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KENYA
TSAVO EAST ~ TSAVO WEST ~ CHYULU HILLS NATIONAL PARKS
To request a private safari tour of Tsavo in Kenya, click here >>> |
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The
three reserves of Tsavo East, Tsavo West
and Chyulu Hills cover an enormous tract
of land in southern Kenya. The main Nairobi to
Mombasa road and railway splits Tsavo East and
West right down the middle, which neatly cuts
the parks into two.
TSAVO
EAST
Tsavo East is one of Kenya's oldest and largest
National Parks at the eastern edge of the inland
plateau. Here you find bushy grasslands and
rocky open plains alternating with semi-arid
acacia scrub and woodland, with the Galana River
cutting a green swathe across the park. The
seasonal Voi and Tiva rivers are important to
the northern and southern portions of the park,
as there is little other surface water.
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| Mudanda
Rock is a great spectacle of this park as this
outcrop is a water catchment area which feeds
a natural dam where hundreds of elephants come
to drink and bathe during the dry season. Views
are exceptional and it is a good place to sit
and watch game. Ancient volcanic activity is evident
at the Yatta Plateau - a long flat-topped lava
ridge on the western border of Tsavo East.
TSAVO
WEST
Tsavo West offers tremendous views and diverse
habitats ranging from mountains, river forests,
plains, lakes and wooded grassland. It is especially
attractive at the end of the rains when the countryside
turns green. Mzima Springs is pool of natural
spring water that attracts a lot of game and there
is even an underwater hippo-viewing hide. Tsavo
West is known for its 'Roaring Rocks', which if
climbed gives views usually only seen by the eagles
and buzzards that whirl around these cliffs.
CHYULU
HILLS
The Chyulu Hills are a volcanic mountain range
pitted with volcanic cones and barren lava flows.
Surface water is rare, but nevertheless it is
an important water catchment area for Mombasa
and was gazetted in 1983 to protect this water
source. Weird cylindrical tunnels were formed
shortly after volcanic eruption and created the
longest lava tube in the world.
The
two Tsavo parks are popular for short visits due
to their proximity to the Mombasa coast, but the
Chyulu Hills are neglected on most tourist itineraries.
None of these parks get crowded. |
| ANIMALS
& BIRDS
The enormous size of these
parks with many remote corners, makes them important
for their biodiversity.
Wildlife
congregates around waterholes particularly in
the dry season. Game includes buffalo, zebra,
giraffe, oryx, lion and leopard. Tsavo East sees
herds of elephants up to a hundred strong and
they often appear more brown than grey from the
rich red Tsavo dust.
Some
500 species of birds have been recorded in the
Tsavo West area, including many migratory birds
on their flight south.
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| SEASONS
The weather in Tsavo is pleasant for most of the
year.
Rainy Season: There are two rainy
seasons. The long rains are generally from March
through to May and the weather is hot and humid.
The short rains arrive in the warm months of October
to December.
Dry Season: January to March
is hot and dry and July to October is warm and
dry
TSAVO
FACTS
This is a malarial area
Tsavo West covers an area of 3,500miles²
(9,065km²) rising between 500-6,000ft (152-183
metres) above sea level
Tsavo East covers an area of 4,535miles²
(11,747km²) rising between 500-4,000ft (152-1,219
metres) above sea level |
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Follow
the links below to Kenya's premier wildlife regions and game
reserves
PRIVATE SAFARI LODGES WE RECOMMEND IN THE TSAVO REGION |
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