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The 4 cottages are located on the Lions Bluff escarpment. Each is equipped with a double and single bed – complete with bedding, hot and cold showers, a lovely terrace overlooking the stunning Conservancy with endless views of the Savannah and mountains in the distance. A large, common dining area & fully functional kitchen, public toilet is also available. Most of our guests enjoy our delicious FULL board accommodation though.
Leopards Lair is fully staffed to take care of all your needs during your stay and is ideal for families or groups of friends. Bookings can be made on self-catering basis, full board accommodation or game package or exclusive use of the entire place. For those that opt for a game package, our team will help you plan your exciting activities, over the duration of your stay. Dine under the stars or indoors ! Our fire place is simply great to hang out and tell stories and to soak up the atmosphere of being out in the bush with the wilderness below !
Cottage
The 4 cottages are located on the Lions Bluff escarpment. Two suitable for double occupancy, each with a queen-sized bed, and two cottages each is equipped with a double and single bed – complete with bedding, hot and cold showers, and a lovely terrace overlooking the stunning Conservancy with endless views of the Savannah and mountains in the distance.
Property Facilities
24-hour Security, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Available), Mobile Connectivity, Secure Parking
Room Facilities
Cooking Facilities, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Mosquito Nets, Pure Cotton Linen, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Verandah
Services
Credit Card
Enjoy a full or half day discovering the different animals and plants of the Tsavo West eco-system in the company of your guide and tracker, who will be sure to follow the route that offers the best wildlife viewing. With warm temperatures during the afternoon, the animals are most active in the early morning; we, therefore, suggest you get an early start with a mid-morning picnic breakfast on the LUMO plains. Head back to the lodge for lunch and a siesta, or continue your day game spotting after a traditional bush lunch under a tree.
Alternatively, discover various nocturnal species on a night game drive after stopping for a sundowner to enjoy the stunning sunset with your drink of choice in hand. You can also head out for your night game drive after dinner with warm Shukas (Maasai blankets). This is the exclusive domain of hunters such as lions and leopards and the only time you may catch a glimpse of such elusive nocturnal creatures as aardvark and Lumo's melanistic serval cat.
Your vehicle will also be equipped with a powerful hand-held lamp, which can be used to sweep the bush for sightings. Children over 5 years old are welcome and enjoy this exciting glimpse of what happens when they are usually in bed.
Awake with the African Sunrise and take a drive in our 4x4 vehicle to an area where it is safe to walk in the wilderness. Accompanied by Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary’s skilled rangers, walk amongst the tracks, signs, flora, and fauna of this protected area. This is a gentle ramble, suitable for all ages for those with an enquiring mind about the world around them. Allow our ranger to enjoy showing you the environment in which they grew up, their intimate knowledge of the insects, birds, tracks and signs. Learn which bushes are used to cure tummy ache, which store water underground and how to light a fire without using matches. Our vehicle will follow you at a discreet distance so that, should you tire, you can simply return to the lodge. Children over 12 years of age are welcome.
As a professional photographer and an avid safari traveler, the quest for the perfect shot is never-ending. Photographic Hide offers an optimal photographic experience through meticulous design. Elevated slightly above ground level, the Hide provides a unique vantage point, putting photographers at eye level with their subjects. This perspective creates intimate and powerful images that immerse the viewer in the animals' world. The viewing slots allow a 180-degree panoramic view of the watering hole and the surrounding landscape. In addition, the Hide is equipped with comfortable seating and ample space for tripods and other equipment, ensuring photographers can focus on capturing the perfect shot.
As part of our extensive eco-interface, we offer cultural visits to local villages. If you are ready to go further afield up into the Taita Hills there is much to see.
Our visitors are invited to enter a typical ethnic home, watch a dance display, or beading and handicrafts being done. You will have the opportunity to see how the farmers manage diverse crops such as dry land beans, Aloe Vera plants and pastoral activity, such as cattle and goat maintenance. Often they will also be invited to purchase locally-made items- much more authentic than those available in the usual gift shops.
