LUMO Community Wildlife Conservancy

LUMO Community Wildlife Conservancy is a thriving community-led conservation initiative located in southern Kenya. It spans over 48,000 acres of savannah, hills, and woodland, forming a vital part of the greater Tsavo Ecosystem. Bordering Tsavo West National Park and the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, LUMO plays a crucial role as a wildlife corridor, particularly for migratory elephants and other large mammals.

Established with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship and community empowerment, LUMO blends biodiversity protection with sustainable tourism and socio-economic development.

The Conservancy is home to iconic African wildlife, including lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, and over 300 bird species, making it a premier destination for eco-tourists and nature enthusiasts.

How to Get There

LUMO Conservancy is located near the town of Mwatate in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya.

From Mombasa:

✓ Distance: 220 km
✓ Travel Time: Approximately 4.5 to 5 hours by road via the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway (A109) to Voi, then turning onto the Taveta Road.

From Nairobi:

✓ Distance: 360 km
✓ Travel Time: Approx. 6 to 7 hours by road via the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway to Voi, then west toward Mwatate.

By Air:

✓ From the airstrips, the Conservancy is a 30 to 60-minute drive depending on the gate and destination lodge.
✓ Visitors can fly to Voi Airstrip or Taita Hills Airstrip, both of which are serviced by charter and scheduled flights from Nairobi and other domestic airports.

History

The vision for LUMO Conservancy was born in 1997 through a pioneering collaboration between three community-owned ranches: Lualenyi, Mramba, and Oza. These ranches, recognizing the growing potential of wildlife-based tourism and sustainable land use, decided to merge their lands to create a unified conservation area.

Their goal was to generate income through eco-tourism while conserving the region’s rich natural heritage. This unique partnership marked a turning point in community-driven conservation in Kenya. On 4th October 2001, LUMO was officially registered under the Trustees (Perpetual Succession) Act, cementing its legal foundation and operational framework.

Since then, LUMO has evolved into a model conservancy, balancing wildlife protection, environmental sustainability, and local economic development through community leadership and international collaboration.

Wildlife Viewing Experiences

✓ Morning & Afternoon Game Drives: Ride in open-sided 4×4 safari vehicles with expert guides through LUMO’s vast landscapes. Spot elephants, lions, leopards, lesser kudu, eland, Grant’s gazelle, and more during early morning or late afternoon drives.

✓ Sunset Safari & Sundowner: From 5 PM to 8 PM, embark on a scenic game drive during the golden hour. Pause around sunset for a relaxing sundowner drink at a panoramic viewpoint before continuing into the nocturnal wilderness.

✓ Night Game Drive: Explore the Conservancy after dark, a rare privilege in Kenya. Use handheld spotlights to search for elusive nocturnal animals, such as leopards, aardvarks, pangolins, melanistic serval cats, and owls. (For guests aged 10+)

Nature-Based Guided Walks

✓ De-Snaring Patrol: Join LUMO’s rangers in locating and removing wire snares left by poachers, a hands-on conservation activity that directly helps protect wildlife.

✓ Bush and Bird Walk: Start at sunrise with a ranger-led walking safari in a safe part of the Conservancy. Learn to read animal tracks, identify medicinal plants, and observe birds and insects up close. Keep an eye out for endemic species, such as the Taita Thrush and Taita Apalis.

Scenic Hikes & Forest Treks

✓ Hike the Taita Hills: Choose from scenic drives or steep guided hikes up Eyale or Vuria (2,300m). Enjoy views of “Little Switzerland,” montane forest, endemic birds, and the chance to picnic amidst serene surroundings.

✓ Climb Mt. Kasigau: A challenging 3-hour ascent through national forest teeming with endemic flora and WWI historical features like trenches and hideouts. Pass local cultural landmarks such as the ‘Are Rock’ (Python Rock).

✓ Trek Through Ngangao Forest: Walk through one of the last moist forest patches in the Taita Hills. Visit the iconic Mother Tree, tree caves, and mystical rock formations before reaching a panoramic viewpoint.

Immersive Cultural & Historical Experiences

✓ Battlefield Tour: Follow in the footsteps of soldiers from the East African campaign of WWI. Visit British forts, Indian-engineered pipelines, and Commonwealth cemeteries in Maktau and Voi. End with a sundowner overlooking a historical battlefield.

✓ Community Visits & Cultural Engagements: Visit local homes and learn about the Taita people’s traditions, crafts, farming, and lifestyle. Participate in dances, storytelling, or artisan demonstrations.

Dining in the Wild

✓ Private Bush Breakfast: After your bush walk or early game drive, enjoy a chef-prepared breakfast under a tree in the wild complete with fresh fruits, juices, hot drinks, and warm dishes surrounded by nature.

