Tsavo East National Park

Wildlife Game Drive Safari in Tsavo East National Park-Kenya

Tsavo East National Park in Kenya is one of the world’s largest game reserves, providing undeveloped wilderness homes to vast numbers of animals. The main purpose of a wildlife safari is to see Kenyan animals in their natural state. It never ceases to surprise tourists when they see birds perched near crocodiles, or gazelles grazing near big cats; however, the truth is that predators generally only kill to eat and, otherwise, the animals live together in harmony.

The most common Kenyan animals you may see during your visit to Tsavo East National Park include but not limited to; Cape buffalo, cheetahs, blue duikers, bush duiker, red duiker, African elephants, eland, gazelles, gerenuks, giraffes, African hare, African wildcat, caracal, bushbuck, hares, striped hyena, Coke’s hartebeests, klipspringer, fringe-eared oryx, spotted hyena, East African hedgehog impalas, leopards, lions, slender mongoose, black faced vervet bush baby, monkeys, Sykes’s monkeys, crested porcupines, giant rats, black rhinoceros, squirrels, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, spectacled elephant shrew, clawless otter, ground pangolin, bush squirrel, East African red squirrel, bohor, reedbuck, cane rat, giant rat, naked mole rat, serval, ratel, striped ground squirrel, unstriped ground squirrel, lesser kudu, African hunting dog, dwarf mongoose, Egyptian mongoose, marsh mongoose, white-tailed mongoose, and springhare.

The best time to view the wildlife is early or late in the day, as the animals tend to sleep in the hot midday sun. It is recommended that you use a Prime Safaris driver/guide who must be familiar with the area, able to give you lots of information about the animals and their habitat, and know where they can currently be found and how best to approach them. However, one can opt for a self-drive safari on condition that you are familiar with the rules and regulations of the Park.

Trekking Safari in Tsavo East National Park-Kenya

 While in the spectacular sceneries with abundant wildlife, it feels like another world as you explore Tsavo National Park on foot. Your experienced guide will lead you through the various geological phenomena that make up this diverse park, introducing you to various fauna and flora and explaining how they thrive in this challenging environment. At Tsavo you can walk on the world’s longest lava flow at the Yatta Plateau, walk between rugged volcanic cones and marvel at the clear waters of the Mzima Springs, which emanate from beneath the Chyulu Hills.

The expansive Yatta Plateau is a fascinating formation created from molten rock from Ol Doinyo Sabuk Mountain. Seek out Mudanda Rock, a rugged rocky outcrop that sprawls 1.6 kilometers along the plains. An original water hole at the base of this fine geological structure bustles with wildlife slaking their thirst. Mzima Springs is a magnificent water body teeming with animals. At Mzima springs, rumpled elephants stand guard at the shoreline, slumbering hippos bob gently in the water, wily crocodiles drift past surreptitiously and zebra and giraffe tread a network of paths in the mud.  Monkeys swing and play in the broad acacias and colorful birds chat and squeak from high palms.

Bird watching in Tsavo East National Park-Kenya

Tsavo East has an impressive checklist of over 500 bird species. The great East Tsavo has many dry-country specials which are easy to spot, including the magnificent golden-breasted starling, golden pipit and vulturine, Guinea fowl, African finfoot, African orange-bellied parrot, Black-faced sandgrouse, Fischer’s starling, Golden pipit, Golden-breasted starling, black-headed lapwing, Lesser kestrel, Martial eagle, Northern brownbul, Pangani Longclaw, Eastern chanting goshawk, Rufous chatterer, Red-winged lark, Shelley’s starling, Slender-tailed nightjar, Somali bee-eater, Somali golden-breasted bunting, Taita falcon, Taita fiscal weaver birds, kingfishers, hornbills, secretary birds and herons. The park is also the southernmost stronghold for the Somali ostrich. The park’s huge area is a significant wintering ground for migrant species from Europe.

Migrant birds are present from November to April. The peak months in the short and long rains are November and April with heavy rain a possibility, leading to bird-watching activities being disrupted.

Lugard Falls in Tsavo East National Park-Kenya

Named after the British captain Frederick Lugard who was said to have stopped here in the early years of colonization when he was traveling for the British East African Company, Lugard Falls in Tsavo East National Park-Kenya are located about 60 km north of Voi town on the Galana River. Lugard Falls are not waterfalls in the classical sense but a variety of rapids, which flow in a gorge-like slope to the Galana River. Over time, the water has formed deep gorges in the relatively soft rock, plunging into the Galana River, the second largest river in Kenya. The narrow gorges have depths of 5 to 20 meters. The rocky landscape around the Lugard Falls is one of them and is a fascinating alternative. one can experience the sight of the finely polished rock itself, because it is the only point in the National Park where every safari tourist can get out of the car for a rest or a short walk. You should take advantage of this opportunity and let it take effect in order to enjoy the moments of an impressive landscape. However, after heavy rains, Lugard falls are not entirely safe when the water shoots incredibly fast downstream through narrow gaps with very high pressure. The Lugard Falls are seldom driven by one-day Tsavo Safaris, but the time is too short, as other game drives are a priority in the tight safari program. Therefore, my tip, take advantage of the possibilities of a multi-day safari through Tsavo, it is always worth exploring the diversity of Tsavo East National Park-Kenya.