Tsavo

At nearly 22,000 square Tsavo is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. Due to its size the park was split into two – Tsavo West and Tsavo East – for easier administration. In Tsavo you will find most of the African wildlife and the vulcanic landscape in the Western part of the park is really amazing.

Due to its enormous size, Tsavo is extremely varied and you are sure to see alot of animals. Since Tsavo is much more arid than say Masai Mara you will not find the equivalent abundance of wildlife, but still Tsavo has huge herds of elephants, lots of giraffes, buffaloes, zebra, antilopes, gazelles, hippo, crocodile, lions, cheetah, leopard and even the occassional rhino which was almost brought to extinction during the 1980’s and 90’s poachcing.

Also in the sixties pictures of hundreds of dead elephants documented the effects of an almost fatal drought and this combined with the increasing poaching made head of KWS Richard Leakey to take serious action by ordering the game wardens and rangers a “shoot to kill” policy against the poachers. Today the wildlife seems to have recovered to a great extent and as in all the Kenyan National Parks there is an incredible birdlife to be enjoyed when looking for the bigger game.

One of the attractions in Tsavo is the crystal clear Mzima Springs which is surprisingly also the source of much of Mombasas fresh water. From an underwater chamber where you can watch primordial looking fish and if you are very lucky, you might even see some hippos from under water.

Surrounded by papyrus and palm trees Mzima Springs appears like an oasis with crystal clear water rich with life in the midst of the arid volcanic landscape

Tsavo is the ideal destination for people who seek solitude and privacy as well as the chance to explore the great African wilderness. With its proximity to Mombasa (Less than 100 km away), it is also a great safari option for those staying at the coast on beach holiday.