Overview
Tsavo’s two parks cover a vast, dry landscape. Tsavo East is open and flat, Tsavo West hilly and volcanic, with underwater hippo viewing at Mzima Springs.
Tsavo East and Tsavo West together form one of Kenya’s largest protected areas. Tsavo’s elephants are famous for their red colour, from dusting in the red earth.
Tsavo West is hillier, with the clear Mzima Springs where hippos and crocodiles can be seen from an underwater viewing point. Tsavo East is flatter and drier, with long views and the Yatta Plateau.
Highlights
- Elephants coated in red dust
- Mzima Springs
- Volcanic landscapes
- Few crowds
Wildlife to look for
- Elephant
- Lion
- Lesser kudu
- Hippo
- Gerenuk
Good to know
Best time to visit
June – October
Getting there
Along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway, or by train to Voi.
Where to stay
Lodges and tented camps in both parks.
How long to stay
2–3 nights
Key facts
- Parks
- Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks
- Known for
- “Red” elephants, Mzima Springs, wide wilderness
- Access
- Between Nairobi and Mombasa, by road or train
Seasons
Dry seasons (June – October, January – February)
Animals gather at waterholes and rivers.
Rainy months
Green and quiet; some tracks are harder to drive.
Practical tips
- Combine with Amboseli, or with Kenya’s coast.
Questions about Tsavo East & West
June – October.
More places nearby
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