Educational & Volunteering Opportunities

✓ Skill Share Program: Volunteer your expertise in arts, music, farming, crafts, IT, or sewing at local schools. Spend a day inspiring and teaching children through hands-on workshops.

✓ Kenya Ukulele Project: Contribute to LUMO’s music outreach by bringing ukuleles or offering music lessons at Mwashoti and Latika Primary Schools. Help build confidence, creativity, and joy through the power of music.

✓ Conservation Education Tours: Ideal for students and eco-volunteers, these include behind-the-scenes insights into anti-poaching units, camera traps, wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, and LUMO’s sustainability programs.

LUMO Community Wildlife Conservancy is a thriving wildlife corridor connecting Tsavo West National Park and the Taita Hills ecosystem. It supports a rich and diverse array of fauna, including iconic African animals, rare reptiles, and over 350 species of birds.

The conservancy’s varied habitats, including open grasslands, acacia woodlands, rocky outcrops, and seasonal water bodies, make it one of Kenya’s most rewarding safari destinations.

Mammals

Large Mammals

✓ Wildebeest
✓ Cape Buffalo
✓ Maasai Giraffe
✓ Common Zebra
✓ African Elephant
✓ Coke’s Hartebeest (Kongoni)

Big Cats & Predators

✓ Lion
✓ Leopard
✓ Cheetah
✓ Civet Cat
✓ Genet Cat
✓ Honey Badger
✓ Bat-eared Fox
✓ Striped Hyena
✓ Spotted Hyena
✓ African Wild Cat
✓ Silver-backed Jackal
✓ Serval Cat (Normal & Melanistic)

Antelopes & Herbivores

✓ Suni
✓ Eland
✓ Impala
✓ Bushbuck
✓ Red Duiker
✓ Lesser Kudu
✓ Klipspringer
✓ Grant’s Gazelle
✓ Fringe-eared Oryx

Primates

✓ Yellow Baboon
✓ Syke’s Monkey
✓ Vervet Monkey

Nocturnal & Small Mammals

✓ Aardvark
✓ Aardwolf
✓ Bush Baby
✓ Slender Mongoose
✓ White-tailed Mongoose

Reptiles

The conservancy hosts numerous reptiles, some venomous and others harmless but ecologically significant:

✓ Gecko
✓ Puff Adder
✓ Nile Monitor
✓ Black Mamba
✓ Green Mamba
✓ Spitting Cobra
✓ Monitor Lizard
✓ Red-beaked Snake
✓ Great Plated Lizard
✓ Yellow-headed Agama
✓ Spotted Green House Snake

Avifauna (Birds)

LUMO is a birdwatcher’s haven, featuring a diverse array of resident and migratory species.

Raptors & Birds of Prey

✓ Rüppell’s Vulture, White-backed Vulture
✓ Black-shouldered Kite, Montagu’s Harrier
✓ Amur Falcon, Pygmy Falcon, Lanner Falcon
✓ African Harrier Hawk, Augur Buzzard, Snake Eagle
✓ African Fish Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle
✓ Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Bateleur
✓ Spotted Eagle Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet

Ground Birds & Bustards

✓ Secretary Bird
✓ Common Ostrich
✓ Coqui Francolin, Crested Francolin
✓ Crowned Plover, Spotted Thick-knee
✓ Helmeted Guineafowl, Black-faced Sandgrouse
✓ Kori Bustard, Buff-crested Bustard, White-bellied Bustard

Water & Wading Birds

✓ Sacred Ibis
✓ African Jacana
✓ African Spoonbill
✓ Spur-winged Goose
✓ Grey-headed Heron
✓ Long-tailed Cormorant
✓ Malachite Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher
✓ Yellow-billed Egret, Great Egret, Cattle Egret
✓ Woolly-necked Stork, Marabou Stork, Hammerkop

Songbirds, Starlings & Sunbirds

✓ Golden Pipit, Isabelline Wheatear
✓ Hunter’s Sunbird, Variable Sunbird
✓ Common Bulbul, Slate-coloured Boubou
✓ Superb Starling, Fischer’s Starling, Wattled Starling

Weavers & Finches

✓ Black-necked Weaver, White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
✓ Chestnut Weaver, Village Weaver, Red-headed Weaver
✓ Red-billed Firefinch, Purple Grenadier, Red-cheeked Cordon-Blue

Shrikes, Barbets & Larks

✓ Spot-flanked Barbet, D’Arnaud’s Barbet
✓ Taita Fiscal Shrike, Rosy-patched Bush-Shrike
✓ Fischer’s Sparrow Lark, Flappet Lark, Red-winged Lark

