Tsavo National Park in Kenya

  • by Jana Meyer
  • 30 Oct, 2019

The Tsavo National Park is the biggest National Park in Kenya. It covers around 4% of the total land area and has a huge variety of landscapes from natural springs and rocky peaks to extinct volcanic cones, rolling plains and sharp outcrops dusted with greenery. The park is named after the Tsavo River that flows from west to east.

Although the game viewing is truly amazing, it's not considered as a standard park for safaris on many itineraries. Perhaps this fact makes it even more exciting for visitors: it’s the perfect safari destination for anyone who is looking for a unique safari experience. With a short distance to Kenya's coast (less than 100 km away), a Safari and Beach getaway is easily combinable.

The Park is divided into two areas: Tsavo East National Park East and Tsavo West National Park, which are separated by the railway between Mombasa and Nairobi, and offer very different safari experiences.


Tsavo East

By far the biggest of Kenya's national parks, Tsavo East covers more than 13,700 km², making it nine times larger than the Maasai Mara. It has lovely scenery and its attractions include the Mudanda Rock and Yatta Plateau, the world's largest example of lava flow. The park is probably best known for its enormous herds of “red elephants” that dust themselves with the red-oxide soil to make them stand out against the arid environment. But in both parks, guests can spot wildlife such as lions, giraffes, rhinos and many more mammals and bird species.

Apart from its teeming elephant population, another main attraction at Tsavo East is its sheer vastness. Even less developed than Tsavo West, the eastern sector feels far more remote and wild. Tsavo National Park makes a great addition to any Kenyan safari itinerary.

Tsavo West

Unlike its eastern counterpart, Tsavo West National Park is much more wooded and hilly, with evidence of its volcanic history in dramatic black rock formations. Most of the development and lodges are in the northern sector. The scenery is spectacular with rocky landscapes, lush grass and dense vegetation. A must see is the Mzima Springs, a natural spring water pool with underwater viewing hides where guests can watch hippo and their antics.

Game viewing is slightly more challenging here but the Big 5 are resident and a great variety of antelope can be seen. Some local animals to look out for include the fringe-eared oryx, klipspringer and Maasai giraffe.

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