3-Day Taita Hills & Salt Lick Extended Safari (From Coast)

Taita Hills

Rates From $580

BudgetPrivate2–3 DaysKenyaTsavo & Taita
Explore Kenya Safaris

About This Tour

Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is a hidden treasure tucked between the historic hills of southern Kenya and the vast Tsavo plains. This unique sanctuary offers a fresh, quiet escape from the busy coastal beaches or city streets. Guests here experience a wild, open landscape where elephants, lions, and giraffes roam freely across ancient migration paths.

The jewel of this journey is your stay at a world-famous lodge built on high stilts. This clever design elevates you right above the action, letting you watch herds of animals walk directly beneath your room. By day, you will explore the bush on guided drives, and by night, you will fall asleep to the gentle sounds of the African wild.

This short safari perfectly blends thrilling wildlife sightings with comforting, peaceful rest. It is designed to give you a deep connection to nature without requiring a long, exhausting journey.

Our Community Impact

JohnBow Tours and Travel proudly partners with the local communities surrounding the Taita Hills region. Your visit directly supports local schools, healthcare clinics, and clean water projects in nearby villages. We employ local guides who share their deep ancestral knowledge of this land, keeping their heritage alive and thriving. By choosing this safari, you help create sustainable jobs and empower the families who have coexisted with this wilderness for generations.

Our Sustainability Promise

We are deeply committed to protecting the delicate ecosystem of the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The lodge we partner with uses smart energy conservation systems and strictly manages waste to keep the environment pristine. During our game drives, we strictly follow off-road driving bans to protect the soil, nests, and natural habitats of the wildlife. For every guest who books this safari with us, a portion of the proceeds goes directly to local reforestation projects to plant indigenous trees.

Why This Safari Works

This package is popular because it delivers a rich, authentic wild safari experience in just three days. It features very short travel times, making it an excellent add-on if you are already vacationing on the Kenyan Coast. Staying at a single, highly unique lodge means you do not have to pack and unpack your bags every day. The balance of scheduled, early-morning game drives and long, lazy afternoons by the waterhole lets you truly relax.

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
  • Couple
  • Cultural Visits
  • Family
  • Full Board
  • Game Drives
  • Photography Safaris
  • Private Safari
  • Solo Traveller

Trip Summary

  • Day 1: Coast to Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary (Afternoon Game Drive)
  • Day 2: Full Day Wildlife Exploration in Taita Hills
  • Day 3: Morning Game Drive & Transfer back to the Coast

Destinations

  • Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Where You Stay

  • Salt Lick Safari Lodge (All 2 Nights)

Safari Highlights

  • Staying in a room built on high stilts right over a busy animal waterhole.
  • Creeping through the secret, safe underground tunnel to photograph elephants from ground level.
  • Watching massive herds of elephants drink under the golden glow of sunset.
  • Exploring the rich World War 1 history at the local Taita Hills Museum.
  • Thrilling night game drives to spot elusive leopards and active lions.
  • Dining on delicious, locally sourced meals while watching zebras graze below.
  • Spotting the beautiful, rare birds that call the mountain forest home.
  • Breathing in the fresh, cool air of the scenic Taita Hills.

Featured Destinations

Where You Stay

Route Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Salt Lick Safari Lodge, Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Itinerary Highlights

  • Morning departure from Diani or Mombasa.

  • Scenic drive to the sanctuary with check-in and lunch at the lodge.

  • Exciting afternoon game drive.

  • Nighttime animal watching right from the lodge deck.

Itinerary information

Your adventure begins with a comfortable morning pickup from your coastal hotel or airport. You will watch the coastal coconut palms slowly fade into the rugged, dry red soils of the Tsavo ecosystem. Arrive at the sanctuary in time for a warm welcome, lunch, and check-in to your incredible room on stilts. In the late afternoon, set out for your first game drive to find elephants, giraffes, and grazing gazelles. As darkness falls, enjoy dinner at the lodge while watching thirsty animals gather at the floodlit waterhole below.

  • Meals: Lunch and Dinner

  • Accommodation: Salt Lick Safari Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Early morning game drive to catch predators on the hunt.

  • Guided history tour of the World War 1 museum.