If you are ready to go further you can be driven to Wundanyi, about an hour and a half from Lions Bluff, to explore the skull caves. The caves are collapsing but the skulls remain; the youngest dates back to the 1920s. People travelled vast distances to these caves to commune with their god and offer sacrifices in return for their health. Nearby one can visit the small waterfalls and enjoy the beautiful landscape dubbed 'little Switzerland' because of its stunning hilly terrain and breathtaking views.
Drive an extra half hour to reach Ngang'ao forest, an untouched rain forest where one can be guided through thick, dripping vegetation in the hope of seeing rare birds and butterflies which only exist here.
About 45 minutes drive from here one can climb Wesu Rock, either as a real rock climber where one will need ropes and equipment or a brisk stroll to the top to enjoy yet another panoramic view for miles over the Taitas.
Ideally, a bush walk or an early morning game drive culminates in the best meal of the day being enhanced by being served under a tree and enjoying one of our many stunning views within the Sanctuary. Fresh fruit, juice, tea, coffee and a cooked breakfast to your requirements will be freshly prepared under a nearby tree, while you relax and soak up the atmosphere of the bush through which you have just meandered.
Climb the beautiful Taita Hills. Drive through lush, mountainous Taita where the climate is perfect and the views stunning over what is known to the locals as ‘ little Switzerland’. The highest, Vuria (2,300 meters above sea level), is easily identified by the mobile phone mast on top. It is possible to drive to this point. Eyale is lower and can only be climbed on foot. About 45 minutes of steep walking from where you leave your vehicle, to where the view is panoramic. The vegetation is montane forest and here you can spot the rare Taita Apalis, the Ross Turacos, the Cabanis Greenbul, Syke monkeys among other mammals. A packed picnic meal is provided on request.
With over 1,070 species of birds, Kenya has the second-highest country bird list in Africa, while the area around Tsavo West boasts 600 recorded species. Ranging from giant herons to tiny sunbirds, the diversity of African bird life is startling in its colour and vibrancy. Additionally, the Lions Bluff area boasts a number of endemic species, such as the globally threatened Taita Thrush, Taita White-eye, Taita Apalis, Abbott's starling and the Southern Banded Snake Eagle.
Highlights of the bird life include those of the semi-arid zone, such as ostrich and golden pipit, while perhaps the most conspicuous are the white-headed buffalo weaver and the brilliantly plumaged golden-breasted starling. Raucous hornbills are also prevalent as are such hole-nesting birds as parrot, barbet and roller.
For the amateur and serious ornithologist alike, we offer a range of half or full day outings which can be custom-tailored to the interests of your ornithological party. The services of a professional ranger and up-to-date bird checklists are included, and picnics, bush lunches, camp suppers and sundowners can be scheduled to suit your needs.
Mzima Springs are a series of four natural springs in Tsavo National Park, that produces an incredible 250 million litres of fresh water a day. The source of the spring rises in the Chyulu Hills and provides the bulk of Mombasa’s fresh water. The springs are resident to hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a wide variety of birdlife. There’s an underwater viewing chamber, where you can see the fish, in the clear waters. ‘Shetani’ means ‘devil’ in Kiswahili. The flows were formed a few hundred years ago. The local people believe that it was the devil himself emerging from the earth. This vast expanse of folded black lava spreads for 50 kilometers across the savannah near the Chyulu Hills. The last major eruption here is believed to have taken place around 200 years ago. Nearby are the Shetani Caves, which are also the result of volcanic activity. Picnic lunch included. Park fees are payable direct and not included.
Discover the flora and fauna of the LUMO sanctuary while on foot. Nature walks around the lodge are especially interesting to children, guided by a ranger and our resident Taita naturalist, meander around Lions Bluff and discover tracks and signs of the bush. Learn which roots and leaves are edible, which are used by the local people to treat tummy aches or put spells on your enemies. Examine spider nests, collect quartz rock, or leaves to make a refreshing tea. Identify birds by their call and watch them in the bush.
