Details

Tsavo East National Park – Theatre of the Wild

This is the largest park in Kenya and one of the oldest.
The sight of dust-red elephant wallowing, rolling and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of palm-shaded Galana River is one of the most evocative images in Africa. This, along with the 300 kilomtere long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, make for an adventure unlike any other in the Tsavo East. The park forms the largest protected area in Kenya and is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust –red elephant, Rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, lesser Kudu, gerenuk and the prolific bird life features 500 recorded species.

Here, too, the land calls out to be explored. You can traverse the Yatta Plateau, at 300 kilometers, the world’s longest lava flow.

And it’s not all rugged plains that meet the eye – the Galana River flowing through the park creates a lush line of greenery cutting across the dusty savannah. You’ll find pods of hippos, crocodile and waterbuck adding to the diversity in this unpredictable reserve.

Park size

11,747 square kilometers. And its elevation rises to 1,200 meters above sea level.

Location

The park is in southwest Kenya between Nairobi and Mombasa. It’s relatively close to the beaches of the Kenya Coast and can easily be a 1-day safari for those who wish a quick getaway.

When to go

The park is open year-round and always accessible. Hours are 06:00 hrs. to 18:00 hrs. daily.

Note: One can only walk or hike in designated areas and only in the company of a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger.

 

Getting there

By road – you can book a tour with Jadestone Africa Travels from the coast or Nairobi.

Air – chartered aircraft can land at any of the park’s multiple airstrips. Airstrips:  Voi, Aruba, Satao, Sala, Ithumba, Sangayaya, Mopeo, Bachuma, Cottars,

Railway – take the Nairobi-Mombasa railway which runs right through the park.

Things to do and see

Things to do and see

The elephants! Rolling in the red-dust soil, spraying each other and herding at such watering holes as:

  1. Mudanda Rock – This is a 1.6 km whale shaped rock towering over a natural dam. The life-giving waters here attract hundreds of the park’s elephants.
  2. Aruba Dam – is a man-made dam of great aesthetic charm and an immense conservation area. The thousands of animals here create a perfect platform for wildlife viewing
  3. Lugard’s Falls – in this oddly eroded natural structure, the Galana River actually disappears into a narrow rocky groove. You can stand astride both sides of the falls and view its plunge into the rapids and pools below, filled with awaiting crocodiles
  4. Tsavo West National Park is extreme and striking. The contours and variety of its land, the deep colors of desert, sky and springs, and the surprise of nearby wildlife emerging from the scrub.