Tsavo East National Park

Tsavo East National Park is situated 233 km south of Nairobi the capital of Kenya on the coastal area of the country near the border of Tanzania. Tsavo East National park was the largest park in the world before it was divided into two parts the Tsavo East and Tsavo west National park with each part having unique features to offer and different entrance fees and eco-systems divided geographically by the Mombasa Highway- the main A109 road between Nairobi and Mombasa. Tsavo East National Park took the biggest position of the Park with 11747 sq km (4535 sq mi) out of the 21000 sq km (8108 sq mi).

Tsavo East National park is among Kenya’s oldest national parks, it boosts for its big number of wildlife species especially its large number of red dusty Elephants that roll on the Termite molds at the park giving the park is tittle as the “Theater of the wildlife”. The park derives its name from River Tsavo that also divides the park into two parts the eastern and southern parts just like the A109 road.

Tsavo national park was sold internationally when the lion Man eater attacked workers, who where constructing the Railway that was passing through the park in the early 1800s, this delayed the construction process, this inspired the famous film making of the film entitled “The Ghost and the Darkness”. The park is one of the very few national parks in among Kenya’s wildlife to carry out Night game drives inside the park its self. The park is drained by two main water bodies the Athi and Tsavo river this makes game viewing easy mostly the dry season where all the species have to come here to quench their thirst and Tsavo East has a relatively harsh landscape of Scrubland dotted with huge baobab trees, semi-arid vegetation with Acacia trees and riverine forest along the River.

Game and Birdlife are attracted in the park by the oasis banks of the Voi and Galana rivers that will be reviled by the Kenya Safari in the park. On your visit to the park an experience of the world’s longest lava flow 180-mile-long yatta plateau will amaze you as it run parallel to the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

Tsavo East National park is home to variety of wildlife like Zebras, impala, lions, cheetah, all of the Africa big five like the buffaloes, Vast of dust-rad elephants, lions, tiger, Rhinos, and other species namely Oryx, lesser kudu, Klipspringer antelopes, waterbucks, pods of Hippo, Nile Crocodiles, gerenuk. The park is also home to 500 recorded bird species, the park under management of the Kenya Wildlife Services.

History Tsavo East

The park was established in 1948 under Kenya Wildlife Services and it is among the oldest wildlife parks in the country, covering about 21000 square Kilometers (8108 sq mi) it was Kenya’s largest national Park and one of the largest national parks in the world. The park was later divided geographically by Mombasa Highway-A109 road between Nairobi and Mombasa and the railway that runs more less alongside. The park was divided in to the current Tsavo East and Tsavo West and they both stretch for about 130 km (80 mi).

Wildlife

Tsavo East National park is famous for its red dusty elephants which roam around the park. The park is home to a number of wildlife species including all Africa’s big five (lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and Rhinos) are animals found in tsavo east national park and other 50 species of wildlife like cheetahs, Zebras, Hippos, Wildebeests, giraffes, wild dogs, hyenas to mention but a few as are tsavo east national park animals. The wildlife is very common and easily seen throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season when the grass is short and the water catchment areas easily targeted.

Bird species

Tsavo East National Park is home to over 500 bird species with migratory and permanent bird species like goshawk, Vulturine Guinea fowl, black-headed lapwing, Red-winged lark, Rosy-patched bush shrike, Red-bellied parrot, Martial eagle, Golden pipit, Somali bee-eater, Somali Ostriches, Taita falcon to mention but a few.

 

Attractions in tsavo east national park

Mudanda Rock

The famous inselbergs rocks are found in the center of Tsavo East national park and have great rock art that is believed to have dated back in the old stone age error. The rocks also provide water to one of the dams in the park that are found under the rocks. Visitors go to Mundanda rocks for great view of wildlife because they are the main source of water supply to the park hence animals come here to quench their thirst.

Lugard Falls

The falls got their name from the first explore to step a foot at the park captain Frederick Lugard, the falls are not very difficult to hike but one is required to be reasonably fit to engage in the hike, it is a very great historical site in the park.

Yatta plateau

A visit at the park minus visiting the longest lava flow of 290 kilometers long makes your safari in the park incomplete. the plateau is one of the greatest attractions in Tsavo East National Park, it starts from western part od the park up to the Eastern part of the park above River Athi.

The Aruba Dam

In 1952 in River Voi this dam was built hence becoming the park’s oldest Dam around the area, the park attracts more aquatic animals as well as other wildlife species that come to the park to quench their thirst.

Activities  in tsavo east national park

Birding

The best time for birding in the park is in the wet season when birds are nesting and breeding and also this is the time when the migratory birds come to the park, the park is home to over 500 bird species, bird species include Somali bunting, Nightjar, rufous chatterer, Taita fiscal, black-headed lapwing, red-tailed parrot, Martial eagle, Golden pipit and many others.

Nature walks and hiking

The park has different hiking trail that gives tourist a chance to navigate the park on foot, hike to the Lugard falls, Aruba dam, Mudanda Rocks. You will be in position to get a close encounter with some wildlife and bird species on foot.

Game viewing

The tsavo east national park is among the few national parks where night game drives are offered with in the park. The drive takes place in 4x4WD Vehicles, and also morning and evening game drives are offered in the park, tourists are guaranteed to spot wildlife like lions, Rhinos, Zebras, Wildebeests, Oribi, Dik-dik, Topi, Kudu, Impala, Gazelle, Baboons to mention but a few.

Accommodation in tsavo east national park

The accommodations in the park include Galdessa Camp, Galdessa little, Umani Springs, Ithumba camp, Itumba private among others

How to get to the park

By Road;

 the park is 233 km south of Nairobi and 250 km North of Mombasa on the Nairobi-Mombasa Road. Distance from Nairobi-Mitto Andei gate 233 km, Distance from Mtitio Andei-Voi is 96 km-Voi-Mombasa

By Air; 

the park has a number of airstrips hence the plain will land near your accommodation facility, which are Voi, Aruba, satao, sala, ithumba, sangayaya and many others.