One of Kenya’s oldest and biggest African safari reserves is Tsavo East National Park. Although not all of the 11,747 km2 park is accessible to the public, it was founded in 1948.
There is still a sizable region for tourists to cruise about and enjoy observing the Kenyan wildlife, even if some sections are declared as “remote animal wilderness” for the Kenyan animals. The Galana River, the Yatta plateau, and several pools and dams that serve as watering spots for both birds and animals are important tourist destinations.
The Overview
Long before Tsavo National Park was established, in 1898, a pair of male lions without manes terrorized the region. According to reports, they murdered 135 railroad workers who were constructing the Kenya-Uganda railway. Despite the thorny barriers (bomas) put in place to keep them out, these man-eating lions dragged men from their tents. After avoiding ambushes and traps, Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson was able to shoot the maneless lions.
Tsavo East National Park is located 173 kilometers north of Mombasa and 333 kilometers south of Nairobi. For those who do not wish to remain overnight, it is a perfect location for a one-day wildlife safari due to its proximity to the beaches and tourist attractions in and around Mombasa and Malindi.
The natural landscape of Tsavo East National Park consists of level, arid plains with prickly shrubs and marshy, swampy areas close to the river. Large groups of giraffes, gazelles, hartebeests, and zebras, as well as the “Big Five” must-see species, which include buffalo, African elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and leopards, can be found there.
Even though it is a well-known African safari game park, it is extremely uncommon to meet other traffic, unless specifically when watching the wildlife. If the guides come across something unexpected, such as a pride of lions, they communicate with one another by radio. There may be a rapid concentration of cars at the location, but they quickly disperse again. Early or late in the day is the ideal time to see the wildlife.
The Facts About Tsavo East National Park
Area: 11,747 square kilometers.
Altitude: 150–1,200 meters above sea level
Location: Inland from the coast, in Southeast Kenya.
Climate: Kenya’s safari vacation climate is warm and dry, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 degrees Celsius and annual precipitation of 200 to 700 millimeters (the “long rains” occurring between March and May and the “short rains” occurring between October and December).
Vegetation: The Kenyan safari park’s vegetation includes semi-arid acacia scrub, woods, open plains, and some of the world’s few remaining bushy grasslands.
Mammals: Lion, leopard, elephant, black rhino, hippo, giraffe, lesser kudu, oryx, Cape buffalo, zebra, yellow baboon, waterbuck, gemsbok, Coke’s hartebeest, gerenuk, and gazelle are some of the mammals that can be seen on a wildlife tour.
Birds: There are 500 species of birds known to exist.
