Tsavo National Park

Tsavo National Park

The Tsavo National Park was established in 1948 and is located about 200 kilometers south east of Nairobi and close to Mombasa. Nearly 22,000 square kilometers, 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.

Tsavo East National Park was gazetted in 1948 and has an area of 11,747 square kilometres. It is located near the village of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province 200 kilometers from Nairobi. The park is divided into east and west sections by the A109 road and a railway, it was named after the Tsavo River, which flows west to east through the park. It borders the Chyulu Hills National Park and the Mkomazi Game Reserve in Tanzania. Attractions include; Mudanda Rock Viewpoint from the top of Mudanda Rock, Yatta Plateau, Lugard Falls, Aruba Dam.

The Tsavo West National Park was gazetted in 1948 and covers an area of 9,065 square kilometers. It is located in south eastern Kenya, 240 kilometers from Nairobi and 250 kilometers from Mombasa. The park’s savannah ecosystem comprises of open grasslands, scrublands, Acacia woodlands, belts of riverine vegetation and rocky ridges. Wildlife in the park includes elephants, hippos, lions, cheetahs, leopards, giant crocodiles, zebras, antelopes, gazelles, mongoose, hyrax, bushbaby, hartebeest, lesser kudu, Masai giraffe, dik-dik, lesser kudu, black rhinos, African buffalos and diverse plant and bird species 600 species of birds have been recorded including the endangered corncrake and near endangered Basra Reed Warbler. A road and railway line divides the park into east and west. Park attractions include; mzima spring, roaring rocks, shetani lava flow and cave, chaimu crater, ngulia hill/mountain, ngulia rhinoceros sanctuary, poacher’s lookout, man-eaters of tsavo, W.W.I battle field.