Tsavo National Park is located 333 km from Nairobi and is the largest national park in Kenya. The beautiful landscape and proximity to the coast make it a popular safari destination. It is recognized as one of the world's most unique biodiversities, with endless grassland and open plains that are alternated with acacia bushes and forests, the banks of the Galana River give unexpected lush vegetation. The Mombasa - Uganda railway and Mombasa - Nairobi highway cut the huge park in half and forms an eastern and western park.
Tsavo East is one of Kenya's oldest and largest national parks on the eastern edge of the inland plateau. A unique landmark in the park is the Yatta plateau, one of the world's largest Lava flows. The power of millions of years of erosion turned the lava in a shape which almost looks like a highway. The Voi River partly consists of a swamp and floods towards the Aruba dam. Here an attempt was made to create a fish farm, but unfortunately for the people this attempt failed. For many birds and other animals it now is a real paradise. Another natural wonder that can be found in the park is, the Lugards Falls. At this point, the water of the Galana River drops and creates strangely shaped rocks and thus also creating a real waterfall in the semi-desert environment.
There is a wide variety of wild animals found in the Tsavo East National Park: lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, serval cats, kongoni, kudu, oryx, impala, striped hyena, gazelle, buffalo and the "red" elephants. Around 500 bird species have been observed in the park, including ostrich and several species of migratory birds. Tsavo is famous for some of the largest herds of elephants in Kenya. The elephants seem to have a red colour, just like many other animals in the park, which is caused by the red dust which they spray on themselves against insects. The lions of Tsavo owe their fame to the book and movie "The Man-eaters of Tsavo". Here a few lions ate several railroad workers during early 20th century. The lions were shot later on. It seems the reason they attacked people was because of their bad teeth, which made it impossible for them to eat buffalo or gazelle.
The following accommodations are recommended by Africa Miracles:
Tsavo East: Satao Camp, Kilalinda, Galdessa Safari Camp
Tsavo West: Kilaguni Serena Lodge, Severin Safari Lodge, Finch Hattons and Voyager Ziwani Safari Camp
Chyulu Hills: Ol Donyo Wuas
Taita Hills: Taita Hills Game Lodge and Salt Lick Game Lodge
A large part of Tsavo West is of recent volcanic origin and therefore very hilly, really the opposite of Tsavo East. The Ngulia Hills determine to a large extent the landscape: the best known of the volcanic cones, lava flows and rocks, is Shaitani (meaning - devil). The hills always provide a spectacular sight, but around September and December the sight is even more special, because thousands of migratory birds arrive and forage in the park. Many migratory birds from the northern hemisphere use the area as a kind of migration corridor and some birds travel as far as Russia.
During World War I there was a big battlefield in Tsavo West where the British and German troops fought against each other. You can still find some places where the memorials and other interesting findings of this brutal conflict can be seen.
A cool, shallow and shady source offers a very deserved cool down to the groups of hippos, they slumber throughout the day in the protected waters of the Mzima Springs. This spring is the main fresh water supply into Mombasa. During the night the hippos graze on the nearby grasslands. The manure from the hippo mixed with grass provides a fantastic shelter for insects and food for fish and snails. All this poses a complex chain, anchored by the large herbivores which will eat more than a hundred pounds per night. The Mzima Springs is unique in its kind, formed by melted snow and runoff water from Mount Kilimanjaro. The water runs underground from the source to Mzima Springs in Tsavo where the water surfaces and becomes a very important place for the animals in the park.
Chyulu Hills National Park adjacent to the northwest of Tsavo West, is one of the newest mountain ranges on our planet, the most recent volcanic peak was formed only 500 years ago. A track for a 4WD jeep leads to this peak Shaitani, which runs from the Chyulu-gate near the Kilaguni Lodge. It is possible to take a walk to the caves on the side of the volcano. On the other side of Tsavo West, in the south-west corner, lies Lake Jipé. The lake is cut in half by the border with Tanzania and is a favourite spot for birdwatchers. Rental boats are available for ardent ornithologists. In the area around the lake a small herd of Grevy's Zebra has their home, moved from the north of Kenya in 1977 to this area. Animals generally seen are buffalo, bushbuck, eland, elephant, leopard, warthog, reedbuck, steinbok and much more.
Starting from a level of 600 meters the Taita Hills extend to a maximum height of 2208 meters above sea level (Wuria peak). There are two rainy seasons in the area: May-June and October-December. The large numbers of ecological regions in the area are mainly based on the topography and the different climatic conditions in the area. The original cloud forests of the Taita Hills, which are of great importance for the conservation of the area, has unfortunately suffered losses due to significant deterioration since the early 1960's. Of the large area of forest only three scattered areas are left, Chawia, Ngangao and Mbololo. Apart from that a few very small pieces, embedded in a mosaic of human settlements, and laying on the small plots of private owners for the cultivation of exotic plantations. The Taita Hills, which mainly consist of three groups of hills: the Dabida, Sagalla and Kasigau, are covering an area of more than 1000 km² is the northernmost part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Several former livestock ranchers have left the ranching for what it is and focus now primarily on nature conservation. Taita Hills is more and more a part of Tsavo and hopefully soon a part of the great elephant corridor which many people in Africa are fighting for.
Distances and location:
Tsavo is located in South-eastern Kenya. To Tsavo East from Nairobi you enter the Manyani gate (4 - 5 hour drive) or Voi gate (5 -6 hour drive); From Mombasa you enter the Bachuma gate (2 hour drive) or the Voi gate (3 hours) on a good highway. To Tsavo West from Nairobi you can use the main entrance at Mitto Andei (4 hour drive) this is the midpoint between Nairobi and Mombasa. Visitors from Mombasa can also use the Tsavo gate (3 – 4 hour drive). You can use the connection of Safari Link or private flights to fly quickly and comfortably to various airstrips in the parks.
Excursions:
A. Walk around the clear waters of Mzima Springs that also has an underwater viewing point, where you can see hippos at eye level.
B. Poachers Lookout, the perfect location to admire Mount Kilimanjaro at sunrise.
C. Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, situated at the foot of the Ngulia Hills is worth a visit for the rhinoceros care program.
