Kenya / Amboseli & Tsavo / Tsavo East & WestTsavo East & West
Red Elephants and Lava Country on the Way to the Coast
Two huge parks either side of the Nairobi–Mombasa road and railway, together one of the largest protected areas in Africa. Tsavo East is flat and open, known for elephants dusted red by the soil, the Galana river and Lugard Falls; Tsavo West is volcanic hills, the Mzima Springs hippo pools (with an underwater viewing tank) and the Shetani lava flow. Voi, on the Madaraka Express line, is the gateway, and Tsavo pairs naturally with Amboseli or a beach week at Diani or Watamu.
Highlights
- Red-dusted elephant herds in Tsavo East
- Hippos from the underwater tank at Mzima Springs
- Lugard Falls on the Galana river
- The Shetani lava flow
- Aruba Dam waterhole
- Mudanda Rock
- Madaraka Express to Voi
Things to do
- Morning game drive in Tsavo East to Aruba DamMorning · 4h
- Mzima Springs and the Shetani lava flow (Tsavo West)Morning · 5h
- Lugard Falls on the Galana riverAfternoon · 3h
- Sundowner at Mudanda RockEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: June – October, January – February
Worth knowing
Long Rains: Muddy Roads, Some Camps Closed
⚠️ The long rains fall from about April to May: heavy afternoon storms, black-cotton soil roads that trap vehicles, and some tracks and river crossings closed. Many seasonal camps in the Mara, Samburu and Laikipia close; those that stay open cut their prices. Allow extra time on the roads, and bush flights can be delayed.
Heads up
Short Rains
The short rains bring brief showers, mostly in the afternoon, from about November into early December. Game drives still run; tracks can be muddy for a day after a storm.