What an incredible start to our Kenyan travels. Tsavo West national park was the least known to us but it's provided the most remarkable wildlife experience of my life. We stayed at the Sarova Salt Lick Lodge, the accommodation of which is constructed on large stilts over looking a dry plain. Its remarkable feature is a man made waterhole, the nearest source of water for many kilometres, which attracts abundant wildlife 24 hours a day. Huge numbers of elephants visit and crowd around the waterhole, no more than 3 metres away from a viewing terrace that's set at the head height of the elephants. At one point we counted 80 elephants at and generally around the water. We witnessed all manner of social behaviour. It was a rare privilege to sit alone with the elephants into the small hours when everyone else has gone to bed and the terrace is selfie-free.
An interesting aspect of the lodge is that it allows views of animals from unusual perspectives, particularly the overhead view.
The park itself is beautiful, bordered to the north by a range of mountains. Herds of Hartebeest, Zebra, various gazelle and Buffalo are common. We were very fortunate to witness a Cheetah chase a Hartebeest, as well as have a lioness with two large cubs walk past us. However, the stars of the park are the vast herds of elephants.
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