Ngulia Safari Lodge, Tsavo West National Park

The Ngulia Safari Lodge is a 3-star accommodation in Tsavo West National Park, perched on the Ndawe escarpment overlooking the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary. The lodge is roughly 260 kilometres from Nairobi through the Mtito Andei Gate. You can get to the lodge using two ways that is either by road or air. Guests can fly from Nairobi to the lodge and this takes about an hour to get to the nearest airstrip where a 4×4 safari vehicle will be waiting to take you to the facility. The drive on the other hand takes about 4 to 5 hours and although it takes more time, it is a more scenic way to get to the National Park and the lodge. The lodge offers some of the most affordable and comfortable rooms to tourists visiting the Tsavo West National Park.

Safari activities available at Ngulia Safari Lodge

Other lodges at Tsavo West include the Kilaguni Serena Lodge, the luxurious Finch Hattons and the fabulous Lion’s Bluff Lodge located in the community wildlife conservancy known as Lumo.

Must-do activities while staying at the lodge include the following:

Five sister hills: exploring the hills is one of the activities that guests at the lodge should engage in. The hills are a volcanic black lava outcrop surrounded by long grass and conical hills that make up the five identical hills. This is one of the most beautiful sceneries around Tsavo West National Park and the lodge can easily arrange a trip to the hills.

Mzima springs: Mzima in Swahili means life and the reason why the springs were named Mzima because of the large crowds of wildlife it attracts including gazelles, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes and hippos among others. The water that flows to the springs is from the Chyulu hills. The spring is surrounded by thick acacia trees that are home to several bird species and monkeys and there are marked trails you can use to get to the Mzima springs and through the acacia trees.

Shetani lava flows: over 500 years ago, the locals witnessed an eruption where the fire was erupting from the ground and they believed that the devil was coming from the ground and hence named it Shetani. Currently, the black flowing lava is 8 kilometres long, 5 meters deep and 1.6 kilometres wide offering a spectacular sight to tourists.

Rhino Sanctuary: About 20 black rhinos were introduced into the Rhino Sanctuary within the vicinity of the lodge. The rhino sanctuary has a lot of security around it so do not be alarmed because the black rhino is an almost extinct species due to constant poaching by the locals.

Guided nature walks: the guided nature walks start from the well-organized garden, and through clearly marked routes where experienced tour guides will take you around the national park.

Safari Game drives: The lodge offers two game drives per day that is one in the morning and one in the afternoon. These are conducted in a 4×4 safari vehicle accompanied by experienced guides who know the best wildlife viewing spots.

Cultural visits: Cultural visits around the national park are the best ways in which tourists can get to learn more about the culture of the locals and also the perfect chance to get authentic souvenirs which help in the community development.

Birding at Tsavo West: The lodge is located directly in the path of the bird migration from Europe and Siberia during the months of October, November and December making it a very good birding spot.

Some of the best selling safari tours that we offer like our 3 days Safari from Mombasa to Tsavo East and Tsavo West, includes a stay at the Ngulia Safari Lodge.

Accommodation at Ngulia Safari Lodge

The lodge has different rooms that are categorized according to size including deluxe, triple/family, single, and twin rooms. The Ngulia safari lodge has 52 elegant and luxurious en-suite rooms that were built in comfort, with clear and great views of the wilderness, and constructed in African style. All the 52 en-suite rooms are well-furnished and decorated with both modern and African styles including an en-suite bathroom with a flushing toilet, hot and cold baths, and showers, satellite TVs, private terraces, hair dryers, mosquito nets, fire extinguishers, ceiling fans, and clean comfortable beddings.

The cost of the rooms at the lodge varies and goes from as low as $300 and above depending on the type of room chosen and the season of travel. The cost is always high during the peak season (June to October) due to the influx of tourists and it goes lower during the wet/low season.

Facilities at the Ngulia Safari Lodge

A fireplace: There ate fireplaces at the Ngulia lodge where guests get to relax at the end of the day as they share drinks and the fire keeps guests warm during the cold nights.

A restaurant: There are two restaurants at the lodge both serving both local (African-themed) dishes and international cuisines. Three meals are served per day including continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared by well-trained and experienced chefs and served by a friendly staff. Bush meals are also served at the lodge with prior communication to the restaurant. The main restaurant was built and furnished in an open-air style with views of the National Park and the nearby watering hole where the animals and birds gather.

The dining area adjacent to the restaurant is commonly known as the Leopard Dining Tree where guests enjoy their meals while at the same time enjoying the great views of the animals as they hunt, other animals cooling off and the birds as they fly from one waterhole to the next.

A bar: The lodge has two well-stocked bars one of which is known as the Leopard view bar and the pool bar. The bars open in the evening hours just in time to spot the leopards coming out of hiding to go hunt. The two bars serve different types of drinks including international beers, mocktails, wines, spirits, soft drinks and whiskeys. The pool bar overlooks the swimming pool, the rhino sanctuary and the rhino sanctuary.

Swimming pool: The blue swimming pool at the lodge is where guests get to relax and cool off during the hot season, especially during afternoon hours.

WIFI is also available at the lodge in all the rooms to ensure that all guests have clear communication with their friends and families.

Conference and meeting facilities: The lodge offers conference and meeting halls that have a sitting capacity of 30 people maximally, the halls are well aerated, have natural brightness and if you book the halls, the package comes with an LCD projector, flipchart board, snacks served with mid-morning or afternoon tea, free WIFI, a PA system, laptop, a buffet lunch is served with a soft drink, bottled drinking water per session, markers, mints, extension cables, cordless microphone, pens and pads, and paper.

Spacious gardens: The spacious gardens that are at the lodge can be used to hold large functions like wedding receptions, team building, exclusive group functions and other large meetings. Another option that is a great option, is the famous Salt Lick Lodge, in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary if you would love to stay inside a private wilclife conservancy.