friendly and helpful guy. He operates from Mombasa/Diani Beach. He made sure that our safari will remain unforgettable.
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winnie a
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Dubai tour 2024 was a birthday gift to my son who turned lucky number seven. I writing to thank you for coordinating our trip to UAE, dubai. Everything was perfect; the flight, the hotel was clean and all staff were friendly and professional. Special thanks to Mary Gathua as she was the one who coordinated everything for us.The tour guides were excellent! They made things as easy for us as possible. I really appreciate these and that indicate the quality services that they provide.We had dubai town tour and our guide, Mr. Albert did exceptionally well. We learnt about the origin of UAE and the important features in dubai. We had dhow cruise with dinner, and the dessert safari with dinner.Desert safari was the best of the trip (the driver , Mr . Zaheer was very professional, and the overall experience was thrilling and amazing). The desert safari remains in my priority to do list when I visit dubai next.I would certainly recommend Johnbow Tours and travel to anyone wanting to visit Dubai. Thank you again and look forward to plan our next vacation with you.
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maryanne o
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Awesome Best tour company ..travelled to Dubai in Emirates .Booked the best hotel in Dubai..Johnbow staff are friendly and accommodatve I rate them10/10 they're affordable too .
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M A
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Superb service Happy New Year! Eunice managed our travel plans superbly, and I’m grateful. Our stay at Pride Inn was delightful; the staff’s service, food, attention, and entertainment made our holiday special and memorable. Thanks again for your excellent services.
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gladys n
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Efficient Eunice of John Bow ,was pretty helpful from getting us a hotel to SGR tickets, and transfers to the hotel.She also called to ensure we arrived safely.I loved the seamless process and especially because we chat on whatsapp mostly. Johnbow tours keep their word! I would choose them again.
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Christine N profile picture
Christine N
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Awesome experience This travel company was very efficient. I engaged them on whatsapp in the morning and by afternoon they had finalised everything including the sgr tickets. Their staff Eunice was readily available even at night because we did night travel. And early morning at 4 am, she called to find out if the driver had picked us. I would recommend them anytime
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Sabina M
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It was a time of relaxation and fun. The trip was well planned from Nairobi to Maasai Mara. We had so much fun and took so many photos. We saw lions, cheetahs, elephants and other animals. If we could do it again, we would still chose Johnbow tours and travel.
info@johnbowtoursandtravel.com
Kenya Cinema Plaza, 3rd Floor Room 3-8. Moi Avenue, Nairobi