Mzima Springs in Tsavo National Park
MZIMA SPRINGS IN TSAVO NATIONAL PARK
Tsavo National Park is a combination of two national parks that are found in the coastal province, it’s the largest park in Kenya covering a total land area of around 22,812 square kilometres. The park is made up of two national parks that is Tsavo West and Tsavo East national parks.
Tsavo East National Park is the largest national park in Kenya covering the total land area of 13747 kilometres squared. The park is considered as the land of great wilderness experience, its covered with rocky bushes that are mostly dominated by the open savannah grassland, acacia forests, riverine vegetation and among others.
Tsavo West National Park is known as the land of Lava, springs, man-eaters and magical sunset Tsavo West is the second largest national park in Kenya covering a total area of 9,065 square kilometres and it’s the rocky park that is characterised by the rugged wilderness, scrublands, acacia woodlands and many more vegetation covers.
Tsavo West national and Tsavo East national parks are dived by the highway that crosses the park in the middle running from the Nairobi town to the coastal province in Mombasa. The combination of the two parks has greatly contributed to the wide range of Tsavo National park attractions.
The Mzima springs in Tsavo National Park.
Mzima springs are some of the Tsavo National park attractions, these springs are the key attractions at the park which you should not miss when your paid your visit in Tsavo National Park. The springs are made up of 4 natural springs situated in the west of Tsavo national park, its only 48 kilometres from the Mitto Andei town in Makueni county.
The Mzima springs originates from the Chylus hillls which are composed of the various volcanic lava rocks, the springs are home of large schools of hippos and crocodiles, the source of springs which is the Chyulu Hills to the North, the Chyulu range is composed of volcanic lava and ash which is too porous to allow rivers flow. Instead rain water percolates through the rock, and may spend 25 years underground before 50 emerging 50 kilometres away at Mzima. The natural filtration process gives rise to Mzima’s famously clear stream, which flows through series of pools and rapids, two kilometres downstream from the springs, the stream is blocked by solidified lava flow and disappears below the surface again.
Mzima springs is one of the Tsavo’s most popular wildlife attractions owing to its resident populations of hippo and Nile crocodiles and some other animal species, Mzima’s isolation makes both species are dependent on its waters, other sources are too distant for them to reach by overland travel and the hippos also sustain an entire food chain. They browse the surrounding savannah by the night and return to Mzima’s pools by day, where their dung fertilises the water, there by fruiting trees such as date and raffia palms, waterberrys and figs grow beside the water, using their submerged roots to absorb nutrients. These fruits are source of food for velvet monkeys and a variety of birds and below the water’s surface the invertebrates which feed on the hippo dung are preyed on by fish and cormorants.
Mzima springs is an oasis of green in the Tsavo west National park that produces an incredible 250 million litres of fresh water a day, the springs whose source rises in the Chyulu hills, provides the bulk of Mombasa ‘s fresh water, walking trail leads along the shoreline, during the year of 2009 the drought took heavy toll on the springs’ hippo population, the population is stable at around 20 individuals, there are also crocodiles and awide variety of birds.
In the underground water of the Mzima springs there it gives a creepy view of thousands of primeval-looking fish which claims Mzima springs to be’undoubtely the greatest attraction in Tsavo West National Park’.
Mzima springs has attractions such as hiking path alongside the ponds and springs, an underground glass windowed viewing room, several viewing platforms, all of which provide amazing views of the sites flora and fauna. Also game viewing, bird watching, safari walks and among other activities can be done in Mzima and around the springs.
Best time of the year to visit the Mzima springs.
You can visit the Mzima springs at any time you feel like but the most recommended time to visit the springs is during the dry and wet seasons, that is during the dry season there can be more wildlife in the area and wet season there is an increase in the volume of the water of Mzima springs.
Not only the Mzima Springs the Tsavo National Park various other attractions which are gives good memories and moments once visited and they include as follows, Shetani lava, Roaring rocks, Poacher’s hill, Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, Aruba dam, Mudanda rock, Yatta plateau, Lugard falls, Galana and Tsavo River and among others.
