One of Kenya's most extraordinary natural sights: cold, crystalline water — about 500 million litres per day — wells up from underground through volcanic rock, feeding a series of pools alive with hippos, crocodiles, and dense schools of barbel. An underwater viewing chamber built into the bank of the main pool lets you watch hippos from below the surface, their vast bodies moving with surprising grace. Walk the short trail around the pools early in the morning for the best wildlife activity. The springs feed the Mzima Pipeline, which carries water all the way to Mombasa — the pools are also a protected water source, so treat them with care.
Mzima Springs
Crystalline springs in Tsavo West with an underwater hippo-viewing chamber