Tsavo East National Park

Location: Taita-Taveta County, Kenya

Area: 13,747 km2 (5,308 sq. mi)

Overview

The Park was established in April 1948 with its counterpart Tsavo West National Park, the two parks are separated by highway A109 road that runs from Nairobi to Mombasa. The Eastern Park is located in the previously famous semi-arid area called ‘the Taru Desert.

It was named after the main river at the park called Tsavo River which flows from the Western part of the park to the Eastern part. The park is bordered by the great hills and mountains alongside protected areas and borders the Mkomazi Game reserve of Tanzania and Chyulu hills National Park.

Known as the “Theatre of the Wild”, the sight of dust-red elephants wallowing, rolling, and spraying each other with the midnight blue waters of palm-shaded Galana River, also find the 300-kilometer-long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, makes this location an adventure unlike any other.

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, Crocodiles, Waterbucks, Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk, and the prolific birdlife of 500 recorded species.

Accessible by road through Mtito Andei Gate 233km, South of Nairobi, and 250km North of Mombasa on the main Nairobi-Mombasa Road, Mtito Andei to Voi 95 km – Voi – Mombasa 153 km, whilst from Malindi enter the park through Sala Gate. The airstrips are Voi airstrip, Satao airstrip, Aruba Airstrip, Sala Airstrip, Mopeo airstrip, Ithumba airstrip, Cottars airstrip, and Sangatata airstrip.

The Uniqueness of this Park

• Tsavo East National Park is one of the world’s largest game reserves, providing undeveloped wilderness homes to vast numbers of animals.
• Famous are the Tsavo lions, a population whose adult males often lack manes entirely.

Accommodation Options

• Satao Camp
• Ithumba Hills
• Ithumba Private
• Ithumba Camp
• Galdessa Camp
• Little Galdessa Camp

Activities at the Destination

Visit the beautiful scenery-a number of rocky outcrops and volcanic hills, dominated by giant baobabs reputed to live a thousand years, Visit the Shetani lava flow “Shetani means ‘devil’ in Kiswahili -when the locals first saw ‘fire’ erupting and ‘flowing’ on the ground some 500 years ago (black lava flow is 8 km long, 1.6 km wide and 5 meters deep).

Visit Chaimu volcanic crater and lava field – “the devil’s crater” in Kamba tribe language, Five sister’s hills, Mzima springs, Game viewing drives, picnics, boat excursions on Lake Jipe, Guided Walks, Hill & Rock climbing at Chaimu, and Ngulia Hills.