Tsavo National Park

Tsavo west national park

Wildlife species

Tsavo west national park is among the wildlife viewing destinations in Kenya which attracts tourists to go to the destination to see the various wildlife species such as rhinos, hippos, elephants, buffalos, leopards, lions, hartebeests, impalas, elands, fringe eyed oryx, giraffes, kudu among others.

Shetani lava flow

Tourists can also enjoy viewing the black folded lava which flows across the savannah as well as the amazing views in the surrounding. Different wildlife species can also be seen during a visit to the Shetani lava flows and these include predators which can be seen wandering around. Shetani means devil which according to the locals describes the time when lava was flowing from the ground and the locals believed that it was the devil himself coming out from the ground. The Shetani lava flow can be accessed from one of the entrance gates into Tsavo West national park which is the Chyulu gate. 

Mzima springs

In Tsavo West National Park, tourists can visit Mzima springs which are known to have hippos and crocodiles and the springs consist of four springs in the western part of the national park. The springs are a source of water for the wildlife species which graze around the savannah plains and the trees which surround the springs are home to vervet monkeys which feed on the fruits from the date trees, raffia palms, water berrys and figs.

Ngulia Rhino sanctuary

Another attraction is Ngulia rhino sanctuary which is located at the base of Ngulia hill. It is home to a number of endangered rhinos which are kept and bred by the Kenya Wildlife Service and the African wildlife foundation. Due to the poaching of these rhinos, the sanctuary was made to protect them from getting killed. The black rhinos which are kept at the sanctuary are nocturnal species and this means that it is easy to spot them during day time.

Tsavo east national park

River Galana

Different wildlife species like crocodiles gather around River Galana and the source of this river is the highlands in the south eastern part of Kenya and it flows through the national park and into the Indian Ocean.

Yatta plateau

The Yatta plateau is among the relief features at this destination and is an attraction in Tsavo east national park which lies between River Athi and River Tavi. The plateau is characterized by plain wide valleys as well as shallow spaced valleys which were formed as a result of lava flows.

Lugard falls

Tourists can also visit the Lugard falls which is an attraction formed along the Galana River and this attraction is characterized by rock patterns of cooled lava. The falls were named after Lord Fredrick Lugard as he made his way through the region and the rapids were formed as a result of interruption of the river flow by sculpted channels and rocks. At the bottom of the falls, tourists can see wildlife species such as buffalos and hippos as well as crocodiles in the pool formed at the bottom of the falls.    

Mubanda rock

This rock stands out from the rest of the national park and is located near the Manyani gate. During the dry season, wildlife species gather around the water catchment area near the stratified rock which makes it easy for tourists to see the various wildlife species during their safaris as they watch the wildlife drinking from the pool.

Aruba dam

Located east of the Voi gate, Aruba dam is a drinking point for the various wildlife species such as waterbucks, zebras, warthogs, elephants, duikers, hartebeest, dik dik, leopards, rhinos, giraffes, buffalo among others.

Kanderi swamp

This swamp is a fresh water source for the wildlife species in the national park, located near the Voi gate which is an entry gate to the national park.

Activities

Game drives

Tourists can engage in game drives as they explore Tsavo national park to see its different wildlife species and other attractions around the national park. These game drives take place at different times of day and they include morning game drives, afternoon or evening game drives as well as full day game drives.

• During morning game drives, tourists can see different wildlife species which are active at this time of day. They are recommended for tourists to get an amazing wildlife viewing experience in Tsavo national park and to catch sight of wildlife species as they graze around the national park such as elephants, buffalos, baboons, warthogs, waterbucks, impalas, zebras, hyenas, giraffes, kudus, antelopes, leopards among others.
• Full day game drives are also among the game drives which tourists can engage in during their safaris to Tsavo east national park. This form of game drive enables tourists to see wildlife species and observe their way of life at different times of day. 
• Night game drives can also take place in the national park to see the nocturnal wildlife species. Ranger guides accompany tourists during the night game drives during which photography and filming can be carried out.

Birding

When tourists visit this park, they get to see various bird species such as ostriches, starlings, storks, pied kingfishers, vulturine guinea fowl, African fin foot, reed warbler, corncrakes, lesser kestrel, martial eagles, red backed shrikes, black faced sand grouse among others. Mzima springs are a good birding location where tourist have higher chances of spotting different bird species.

Nature walks

Another unique way of exploring the beauty is a nature walk which involves moving around Tsavo national park on foot. This wildlife viewing activity gives the tourists a close interaction with nature around their surroundings. These nature walks take place in the company of a ranger guide who shares information about the different attractions which can be seen at the destination as they follow different trails in Tsavo national park.   

Hiking

Tourists can also engage in hiking adventures during their safari as they enjoy the beautiful scenery at the destination from a higher view point. During hiking, the climbers can also enjoy seeing wildlife species such as elephants roaming in the plains. The different rocks which are climbed give the tourists a unique climbing experience due to the nature of the climbs that can sometimes be difficult and strenuous and at times requiring less effort.