>> Parks List >> Tsavo

TSAVO NATIONAL PARK

Altitude: 500-600 ft.
Area: 9065 sq. kms.
Distance from Nairobi: 240 kms.

Drive inland to Tsavo national park, entering via the buchuma gate. Tsavo is Kenya's largest national park and covers over 20,000 sq. kilometers. It is a vast area of dry scrubland, rocky outcrops and wild animals including elephant, lion, buffalo, and a variety of other plains game. We stop for lunch at Voi safari lodge which sits high on a rocky hillside and commands wonderful views over a busy waterhole and a broad expanse of Tsavo East.

The park offers tremendous views with diverse habitats ranging from mountains, river forest, plains, lakes and wooded grasslands. Its plain border with the southern Serengeti plains in Tanzania. Game includes leopard, cheetah, buffalo, rhino, elephant, giraffe, zebra, lion, plains game, crocodile and small mammals including mongoose, hyrax, dik dik and and nocturnal porcupine.

This is the largest National Park in Kenya at 21,000 sq km. It lies in the southern part of the country and is bisected by the Nairobi-Mombasa rail and road link. The East, comprising of vast plains of scrubland, is the most unspoilt due to its general inaccessibility. The Aruba Dam and Mutanda Rocks are only some of the natural attactions of this area. Tsavo West has good access roads and its environment is well-watered with volcanic soil supporting a vast quantity and diversity of plant and animal life. Here, the main attraction is the Mzima Springs, a favourite haunt for hippo and crocodile, with an under-water viewing chamber.

Basic Facts

Size: 9,065 sq kms
Province: Eastern/Coast
District:: Kitui/Machakos/Taita-Taveta
Geographical Location: South-east Kenya, inland from Mombasa.
Altitude: 229-2,438m
Vegetation: Bush grasslands and acacia woodlands, dotted with baobab and ivory palm, with saltbush, doom palm, tamarind, and fig trees by riversides and at Mzimba Springs.
Fauna: Larger mammals include lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, black rhino, hippo, giraffe, lesser kudu, child, oryx, Cape buffalo, zebra, yellow baboon, waterbuck, gemsbok, Coke's hartebeest, gerenuk, and gazelle. Crocodile can be found in pools while various fish live in Mzima Springs.
Visitor Facilities: Several lodges and campsites.

Details

Tsavo West National Park, along with Tsavo East National Park, are two of Nairobi's largest. Drought and poachers caused enormous devastation to the Parks' population of rhinos and elephants but both species are now recovering. An arial count of elephants in this Tsavo revealed that their population stood at 7000 as at 1991, thus being the largest popuation in any Kenyan park. Today, poaching has all but ended.

With the park's great diversity of plants and animals coupled with its well maintained all weather roads,it has become a model national park. The superb signposting leads visitors from one natural wonder to the other. One of these marvels is Mzima Springs which is replenished with over 220 million litres of crystal-clear water everyday from the underground streams originating from the Chyulu Hills, 40-50kms away.

Mzima acts as an attraction to many animals and especially elephants that love spending their time here soaking half emersed in the water. Other water loving animals like hippo and crocodile are not an uncommon sight. Giraffe, gazelles and zebra can be seen wondering around the banks through the raffia palms and thick acacia together with hundreds of chattering monkeys and birds.

There are well marked nature trails,an observation platform and an underwater glass tank which provides a special vantage point to view this remarkable oasis. Not far from here lies Ngulia escarpment at the foot of the of the Ngulia Hills which rises to 1825 m. Each year from late September to November, Ngulia has become the base of a unique phenomena. Attracted by the lights of Ngulia Lodge, thousand of migrant birds descend through the mist, which are prevalent at this time of year, only to be netted, ringed and then released.This phenomena has become one of the bird wonders of the world. Reports about ringed birds have been received from as far off places as Oman, Malawi, Iran and Germany.

Besides the gigantic elephants, other animals such as lions, some undoubtedly direct descendants of the maneaters of Tsavo, can be seen roaming around in this national park. Among the not so common animals to be found here are fringed-eared oryx, the gerenuk and the lesser kudu. The carnivores found here include serval, hyena, leopard, cheetah and caracal. The landscape is filled with giant baobab tree and which are reputed to live a thousand years.

Kilaguni, which was the first lodge to be opened in any park in Kenya, stands at the centre of Tsavo West and was opened by the Duke of Gloucester in 1962. The lodge and its waterhole have an almost permanent population of animals. This feast of flora and fauna combines to make Tsavo of special interest.

Transport

The two main gates to Tsavo are Mtito Gate and Tsavo Gate about 230 and 280kms south east of nairobi on the main A109 Nairobi - Mombasa road. Chyulu Gate in the north west corner of the park is used by vehicles coming into Tsavo West from Amboseli National Park. 4WD and high clearance vehicles are required for this route and especially in wet weather.

Other entries are at Ziwani Gate, Jipe Gate and Kasigau Gate. Buses from Nairobi to Mombasa pass near Mtito Andei Gate and Tsavo River Gate. Hitching to these gates is fairly easy,but since walking inside the park is not allowed, visitors without vehicles may have a very long wait here. Buses also run between Voi and and Taveta on the Tanzania border or even to Moshi in Tanzania through the park via Maktau and Mbuyuni Gates.

Camping

Kitani Safari Camp, which is a special camp, is best suited to experienced campers who must be completely self sufficient. This area can be full of game. As for Jipe Public Campsite located on the lower eastern shore of Lake Jipe, excellent views of the Pare mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania can be obtained at the lakeside site.

Other camping sites are Kasigau Gate, Tsavo Gate and Kangechwa.

Lodging

There are three lodges within the boundaries of Tsavo West National Reserve. Lake Jipe Lodge has 74 beds, Ngulia Lodge has 100 beds and Kilaguni Lodge has 106 beds. Located just outside of the Reserve are Finch Hattons with 70 beds, the Ziwani Tented Camp with 32 beds, and the Tsavo Inn with 92 beds.

Finch Hattons (Kampi Ya Simba):

Situated in Tsavo West nestling at the foot of the Chyulu Hills, Finch Hattons is a genuine conservation friendly luxury tented lodge. Finch Hattons is built at the edge of three hippo pools which are fed by natural springs. Accommodation is provided in 35 very luxurious tents, widely spaced on both sides of the hippo pools. The tents are raised on wooden platforms and face towards the water. Each has a spacious veranda with a Lamu-style day bed and chairs. The tents are extra large and airy with many big screened 'windows. They have wooden floors, rich Kilim rugs, deluxe beds, supply of electricity, fully stocked mini-bar, en-suite toilet, shower room and bath complete with piping hot water. The cuisine and service are to the highest international standards. The Camp has a swimming pool. Since the Camp is not fenced, only children over 12 years of age, accompanied by adults, are allowed.

Saltlick Lodge:

We may continue to drive on to Saltlick lodge which is an allnight game viewing lodge and remarkable for its unusual architecture. A series of thatched towers sit high on stilts and overlook water holes. take tea on the roof while you watch animals below and enjoy the spectacular scenery. In clear weather you have a fine view of Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro. Dinner at the lodge followed by the excitement of a late night game vigil as animals come to the floodlit waterholes.

TAITA HILLS

After breakfast, one could choose to take a game drive around the attractive Taita hills wildlife sanctuary, Because of the abundance of water, large herds of elephant and other plains game migrate to this area. Stop at the luxurious Taita hills lodge for lunch and plan for a sunset at the coast in Mombasa.

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