  • Relaxed afternoon watching animals from the underground tunnel.

  • Late afternoon game drive ending with a sunset in the bush.

Itinerary information

Wake up to the fresh scent of the African bush and enjoy a quick coffee before your early morning game drive. This is the best time to spot lions, cheetahs, and hyenas before the sun gets too hot. Return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast and some relaxed downtime. In the afternoon, take a fascinating walk through the Taita Hills Museum to learn about the region’s unique World War 1 battlefields. Later, embark on another game drive, searching the hidden valleys for leopards, Cape buffaloes, and colorful bird species.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

  • Accommodation: Salt Lick Safari Lodge

Itinerary Highlights

  • Final sunrise game drive to spot any missed wildlife.

  • Delicious breakfast at the lodge.

  • Mid-morning check-out and scenic transfer back to Mombasa or Diani.

Itinerary information

Start your final day with a short, quiet sunrise game drive to capture your last photos of the wild landscape. You might catch a herd of elephants walking gracefully across the red dirt paths. Return to the lodge for a relaxed breakfast as the sun warms up the hills. After breakfast, pack your bags and check out of this magical resort. Your driver will safely guide you back to your beach hotel or the airport, leaving you with unforgettable memories of the wild.

  • Meals: Breakfast

  • Accommodation: N/A

JohnBow Safari Expert Insight

❝ Salt Lick Safari Lodge is one of the most photographed properties in the world for a very good reason. The sheer thrill of waking up, opening your window, and looking directly into the eyes of a wild elephant drinking water just meters below you is unmatched. It is a compact, highly reliable sanctuary that consistently delivers spectacular wildlife viewing in a very short time. ❞

~JohnBow Safari Expert Team

Rates

Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences

Season2 Guests4 Guests6 Guests
1 Nov – 20 Dec, 2026$ 875$ 655$ 580

Important Rate Notes

  • Child Safety Policy: For safety reasons due to the elevated design of the walkways and decks, children under the age of 5 are not permitted at Salt Lick Safari Lodge.
  • Baggage Limit: Please pack light, soft-sided bags for your transfers to help maximize space and comfort in the safari vehicles.
  • Seasons and Pricing: Green Season rates exclude Easter holiday weekends, during which high-season rates and holiday surcharges apply.
  • Health Advisory: Taita Hills is a low-risk malaria area, but we still highly recommend using insect repellent and consulting your doctor before travel.

What's Included

  • Full board accommodation at Salt Lick Safari Lodge.
  • Return private road transfers from Mombasa, Diani, or Voi Train Station.
  • Daily, professional guided game drives in a custom safari vehicle with a pop-up roof.
  • All sanctuary and park entry fees for Taita Hills.
  • Clean bottled drinking water inside the safari vehicle.

Optional Addons

  • SGR Train Upgrade: Travel in comfort from Nairobi or Mombasa to Voi station via the modern Madaraka Express train.
  • Night Game Drive: Explore the sanctuary after dark with specialized spotters to find active nocturnal predators.
  • LUMO Sanctuary Visit: Extend your daily drives into the neighboring LUMO Community Wildlife Sanctuary for broader exploration.
  • Private Bush Dinner: Enjoy a highly romantic, private candlelit dinner set deep in the heart of the wild sanctuary.

What's Not Included

  • Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
  • International and domestic flights.
  • Tourist entry visas for Kenya.
  • Soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and items of a personal nature.
  • Tips and gratuities for safari drivers, guides, and lodge staff.

Plan your journey

Practical reading to help you compare routes, timing and costs.

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

You will easily see huge herds of elephants, lions, and buffaloes. However, there are no rhinos inside this private sanctuary, and leopards are highly elusive and mostly spotted during night drives.
The lodge is built on elevated wooden platforms and stilts with open-air viewing decks. This unique architectural design poses safety risks for very young, active children, so the lodge maintains a strict child limit.
Extremely close! The lodge is built directly around active, natural salt licks and waterholes. Large herds of elephants, zebras, and waterbucks frequently walk directly beneath the wooden walkways and drink water right below your room balcony.

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 profile picture
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 profile picture
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
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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
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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
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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
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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.