Tsavo National Park
Kenya's largest national park
Tsavo National Park is the largest national park in Kenya, East Africa.
On April 1, 1948, the Tsavo National Park was established with a total area of 21812 square kilometers and was divided into eastern and western parts in May 1949 for administrative reasons. Both sides of the park are separated by the asphalt road that connects Mombasa with the capital Nairobi and the parallel railway line.
In Tsavo you come across a very special kind of wilderness; here the beauty of the East African landscape has been preserved in all its majesty. The bright red laterite earth covers the park, which is open all year round and is located 150-1200m above sea level, especially in the eastern part. The climate is warm and dry.
The vegetation here is diverse; Wild bushland, wide open savannahs, semi-arid areas, green river landscapes with gallery forests, acacias, huge baobab trees and thornbush savannas paint the picture of true Africa to the enthusiastic viewer.
The Tsavo habitat is considered a hostile environment for humans and therefore offers the best refuges for wild animals.
We meet the “red elephants” in Tsavo East NP. They get their name from the layer of red dust they cover themselves with after their mud bath to protect themselves from the sun and insects.
Here you can observe animals in wild nature that you can hardly find anywhere else.
The landscape of Tsavo West is significantly hillier and wetter. Numerous volcanic cones protrude from the plains, and at the foot of the Chyulu Hills lies the Shetani lava field, which is still largely free of vegetation and is a contemporary witness to a long-ago volcanic eruption.
The southern area is characterized by grass savannas. The Tsavo River with its surrounding gallery forests constantly carries water. In the Ngulia area the hills reach heights of 1800 m.
KWS, Kenya Wildlife Service established a guarded Rhino Sanctuary to protect the endangered black rhinos in the area. Feel free to visit!
Size
21,812 km²
Established
1948
Bird species
over 500
The red elephants of Tsavo
Other mammals such as big cats (lion, leopard, cheetah), giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles, kudu, gerenuks, waterbucks, oryx - antelopes, zebras, baboons and many more are at home. Also over 500 species of birds. Pure Africa!
Another highlight is a visit to the Mzima Springs, where meltwater from Mount Kilimanjaro, filtered through lava rock, rises in a spring and collects in the lake. You may be able to spot its inhabitants, the hippos, crocodiles and fish, in the underground viewing stand.
The wildlife of Tsavo West is very diverse; in addition to the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino), there are numerous other species. The animals are harder to spot here because they have better conditions to retreat in the lush vegetation. This makes your safari exciting, you just have to be patient!
When to travel?
Tsavo can be visited year-round in a warm, dry climate. The best game viewing is during the dry seasons from June to October and January and February, when animals gather along watercourses and dams.
Altitudes range from 150 m to 1,800 m (Ngulia), giving the area a varied climate. In the rainy seasons the savannah blooms green and migratory birds arrive.
