Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks

Tsavo-East is one of Kenya’s oldest and largest National Parks: covering approx. 40 per cent of the total area of all Kenya’s National Parks. Its beautiful landscape and proximity to the coast make it a popular safari destination. It is accredited as one of the world’s leading biodiversity strongholds, bushy grassland and open plains alternate with semi-arid acacia scrub and woodlands. Green swathes cross the park where the river banks give raise to lush vegetation. North of Galana is a true wilderness. A number of leading tour guides offer private safaris across this area, camel safaris are a feature. http://www.kws.go.ke/content/tsavo-east-national-park

Tsavo-East is recommended for photographers with its fabulous light and unbelievable views, in particular the Mudanda Rock and the Yatta Plateau, the world’s largest lava flow. Lugard Fall on the Galana river are remarkable for the shaped water-worn rocks.

Game includes: elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, crocodile, waterbuck, kudu, gerenuk and zebra and Hunter’s Hartebeest can be seen with its lyre-shaped horns. Home to some of the largest herds in Kenya, the elephants glow red after dust baths, blowing the vivid red dust through their trunks over their bodies. Some 500 bird species have been recorded in the area, including ostrich and some migratory kestrels, while buzzards stop at Tsavo-East during their long flight south.

Full of wild beasts, such as rhinoceros, buffaloes and elephants” from a missionary’s diary written in 1849.

Later in 1900 the notorious “Man Eaters of Tsavo” man-eating lions preyed on the railway linesman building the great Uganda Railway in 1900. The carriage from which they pulled a traveller is on display in Nairobi Railway Museum.

Tsavo-West has important historic connections as a major battleground in World War I where British and Germany troops battled for supremacy. http://www.kws.go.ke/tsavo-west-national-park

The park is easy to reach, located off the main Nairobi-Mombasa road. It offers tremendous views with diverse habitats ranging from mountains, river forest, plains, lakes and wooded grassland. Its plains border with Tanzania. Game includes: leopard, cheetah, buffalo, black rhino, elephant, giraffe, lesser kudu, waterbuck, eland, gerenuk, impala, zebra, lion, plains game, crocodile and small mammals including mongoose, hyrax, dik dik and the nocturnal porcupine.

Birdlife is legion and the visitor is constantly meeting with new species. One of the most conspicuous is the white-headed buffalo weaver, brownish-black and white with a vivid red rump when it flies. Starlings are numerous including the rare but duller Fischer's starling, hornbills are also prevalent. Birds of prey include, bustards, sunbirds and weaver-birds are well represented. Hole nesting birds include parrots, barbets and rollers.

It is an excellent park for visitors who enjoy walking, offering a number of nature trails and the opportunity to explore the Chaimu volcanic crater and guides are available.

Mzima Springs is a star attraction, a pool of natural spring water with underwater viewing hides for observing hippos.