Tsavo East and West National Parks

Tsavo East and West National Parks

Located in the coastal province, Tsavo is nearly 22,000 km2 which makes it the largest national park in Kenya.  Split into two by the standard gauge railway which cuts across it, Tsavo is divided into Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park.

Tsavo East Features

Slightly larger than the West, Tsavo East features the Yatta plateau, Lugard falls, and Galana river. The terrain is generally flat, with dry plains. Tsavo East’s popularity is mostly due to its vast amount of diverse wildlife.

If you wish for an adventure like no other, come and spot elephants wallowing and spraying each other with water from river Galana. The park is a protected area and is home to vast herds of elephants, lions, buffalo, leopards, waterbucks Rhino, and hundreds of bird species.

Tsavo West Features

Contrary to its counterpart, Tsavo West National Park is wetter and more mountainous. Tsavo West’s ecosystem comprises scrublands, grasslands, woodlands, and rocky ridges where visitors can stand and see vast herds in the plains below. As a popular destination loved by most visitors, Tsavo west offers magnificent game-viewing adventures.

Attractions in this park include black rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippos, and Masai lion. Beyond the big five, other smaller animals can be spotted in the park, such as the bush baby, hartebeest, lesser kudu, and Maasai giraffe.

Access: The parks can be accessed through several gates. Tsavo East can be accessed through Manyani Gate, Voi Gate, Buchuma Gate, and Sala Gate.

Tsavo West can be accessed through Mtito Gate, Man-Eaters Gate, Chyulu Gate, and one other near Maktau.

Activity options in the Tsavo East and West National Parks

Game Drives – The two parks offer some of the most magnificent game viewing in the world. The National Park is a popular safari destination with great attractions for those who are interested in experiencing incredible terrain and the vastness of the wilderness at its best. At Benaiah safaris, we have customized packages to enable you to experience both daytime and night game drives using our 4-Wheel land cruisers vehicles that are equipped to handle the off-road terrain easily. The game drives are done in three shifts those are Morning game drives, Afternoon game drives, and Evening game drives. The morning game drives are mostly considered as most rewarding due to the activeness of nature in the morning time. The evening game drive is done to catch up with some of the nocturnal animals. The morning and evening game drives are brief taking like 2 to 4 hours a day.

Birding/Bird Watching-Birding is one of the exhilarating safari activities enjoyed by many visitors while on their Tsavo Safari. The park is a paradise that hosts over 500 bird species. While Birding in Tsavo national park, you’re likely to witness over 400 bird species that are permanent residents and about 100 migratory species. The migratory birds are received in a specific season of the year since they only come to breed and go back to their country of origin.

Guided Nature walks/walking Safaris– Guided nature walks are some of the top activities of Tsavo national park. You will be able to enjoy interesting commentary from our passionate Benaiah tour guides throughout the day. The guided nature walks are done under the guidance of the park ranger who is armed to protect the guests from any danger at the park. There are designated places at the park where the walking safaris are done to enable you to experience the magnificence of the wilderness of the park and an opportunity to watch animals at close range. You can hike to Poachers hill also where you will have a panoramic view of the park at 360 degrees. Book with us to experience the fresh breeze of the incredible African bush as you walk.

Where to stay in Tsavo national park

During visits to Tsavo national park, there are different places where visitors can stay and these include luxury accommodations, midrange accommodation as well as budget accommodation.

Luxury accommodations include Finch Hattons camp, Sarova salt lick lodge, Rhino valley lodge, Kiboko camp, Satao camp, Kiboko camp and many others.

Midrange accommodation include  Voi wildlife lodge, Red elephants safari lodge, Severin safari camp, Lions bluff lodge.

Budget or basic accommodation includes Lake Jipe safari camp, Manyatta camp, Voyager Ziwani safari camp, Leopard lodge among others.

Experience the wilderness of Tsavo national park as you relax and explore the home of the man-eating lions while engaging in different wildlife viewing adventures by planning your safari with Benaiah safari tours.

Attractions

• Large Herds of Elephants
• Mt. Kilimanjaro
• Big Five
• Observation Hill which allows an overall view of the whole park especially the swamps and elephants,
• Swamp below observation hill hosts many elephants, buffaloes, hippos and a variety of water fowls like pelican, Egyptian goose
• Contemporary Maasai culture and indigenous lifestyle