Tsavo East National Park

Tsavo East National Park, Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park is the biggest national park. It shares borders with Tanzania’s Mkomazi Game Reserve and the Chyulu Hills. The park, which is 13,747 square kilometers, was created in 1948 along with Tsavo West National Park, which is its sister park. Tsavo East National Park is home to many rare species and has been called the “Theatre of the Wild.” It is famous for its large groups of red-dusty elephants that love to roll around and play in the park’s red soil.

The name of the park comes from the Tsavo River, which runs through it from east to west. The A109 railway and highway separate the park from the other one, but the two together make up Tsavo National Park, which is Kenya’s biggest protected area.

The landscape of Tsavo East National Park is very different, with savanna and semi-arid plains. Two rivers, the Tsavo and the Athi, meet in the park to form the Galana River, which is an important part of the park. The wildlife in Tsavo East National Park comes from both the north and the south. It is one of the best places in Kenya to go on a wildlife tour. It has more kinds of plants and animals than any other place on Earth.

The park is famous for its large groups of red-dusty elephants, as well as its lions and cheetahs that don’t have manes. You can also see all five of the “Big Five” animals in Tsavo East: the Cape buffalo, the black rhino, the lion, the leopard, and the elephant. You can also see many bird species, such as kestrels, kingfishers, black kites, and more. Lugard Falls and the Yatta Plateau, which is the world’s longest lava flow, are two other interesting things to see in the park.

HOW TO GET TO TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK

Tsavo East National Park is in the southeast of Kenya, 325 km/201 mi from the city, Nairobi, and about 250 km/155 mi from Mombasa. The best way to get there is by car. There aren’t any regular planes to Tsavo East National Park, but you can hire a private jet to go to one of the park’s airstrips. A huge airport called Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is southeast of Nairobi, and a smaller airport called Moi International Airport (MBA) is west of Mombasa.

WHAT TO DO IN TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK

Wildlife
The large number of mammals, snakes, birds, and other animals that live in Tsavo East National Park is one of the most interesting things about the park. Tsavo’s lions don’t have manes like they used to, but the park is home to more than 600 lions, which is why the area is famous for them. There are also cheetahs and leopards that are often seen in the area. There are also aardwolves, Grevy’s and plain’s zebras, African wild dogs, warthogs, impalas, water bucks, bush bucks, dik-diks, tree-hyraxes, duikers, black rhinos, civet cats, bat-eared foxes, and primates like yellow baboons, Skye’s monkeys, and more in Tsavo East.

And Tsavo East National Park is a great place to go birdwatching in Kenya because it is home to over 500 kinds of birds, including birds that live in dry savannah and birds that live near water. A lot of different kinds of birds like to live in its swampy, rocky, and dry open savannah greenery.

Because Tsavo East National Park has such beautiful scenery, the birds have been spread out so evenly that tourists will be able to see a lot of bird life no matter where they are in the park. All kinds of birds can be found in Tsavo East National Park, such as horn-bills, eagles, kingfishers, herons, buzzards, kestrels, starlings, ostriches, weaver birds, secretary birds, and more.

The Yatta Plateau
Surrounded by trees and rising above the Athi River, the Yatta Plateau is one of the most beautiful parts of Tsavo East National Park. The Yatta Plateau is the largest lava flow in the world, at more than 290 kilometers.

The platform was made when the Ol Doinyo Sabuk Mountain erupted. There are beautiful views from the plateau, which is made up of thick marshland with Baobab trees, rivers, swamps, seasonal pools, and dams. The plateau is thicker in the west than in the east, which is mostly dry. The views of the volcanic hills and rocks are better in the western part of the Yatta Plateau than in the eastern part, which is mostly flat, thorny land.

Rock of Mudanda
This is another beautiful part of Tsavo East National Park. Another name for Mudanda Rock is “inselberg.” It is 1.6 kilometers long and made up of layers of rock that collect water for a natural dam below. This dam gets its water from rock rain and small amounts of rain that build up to big amounts of water. Many elephants and other animals come to the rock to drink water during the dry season. It’s a good place to watch them from.

A few minutes south of Manyani gate, in the southwestern brush areas of Tsavo East, you can find Mudanda Rock. People in the area say that the rock, which is from the Precambrian period, was used by them to dry strips of meat and guard their homes. Tourists in Tsavo East National Park can go on a walking tour to see Mudanda rock. The rock’s peak has a view of the whole park from its pool.

Athi and Galana Rivers
The Galana River and the Tsavo River run through Tsavo East National Park. They are two of the most important water sources for the park and its plants and animals. The Tsavo River goes through Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks.

It then joins the Athi River to make the Galana River. The Galana River, on the other hand, flows through Tsavo East National Park on its way to the Indian Ocean. Crocodiles and hippos live in large numbers in both rivers. It is very interesting to see these animals on a Kenya wildlife watching safari.

