Caving / Spelunking in Shetani Lava Flow, Tsavo West National Park,
Eastern Province Kenya
Tsavo West National Park is located in the South Eastern part of Kenya, at 240 km/149 mi from Nairobi and 250 km/155 mi from Mombasa. It is 9065 km²/3500 mi² with a spectacular showcase of recent geological activities with vibrant volcanic arena, covered with green hills, lava flows, springs and large permanent rivers.
One of the famous lava flow is the “Shetani (Meaning Devil in Swahili) Lava Flow which is 8 km/4.9 mi long with a width of 1.6 m and 5 m depth (5.2- 16.4 ft) and home to the Shetani Cave. Exploring the cave is not an easy task as the black soil consists of uneven chunks of black magma. The cave has offers two large openings with an ancient tree in between.
Although the exit can be seen, it is not accessible due to its narrowness. To explore this cave, one would need a torch and caution needs to be taken into account with regards to the razor-sharp rocks at the foot of the cave. Hyenas have been known to inhibit the cave!!!