Climbing first started here in 1978 when Bill Woodley, then the warden of Tsavo West, opened up the park to climbers and invited the MCK to explore the cliffs. Though difficult to reach, the setting is one of the best in Kenya and the climbing of a high quality.

ELEPHANT ROCKS
The lowest placed and most accessible cliffs; excellent climbing and popular. A large pointed rock two-thirds way up to the cliffs is a useful route marker. Below and right of this is a tall baobab tree. Approach this area from the right and, keeping the baobab on your left, aim for the marker rock, passing right of it and coming out just above it. From here a variety of pleasant paths lead to the central grassy bay of Elephant Rocks (45 min from campsite).

73 Earl Grey IV+ l00m *
A L Wielochowski, F Ellyatt, 1981. At the left-most end of the terrace is a right-facing corner, reached by making a short descent before the Tusker start, then traversing. Just left of a block at base of the cliff climb a crack then traverse left into chimney; tree belay (25m). From. chimney traverse left onto a steep wall; climb this to a bulge, then traverse right across chimney; climb a wall then move right below overhangs. Cross a dirty gully and, avoiding chockstones by going right, scramble to a big tree 5m up gully (30m).

74 The Omen V+ 95m *
A L Wielochowski, 1981. Start at the third corner left of Ivory Corner. Climb a chimney for 4m and traverse left onto a juggy wall. Climb an arete (hard), move right and left, then follow arete to a stance (40m). Continue up arete to a ledge with twin cactus trees (20m). Surmount roof between the cacti, move up then left to arete and at spikes move further left (thin) for 3m. Make 2 moves up then go back right to lip of a roof; climb a crack then a wall and easy slab to the top; cactus belay (45m). Descent: Abseil from a tree 8m left of top.
75 Tusker IV+ 135m
A L Wielochowski, D McMullan, R Corkhill, 1981. Mainly grade III, a few moves of IV+. A beautiful climb. Start as for The Omen, climb easy rocks right of chimney till a passage leads to base of chimney in the 2nd corner left of Ivory Corner (20m). The chimney, mainly on right wall, to a slabby ledge on right (15m). Make an exposed traverse to the arete left (keep low) and go round this to ledge (15m). Move up and right to reach a spike on arete. From here climb left and up (hard) to reach a black slabby wall. After a few moves make a thin step right to a sandy ledge on arete (pitch 3 could be finished here in order to give the second a top rope on the traverse). Big holds now lead to a horizontal cleft (40m). Var: a rising traverse at the start of the 3rd pitch leads to spike on the arete which is climbed direct to the cleft (V-, better climbing). Now go over the bulge and follow nose till it steepens. Move right to a juggy wall and go straight up this; cross arete and climb slabs, keeping right where possible, to a commiphora tree at top of corner (45m). Descend in 2 long abseils from top of corner.