These clear pools are a favourite hangout for hippos and crocodiles. You need to go early to avoid the rush of tour buses. However, the early rise is rewarded by a quiet atmosphere interspersed only with birdsong and monkey chatter.
The main attraction here is a submerged viewing tank which was designed so that people could watch the hippo’s antics underwater, but since it was built the hippos have retreated shyly to the other side of the pool. The good news is that you get a great view of the fish. The underground water that feeds the pools filters up through the volcanic rock of the Chyulu Hills and it is linked by pipeline to mombasa, supplying most of the town’s water.