Dam in Aruba
Another important source of water in Tsavo East National Park is the Aruba Dam, which is on the Voi River. Elephants, cats, leopards, and many other animals gather at the dam to drink water, which makes it a popular spot for them. You can also see Lions here better than almost anywhere else in the park.

Wetland of Kanderi
Lions and elephants live in Kanderi swamp, a marsh in Tsavo East National Park. It takes 10 kilometers to get to the swamp, which is a great place to see cats and elephants. In addition, Kanderi wetland is a great place for Kenya wildlife tours in Tsavo East. While on a game drive, tourists can see hartebeests, gazelles, zebras, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and other animals.

The Lugard Falls
Lugard Falls is another beautiful feature in Tsavo East National Park. It is an interesting feature to see on a Kenya walking safari in the park. Lugard falls is named after Frederick Lugard, a British explorer and former colonial ruler. It starts in the Galana river and has a series of white water rapids.

How to spend your time in Tsavo East National Park

Drives for games
During game drives in Tsavo East National Park, you can see many of the animals in the park from the comfort of your 4WD tour car. There are both day and night game drives in Tsavo East National Park. As you drive through the park’s plains, you can see many animals, such as elephants, lions, cheetahs, gazelles, zebras, Masai giraffes, antelopes, black rhinos, fringe-eared oryx, warthogs, porcupines, mongoose bohor reed bucks, and more.

During the dry season, game drives in Tsavo East National Park are best because the trees aren’t as thick and animals gather around watering holes, making them easier to see. From June to October, it’s dry.

Watching birds
You can also enjoy beautiful bird watching in Tsavo East National Park, which is home to more than 500 different bird types. You can easily see a lot of birds that only live in dry areas, like the beautiful Golden-breasted starling, golden pipit, and vulturine guinea fowl.

You can also see horn bills, kestrels, buzzards, fish eagles, and many more species. The park is also the southernmost home for Somali ostriches and a major wintering ground for migrating species from Europe. From November to April, thousands of these birds come to the park.

climbing a rock
For wildlife lovers, rock climbing in Tsavo East National Park is a great thing to do. The area is known for its rough rocks, like Mudanda rock and Yatta plateau, which are fun to explore. Rock climbing is a fun sport that people in Tsavo East National Park can do. It’s also a good way to test your physical fitness. In addition, it gives you a chance to enjoy the beauty of the park.

Safaris on Horseback
One of the most exciting things to do in Tsavo East National Park is go on a horseback tour. On the back of a horse, horseback riding is an eco-friendly way to explore Tsavo East National Park, which is something you can’t usually do on a Kenya tour. During this trip, you can get up close and personal with animals, which is an experience you will never forget.

Lead walks in the bush
Tsavo East National Park also offers exciting organized bush walks through the park. These walks are done on foot and are led by a skilled, armed guide. You can get to parts of the park that you can’t get to by car and see most of the park’s wonders up close on guided bush walks. Many animals can be seen in Tsavo East as you walk through it, as well as beautiful natural features like the Galana River and Mudanda rock.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO VISIT TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK?

There are many times of the year to visit Tsavo East National Park, but the best times are during the dry season, which is from July to September and December to March. Since the grass is short and animals are drawn to water, especially river sides, these months are great for seeing wildlife. Other than that, things might be harder when the short rains (November) and long rains (April and May) are at their worst. You can’t see the animals as well because the forest is thicker and the animals are spread out more this time of year.

HOW TO HOST A ROOM IN TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK
There are many types of safari hotels and camps in Tsavo East National Park. There are a variety of prices, from high-end to moderate. Some examples are the ones below.

Ashnil Lodge in Aruba
Another big and well-known game camp in Tsavo East is this one. Ashnil Aruba is located on the shores of the Aruba Dam and has 20 luxury suites, eight of which have rooms that connect to each other, four triples, six beautiful tents, and two that are specially designed for guests with special needs. Each room has its own bathroom and a patio with a view of the dam. The rooms stay cool with slate or smooth concrete floors.

Tent Camp Satao
The camp is in the middle of the park and looks out over a well for drinking water. Twenty en-suite safari tents with private verandas are set up in a nice “out of Africa” way. The camp is popular with both people and animals.

Galdessa High-End Camp
Galdessa Camp, which is in Tsavo East Park, offers one-of-a-kind and luxurious safaris in Kenya. The camp is on the banks of the Galana River, surrounded by wild plants and doum palm trees. Wildlife is free to move around the camp because it is not surrounded by a fence. This means you can see amazing game without leaving the site. The camp has eleven tents for guests, and each one was put with care to give you the best wilderness experience and privacy.