The Tsavo East National Park is a huge 13,000 square kilometres park, impressive and famous for its many lions and elephants. Founded in 1948, it is one of the oldest National Parks in the country. Here you cruise the outstretched savannah of the Yatta Plateau, while large groups of elephants walk these red dusty plains.
Tsavo East National Park
En route you pass a spectacular amount of other animals. The Big Five (lions, buffalos, leopards, rhinos and elephants) live here, together with zebras, African wild dogs, cheetahs, antelopes, impalas and more. A very special inhabitant is the critically endangered Hirola antelope. For the longest time, only animals and small local tribes inhabited this part of country. In the 1890s, however, the British began a concerted effort to colonise the interior of Kenya. They built a railway through Tsavo to connect Mombasa and Nairobi. Since the land was vast and not good for cultivation, the government decided to make it a national park in 1948. This made room for elephants and rhinos to thrive and be safe from poaching.
Interesting facts about the park
Interesting detail #1: two lions terrorised the railway construction crew for weeks and killed 135 workers before they were shot. This is why Tsavo is still famous for its “man-eating lions”. But rest assured, although there are over a hundred lions in Tsavo, this is not the case anymore and safety measures have greatly improved.
Interesting detail #2: Tsavo East is the home of some supertuskers – elephants with tusks so big they reach the ground. The most famous supertusker, Tim, could be found in Amboseli National Park. Even though this legend is not with us anymore, his legacy is carried one by the fascinating supertuskers of Tsavo East.
Best spots
There are especially two spots in Tsavo that are perfect for admiring wildlife: Mudanda Rock and Lugard Falls. The 1.6 kilometres rock formation of Mudanda allows for great viewing of animals drinking below. Lugard Falls is not an actual waterfall but a series of rapid waters that are filled with hippos and crocs. Tsavo East National Park basically has it all!
Activities in Tsavo East National Park
Pass by the dried out Aruba Dam
Go on a game drive to spot the crème de la crème of African wildlife
Climb on Mudanda Rock for excellent views and to watch animals at the watering hole below
Visit Lugard Falls for a series of rapid waters
