Tsavo National Park

Kenya’s largest national park

Tsavo is made up of two separate parks, Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park. Located in Coast Province of Kenya in between Nairobi City and Mombasa.

Tsavo is nearly 22,000km2, being the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. The park was split into two due to the railway going from Mombasa to the interior of Kenya.

An authentic haven for nature lovers, Saiwa Swamp National Park is nature’s private reserve. The quiet swamp waters beneath the boardwalk network set amidst the swirling reeds and bulrushes is home to the rare and endangered semi-aquatic Sitatunga antelope and a realm for the rare De Brazza monkey. Within this tropical wetland and mosaic of riverine forest, sedges and acacia woodlands, a lot of botanical work identifies different tree species in Saiwa by marble stone labeling and numbering. Visitors are delighted to identify Kenya’s infamous Meru’s ‘Khat’ tree in the Saiwa wild that towers tall above the canopy. A fringing dense rushes and grass beds on this swamp is such a scenery. Bird life is abundant. As one of the smallest parks in Kenya, it prides itself in over 372 species Avi-fauna and classifies itself as one of the Important Bird Area (IBA) site in the country.

The park offers an interesting mix of forest and swamp vegetation and extraordinary diverse plant habitat and offers a conducive environment for academic environmental research. It pride itself as a doctorate study site for Kenya’s first deput president – HE Dr. William S. Ruto.

Accommodation: There are plenty of places to stay in the two parks. These range greatly and most of them have a water hole close to the property making game viewing easier.

Size: Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest parks in Kenya, located South East of Kenya near the Town of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province, inland from the Coast, it is 13,747 sq.km.

While the Tsavo West National Park is also located in the Coast Province of Kenya covering an area of 9,065 sq.km. The park was opened in April 1948.

Tsavo East Features

The slightly larger Tsavo East is generally flat, with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugard Falls.

Tsavo West Features

Tsavo West National Park is more mountainous and wetter than its counterpart, with swamps, Lake Jipe and the Mzima Springs. It is known for bird life and for its large mammal’s e.g. black rhino, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippo and Masai lion. There are also other smaller animals that can be spotted in the park, such as the bush baby, hartebeest, lesser kudu and Maasai giraffe.

Access: The parks can be accessed through several gates. Tsavo East can be accessed trough Manyani Gate, Voi Gate, Buchuma Gate and Sala Gate.

Tsavo West can be aaccessed through Mtito Gate, Man Eaters Gate, Chyulu Gate and one other near Maktau.