Kenya's biggest park,
and its emptiest horizons.
Thirteen thousand square kilometres
of open red country.
Tsavo East covers roughly 13,747 square kilometres, making it the largest protected area in Kenya, and together with Tsavo West it forms one of the biggest wildlife reserves on the continent. Where the west is hills and lava, the east is flat, open and red: semi-arid plains running out further than you can usefully see. The Galana River cuts across the top of it and holds everything together through the dry season. The elephant herds here are the largest in Kenya, and they carry the same red dust that gives the whole park its colour.
South-east Kenya
Approximate park area
Ideal length of stay
Driest months, easiest viewing
Why visit Tsavo East
The Tsavo population is the biggest in the country, and dust-red bulls in open ground are the defining image.
Open plain running to the horizon, with none of the vehicle traffic that defines the Mara in peak season.
The river is the reason anything survives the dry season here, and game concentrates along it predictably.
The Galana squeezing through water-sculpted rock. Worth the stop even between sightings.
A natural dam below a rock outcrop, and one of the best elephant-watching spots in Kenya.
It sits on the Nairobi to Mombasa road, so it fits a bush-and-beach trip without a detour.
What there is to do
Game Drives
Morning and late afternoon drives in an open-roof vehicle, timed for when the animals are actually moving.
Galana River Walks
Guided walking along the riverbank, where the game concentrates through the dry months.
Lugard Falls Visit
Where the Galana forces through a narrow channel of water-carved rock. Short stop, striking geology.
Birdwatching
Several hundred recorded species, with migrants arriving from November through to April.
Mudanda Rock Visit
A rock outcrop above a natural dam, and one of the best places in Tsavo to watch elephant come down to drink.
When to go
Semi-arid country, so the dry months concentrate the game and the wet months scatter it.
Dry season
Animals commit to the river and the waterholes. Long sightlines and the most reliable game viewing.
Short dry spell
Hot, clear and quiet, with a second concentration of game around permanent water.
Short rains
Green flush across the red soil and very strong birding.
Long rains
Game disperses widely and some tracks become difficult. The lowest rates of the year.
Plan a Tsavo East safari
Tsavo East is the natural stop between Nairobi and the coast, and combines easily with Tsavo West or Amboseli.