Hills dotted with volcanic cones. The shimmering pools at Mzima Springs, disappearing below ground nearly as quickly as they appear. Caves created from the ancient lava flows. Gravel roads that lead to unexpected sightings of elephant, lion, and highly endangered black rhino.

Made famous by man-eating lions that snatched workers from their tents during the construction of the Nairobi-Mombasa railway, Tsavo West offers a much more diverse landscape than the open plains of the Maasai Mara can. One of Kenya’s largest national parks, rocky escarpments like Poacher’s Lookout give way to riverine forest, acacia woodland, scrub and grassland habitats.

Here the safari is wild and you never know what lurks beyond each turn.