Tsavo East National Park is located in the South-western part of Kenya and covers an area of 11,747Km Sq. and is at an Altitude of 150-1200 metres above sea level. The Park is one of the oldest and largest African safari parks in Kenya established in 1948. Tsavo East National Park is 333km south-east of Nairobi, and 173km north-west of Mombasa. Its relative closeness to the beaches and tourist attractions around Malindi and Mombasa make it an ideal one-day wildlife safari destination for those who do not want to stay overnight. Key attractions include the Galana River and the Yatta plateau, as well as several pools and dams used as watering holes by both birds and animals.
There are various species of wild life including large families of giraffes, gazelles, hartebeests and zebras, as well as the “Big Five” including buffaloes, African elephants, lions, rhinos and leopards. The climate is both warm and dry, Kenya lies across the Equator and Tsavo East National Park is just a few degrees latitude south. The temperatures year round are 27-31ºC during the day and 22-24ºC in the night. The best time to visit is January to February and June to September while for the bird watchers; the best time to see the migratory birds is October to January.
Access
By road One can access the park from Nairobi which is 33km via Voi Gate or Manyani Gate , also from Mombasa which is 173km via Bachuma Gate , enter through Malindi or the North Coast via Sala Gate. Visitors can use their own private vehicles, use public transport or book an open roofed minibus tour with a Tour guide. By Air, there are Chartered aircrafts which can land at any of the six or thirteen Airstrips in the Southern or Northern part of the park respectively. Also visitors can use the Nairobi-Mombasa railway which runs right through the Park.
Accommodation
There are several accommodation options available in and around Tsavo East National Park including; lodges, tented camps and Public campsites.
Lodges; Lodges include; Voi Safari Lodge and Voi wild life lodge, these are close to the Nairobi-Mombasa high way and hence hosting many travelers.
Tented Camps; These include; Epiya Chapeyu Tented Camp, Patterson’s Safari Camp, Satao Camp and Galdessa Camp.
Public Campsites;
The public campsites include; Ndololo, Kandri and Main Gate offering only water and latrines hence one must provide all of their camping gear.