Cuckoos, Bee-eaters & Rollers

✓ African Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo
✓ Little Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
✓ Lilac-breasted Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller

Owls, Swallows & Mousebirds

✓ Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet
✓ Blue-naped Mousebird, Speckled Mousebird
✓ Mosque Swallow, Barn Swallow, Wire-tailed Swallow

Others

✓ African Mourning Dove, Namaqua Dove
✓ Go-away Bird, Apalis, Warblers, Cisticolas

Notes

* Child rates are only applicable for persons aged up to 5 years old.
* Resident rates apply to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.  Visitors must present their National ID (for Kenyan citizens) or Passport displaying Work permits or appropriate Visas to prove resident status upon entrance into the reserve. Visitors without a valid passport are required to pay the non-resident rates.

Soroi Lions Bluff Lodge

Soroi Lions Bluff Lodge is a secluded eco-lodge set within the heart of the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary, offering an exclusive and intimate safari experience.

Perched high on a rocky bluff, the lodge boasts spectacular panoramic views stretching across the Tsavo ecosystem, the Lumo Conservancy, the Taita Hills, and even as far as Mount Kilimanjaro, the North Pare Mountains, and the West Usambara range.

The lodge is located 232 kilometers from Nairobi, 48 kilometers east of Voi, and 50 kilometers from Tsavo East National Park, along the Taita-Taveta Road. Its elevated position not only enhances the sense of seclusion but also offers sweeping, uninterrupted views of Kenya’s vast and untamed landscapes.

With just 12 rooms, Lions Bluff provides a peaceful and luxurious retreat ideal for couples, families, photographers, nature lovers, and honeymooners seeking an immersive experience in the wild.

Soroi Cheetah Tented Camp

Soroi Cheetah Tented Camp is a peaceful and intimate retreat located deep within the LUMO Community Wildlife Conservancy in southeastern Kenya. Set against the backdrop of the Tsavo West National Park and the Taita Hills, the camp offers a quiet, exclusive escape far from the busier parks.

Nestled within 48,000 acres of protected wilderness, the camp is designed for travelers who appreciate privacy, raw nature, and a touch of eco-conscious comfort. With only four permanent tents, each unit is thoughtfully spaced to provide seclusion and uninterrupted views of the surrounding plains.

The camp is located within the LUMO Conservancy, between Tsavo West National Park and the Taita Hills. It lies approximately 200 kilometers from Mombasa, 360 kilometers from Nairobi, and 50 kilometers from Voi.

The nearest air access points are Taita Hills and LUMO airstrips. By road, it takes 6–7 hours from Nairobi and 4–5 hours from Mombasa via Voi. Visitors traveling by SGR can alight at Voi or Miasenyi stations, with transfers to the camp taking about 1.5 hours. The camp is situated on a gentle slope, offering expansive views of the savannah and its surrounding wildlife corridors.

Each tent features modern comforts, including en-suite bathrooms, electricity, Wi-Fi, filtered water, and outdoor verandas. Both standard and family tents are available, featuring writing desks, wardrobes, and mosquito netting.

The camp also offers a range of shared facilities, including a cozy lounge, a bar area, a kids’ club tent, a sundowner deck, and both indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Meals are freshly prepared using local ingredients and served in the dining tent or under the stars, with special diets accommodated on request. Guests can enjoy wholesome dishes throughout the day, from breakfast to fruits and cereals, and three-course dinners. 

Soroi Leopard Lair Cottages

Soroi Leopard Lair Cottages are a collection of four secluded cottages perched on the Lions Bluff Kopje within the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary. Set on 48,000 acres of pristine wilderness, the cottages offer an exclusive and untamed safari experience with breathtaking views of the savannah, distant mountains, and a rich variety of wildlife.

Located 232 kilometers from Nairobi, 48 kilometers east of Voi, and just 50 kilometers from Tsavo East National Park, the cottages boast sweeping panoramic views across the Tsavo ecosystem, the Taita Hills, Mount Kilimanjaro, and as far as Mukamazi in Tanzania.

Each cottage features a double and single bed, private hot and cold showers, and a spacious terrace that overlooks the vast landscape. Guests enjoy a peaceful escape with all essential comforts, including access to a shared dining area, fully equipped kitchen, public restroom, and a well-stocked bar.

Meals are a highlight, with the on-site chef preparing flavorful, home-style dishes such as marinated steak, chicken lasagna, and fresh vegan or vegetarian options made with Kenya’s abundant produce. The central mess area delivers all the amenities of a larger lodge but with a more intimate, crowd-free atmosphere, ideal for those seeking tranquility.

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com