Tsavo East national park is another popular wildlife destination in Kenya and one of the oldest and largest protected areas in Kenya, the park is located in the semi – arid area previously known as the Taru Desert and is near the town of Voi in the Taita – Taveta County of the former Coastal Province. The park borders borders Chyulu Hill national park and Mkomazi Game reserve in Tanzania
This park is named after The Tsavo River which flows west to the East through the amazing national park, the park was established in 1948 covering an area of approximately 13,747 square kilometers with a landscape crossed by Tsavo river.
Tsavo East national park is part of the Great Tsavo national park together with Tsavo West national park, these two amazing Kenya wildlife destinations are separated from each other by a railway line and the Nairobi Mombasa Highway.
The landscape of Tsavo East national park has a scenic flat landscape featuring savannah hills, semi – arid grasslands, dry plains, thorny bushes, swamp marshes and physical features including Lugard falls, Mzima springs, Lake Jipe, Yatta plateau the longest lava flow and rugged volcanic cones.
Wildlife
Tsavo East national park’s rich diversity includes abundant wildlife such as the famous man eating lions “Man Eaters”, aardwolf, yellow baboon, bat, cape buffaloes, bushbuck, caracal, African wild cat southeast African cheetah, African civet, Kirk’s dik-dik, African wild dog, African dormouse, blue duiker, bush duiker, Harvey’s red duiker, common eland, African bush elephant, bat-eared fox, northern greater galago, Grant’s gazelle, rusty-spotted genet, common genet, gerenuk, giraffe, African savanna hare, springhare, Coke’s hartebeest, Hunter’s hartebeest, East African hedgehog, spotted hyena, striped hyena, yellow-spotted rock hyrax, southern tree hyrax, impala, black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, klipspringer, lesser kudu, leopard, banded mongoose, dwarf mongoose, Egyptian mongoose, marsh mongoose, slender mongoose, white-tailed mongoose, vervet monkey, Sykes’ monkey, fringe-eared Oryx, clawless otter, ground pangolin, crested porcupine, cane rat, giant rat, naked mole rat, honey badger, bohor reedbuck, black rhinoceros, serval, elephant shrew, East African red squirrel, striped ground squirrel, unstriped ground squirrel, suni, common warthog, ellipsen waterbuck, plains zebra, Grevy’s zebra, bush squirrel among others.
Birds
Tsavo East national park is listed among the Important Birding Areas (IBA) in Kenya and one of the finest Kenya birding destinations in the country with over 500 bird species including Ostrich, Great White Pelican, Common Squacco, Goliath & Grey Herons, Hadada, Sacred & Glossy Ibises, African Spoonbill, Lesser Flamingo, Red-billed Teal, Secretary Bird, African White-backed & Lappet-faced Vultures, Bateleur, Black-chested Snake Eagle & Brown Snake Eagle, Tawny Eagle, African Hawk Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Pigmy Falcon, African Harrier Hawk, Gabar & Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawks, Crested Francolin, Buff-crested, Hartlaub’s & Kori Bustards, African Jacana, Collared Prantincole, Long-toed and Kittlitz Plovers, Black-winged Stilt, Curlew & Marsh Sandpipers, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Namaqua, Ring-necked, Laughing & African Mourning Doves, Donaldson-Smith Nightjar, Speckled, Blue-napped & White-headed Mousebirds, Green Wood-hoopoe, Southern Ground, Von der Decken’s, Yellow-billed, African Grey & Red-billed Hornbills, Fawn-collared, Rufous-naped & Singing Bush Larks, Rufous Chatterer, Little Rush Warbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Banded Parisoma, Desert Cisticola, Grey-backed, Taita Fiscals, Fischer’s & Wattled Starlings, Grey-capped Social-Weaver among others.
Kenya Safari activities to do in Tsavo East national park
Game viewing
Tsavo East national park is one of the finest Kenya destinations for game viewing experience, the park is dominated by savannah grass which is a perfect habitat for abundant wildlife and famously known for wild cats including lions “Man Eaters”.
Game drives in Tsavo East national park are done following several routes running through the savannah plains and from the pop – up roof of your vehicle, you will be able to spot animals such as lions, cape buffalo, eland, African Hare, blue duikers, red duiker, bush duiker, cheetahs, striped hyena, coke’s hartebeests, fringe-eared Oryx, slender mongoose, waterbucks, lesser kudu, Egyptian mongoose, lesser kudu dwarf, giraffes, African wild cat, African elephants, spotted hyenas among others.
Game drives in Tsavo East national park are done in three sessions that is morning game drive, afternoon game drive and evening game drive, morning and afternoon game drive are the most rewarding game viewing experience offering visitors an opportunity to watch predators as they return from hunting.
Birding safaris
Tsavo East national park is a birder’s haven with over 500 bird species including resident and migratory bird species, because of the flat topography bird watching in the park is excellent as it is easier to spot birds perched on short trees, shrubs and along the shores of water bodies such as River Galana.
During bird watching in Tsavo East national park, birds to look out for include African finfoot, Black-faced sandgrouse, Fischer’s starling, Golden pipit, Golden-breasted starling, Lesser kestrel, Martial eagle, Northern brownbul, Pangani longclaw, Red-bellied parrot, Rufous chatterer, Shelley’s starling, Slender-tailed nightjar, Somali bee-eater, Somali bunting, Somali ostrich, Taita falcon, Taita fiscal, Vulturine guineafowl among others.
Birding in Tsavo East national park is at its best during the period of November to April, in this period the migratory bird species arrive into the park from Europe and Northern region of African continent.
Nature walking safaris
Tsavo East national park offers incredible and memorable nature walking safaris, this experience offers visitors an opportunity to explore the scenic landscape of the park dominated by rolling savannah plains such as the Sabuk Mountain, Mudanda rock, Mzima Springs, the impressive Yatta Plateau – the largest lave flow in the world among others.
During this experience you will have a chance to encounter various wildlife species such as lions, elephants, cape buffaloes and many colorful birds.
During the nature walks, you can also visit the Lugard falls which are situated about 60 kilometers from Voi Town on Galana River, these magnificent falls are named after Sir / Captain Fredrick Lugard a British colonialist who once visited the falls.
While visiting these falls, you will watch the falls flowing through a small slopping gorge to River Galana.
Accommodation
Tsavo East national park has a number of accommodation options situated inside and outside the park, these accommodation options range from luxury, midrange and budget.
- Voi safari lodge
- Voi wildlife lodge
- Epiya Chapeya Bigi tented camp
- Satao camp among others
How to get to Tsavo East national park
Tsavo East national park is situated in the Taita Taveta Country approximately 233 kilometers from Nairobi city where most safaris to the park start from, to get to the park 3 modes of transport can be used that is air, railway and road. It can be accessed from Mombasa and Nairobi using 3 gates that are Voi main gate, Sala gate and Mtito Andei gate.
By road – it is a drive of approximately 153 kilometers from Mombasa and 233 kilometers from Nairobi , from Mombasa the park is accessed using the Mombasa – Nairobi highway to Voi Main gate and from Nairobi the park is accessed using the Nairobi – Mombasa highway to Mtito Andei gate.
By Air – there domestic and chartered flights from Wilson airport in Nairobi, Malindi and Mombasa to one of the 6 airstrips found in the Southern region of the park and 13 airstrips in the northern region of the park. Airstrips serving include Voi, Aruba, Satao, Sala, Ithumba, Sangayaya, Mopeo, Bachuma and Cattar airstrips.
By Railway – to get to Tsavo East national park by railway, a railway line connecting Nairobi to Mombasa and traversing through the park is used.
