The largest park in Kenya, Tsavo East National Park is home to elephant, giraffe, cheetah, lion, basically all the favorites. The park just an hour’s drive from mombasa and luckily its man-eating lions have long since been dealt with.
Established on 1st April, 1948, Tsavo National Park has an area of 21,812 Km2, which make it as the largest Park in Kenya. For administrative purposes, in May 1948 Tsavo National Park was divided into East and West. The two Parks are divided by Nairobi?Mombasa railway road.
Tsavo has many historycal event when the Kamba and Waliangulu tribes used it as a hunting ground prior to gazettement. In 1848, Dr. Krapf journeyed on foot through this area crossing the Tsavo river on his way to Kitui, first European to see Mount Kenya. In 1898, construction of the railway reached Tsavo river. Lions terrorized the workers during the construction of the bridge, before being killed by Col. Patterson, the lions had been killing over 130 people.
During 1914-1918 (the World War I) British forces built fortresses along Tsavo river to counter threats from invading German forces from Tanganyika (now Tanzania), whose intention was to blow up the Tsavo river bridge that was vital to British Communication. Captain Lugards a European explorer passed through the area on his way to Uganda and had a drop over at the Lugards Falls area.
Scenic features
As indicated by the high number of tourists, Tsavo East is a very popular Park. Some of the attractive scenic features include:
- large herds of elephants and other wildlife.
- It is easily accessible by road, air and railway.
- For coast resorts? visitors the Park is a ?catchments?.
- Popular legend of Tsavo ?The Man-eaters of Tsavo?.
- The famous of Yatta plateau, which is about 290Km long of lava flow and is one of longest lava flows in the world.
- Lugards Falls on the Galana river. Visitors can walk down to the river to view the rapids. This is not a true falls but a series of rapids.
- Mudanda rock. This is about 1.6Km long of rock outcrop. There is a dam at the base and animals can be seen drinking. Along the rock, Visitors can walk and enjoy a cool breeze as well as view wildlife at the base.
- Aruba Dam, which was built in 1952 across the Voi river. The dam attracts many water birds and animals that can be seen at this dam.
- Tsavo/Athi rivers confluence, they form the Galana river when the two rivers join.
- See many Rhinos, Elephants, Hirola (Hunters Hartebeest).
To get to Tsavo East National Park
Via Voi from Nairobi through the Manyani gate or Voi gate. Similarly, from Mombasa via Bachuma gate.
From Malindi, via Sala gate. This road was recently graded and is attracting many visitors from North Coast. There are thirteen airstrips in the Northern part and six in the southern part of the park. No scheduled flights to the Park but chartered light planes can be used. The Park opens at 6.30 a.m. and closes at 6.30 p.m.
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