Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya at 13,747 square kilometres. Situated in a semi-arid area previously known as the Taru Desert it opened in April 1948, it is located near the town of Voi in the Taita-Taveta County of the former Coast Province. The park is divided into east and west sections by the A109 road and a railway. Named for the Tsavo River, which flows west to east through the national park, it borders the Chyulu Hills National Park, and the Mkomazi Game Reserve in Tanzania.
Together Tsavo East and Tsavo West form one of the largest conservation areas on the planet. Tsavo East is known for its impressive Elephants and the legend of the Maneaters of Tsavo.
Tsavo East is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, situated mid-way between Nairobi and Mombasa. The Galana River passes through the Park and this provides life giving waters in this arid region. It is home to some of the largest Elephant herds in Kenya.
Tsavo East Highlights & Attractions
- Huge herds of Elephants covered in red dust from wallowing and dust bathing
- Mudanda Rock - this rock towers above a natural dam which draws many Elephants to slake their thirst every day.
- Lugards Falls - these falls occur on the Galana River, passing over some interestingly shaped rocks.
What to do in Tsavo East National Park - Game drives, bush walks, hiking and rock climbing, horse riding.
Getting there
The main entrance gate to the park is the Mtito Andrei Gate which is located about 233km (144 miles) from Nairobi on the Mombasa Road.
Airport - As the area is so vast several of the camps and private lodges have their own private airstrips, namely at Aruba, Satao, Sala, Ithumba, Sangayaya, Mopeo and Bachuma.
The Experience
Tsavo East is Kenya's oldest national park. It is home to the largest Elephant herds in the country, as well as large prides of Lions. The region was made famous due to the Maneaters of Tsavo, two Lions that killed around 130 people during the construction of the railway line in 1898. Today tourists can see the large prides of Lion which call the Tsavo National Park home.
One of the Park's most recognisable features is the Yatta Plateau which is the longest lava flow in the World, stretching for over 300km (185 miles). Another attraction is the Lugards Falls, where the Galana River cascades over a series of rapids created by interestingly shaped rocks. The Park offers the quintessential safari experience, and the game viewing is usually best around water sources such as the Aruba Dam.
The Park is home to a good population of Giraffe, many Zebra, Impala and Gazelles, as well as irascible Buffalo. Predators are represented by large prides of Lions, elusive Leopards, and the fastest animal on land - the Cheetah.