Tsavo is Kenya's largest protected area, split by the Nairobi–Mombasa highway into Tsavo East and Tsavo West. The red volcanic soil here coats elephants and rhino a deep rust colour, a look found almost nowhere else. Tsavo East is wide open, dry, and thinly visited. Tsavo West is hillier, with volcanic cones, natural springs, and denser bush.
Wildlife
- •Red-dust elephants, among the largest herds left in Kenya
- •Black rhino in the fenced Ngulia Sanctuary in Tsavo West
- •Lion, including some of the maneless males the area is known for
- •Mzima Springs' hippo and crocodile pool, visible from an underwater viewing chamber in Tsavo West
Best Time to Visit
June to October
Dry season. Vegetation thins out and animals gather near rivers and springs, giving the clearest sightings of the year.
January to February
A shorter dry spell with hot days, good for game viewing before the long rains set in.
March to May and November
Rains turn the park green and some tracks become hard to pass, but the birdlife picks up and crowds thin further.
