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Tsavo East National Park
- Theatre of the Wild
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The Yatta Plateau is impressive lava flow,
one of the largest and longest of the world
(300 km long and 10 km wide) and lies along
the Athi river. The road starting from Mtito
Andei gate pass over the plateau to offer
splendid views across this vast arena of
plains fringed by riverine forests. The
plateau is a paradise for ornithologists and
sundowner lovers. Formed 11-13.6 millions
years ago by a stream of lava flow, the
surrounding land was lowered by erosion
leaving the lava standing up as a small
escarpment |
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Mudanda Rock (located near Voi and Manyaki
gates) is one of the great spectacle of the
park. This massive rock, which emerges from
the plain, is 1.6 km long, 20 m high and 100
m wide. The rock is famous for its photo
opportunities as it offers unique endless
panoramic views over Tsavo East National
Parks and it is a safe place to picture
hundreds of elephants and buffalos
refreshing themselves up at a natural pond,
located at the rock's base. |
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Wildlife in Tsavo East National Park :
Despite the large size of the park, there is
a great concentration of wildlife (specially
during dry season) near rivers, dams and
swampy areas. The park is internationally
known for its large herds of red-dusty
elephants wallowing in water of Galana
rivers and other permanent rivers. Vast
groups of others mammals visiting ponds and
waterholes are buffalo, zebra, rhinoceros,
hippopotamus, waterbuck and giraffe.
Gazelles and antelopes, from the dik-dik to
the oryx, are numerous. Lions are abundant
and are often spotted at Kanderi swamps and
Aruba dam. To be seen here include the rare
and critically endangered hirola (Hunter's
hartebeest), lesser kudu living in the dry
bushes of the Galana river, one of the
Kenya's most beautiful antelopes |
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Aruba Dam : Located on the northern side of
Voi river, the dam is very close to Voi
gate. This dam was built in 1952 by the park
authorities to provide wildlife with a
reserve of water during dry seasons, holds
water throughout the year. The Aruba dam is
a perfect place to get refreshment in the
bar of the Aruba lodge while watching water
birds, large mammals (elephants, buffalos,
lions) and gazelles/antelopes drinking in
the dam. |
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Kanderi Swamp
located near the Voi gate, Kanderi swamp is
home to a profusion of wildlife as it
provides fresh water throughout the year.Large groups of mammals as well as
water birds can be observed in the swampy
area. Note that a public campsite known as
Ndololo campsite is located near the swamps
and is one of the best camping place of the
park. |
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Galana River: The Tsavo and Athi rivers join
together to form the Galana river, which
flows eastwards to the Indian Ocean
(Malindi). This permanent river is bordered
by dense riverine forest (Acacia elatior and
Doum Palm Hyphaene Compressa) and dry shrub
(Suaeda Monoica) cover. The road going from
Voi gate to Sala gate and following the
Galana river is one of the best circuit of
the park as you will see the Lugards falls
and the Crocodile point. |
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Lugard's Falls : Named after the Britain's
first proconsul of East Africa, Captain
Lugard, the Lugard's falls are in fact
rapids where Galana river disappears into a
rocky gorge so narrow at one part that it is
possible to stand astride the cleft with the
falls below. The beauty of the site are the multicolours rocks carved over centuries by
the water and taking fantastic shapes. The
rapids, becoming ravaging floods during the
rain seasons, plunge into a large pool below
where giant crocodiles are resting and lying
onto sandbanks. Visitors can climb around
the eroded rocks or walk down the river to
view the rapids. Note that 1 km after the
falls, is the Crocodile point, a large pool
populated by crocodiles, hippopotamus and
buffalos. |
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See also:
Masai
Village Tour
Learned the fabled Masai peoples culture and their
day to day life in a
Masai
Village Tour.
This excursion tour can be taken with all
safaris on this website
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The 4 Days Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru Safari
from
Nairobi is one of the best safari programs from
Nairobi! A visit to Kenya's jewel park - the modern
seventh wonder of the wonder of the world an to The
Bird watchers paradise as satisfying as a 12 days
safari can be! Bonus on this is a
Giraffe Centre and
Karen Blixen Museum Tour
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| Tsavo East National Park on F. Kings
Msafiri - Special offer safaris
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| A description of Tsavo East National Park |
Tsavo East is a true wilderness and bestowed with
devastatingly haunting beauty. This National
Park covers an area of about 11,747 sq. km/. This park is a
vast, flat, monotonous and semi-arid area lying equidistant
between Nairobi and Mombasa and located at the northern side
of the main Mombasa-Nairobi highway, opposite to Tsavo West
National Park.
Tsavo East is still one of the last remaining of wilderness
and biodiversity strongholds on Earth and it worth a visit.
Tsavo East National Park is a must for professional
photographers for its landscapes, its lighting and it's
large herds of big mammals (such as elephants, buffalos and
lions).
Tsavo East's Bachuma Gate sign post along the
Nairobi - Mombasa Highway |
View of the Bachuma Gate |
Tsavo East National Park is home to the Yatta plateau, a
flat topped lava ridge, running along the western boundary
of the park and the Mudanda rock, whose base has a natural
pond where hundreds of elephants usually come to drink and
take dust baths.
Tsavo East National Park is soaked by many seasonal rivers
and only two rivers are permanent; The Galana River and the
Athi River. These two rivers merge to form the principal
river of the park. Another river in the park is the
Voi river, whose banks form an enchanting forest
gallery rich in wildlife and the Kanderi swamps and the
Aruba dam attract many animals.
This safari give you the ultimate time to
enjoy and explore the Combined parks of
Tsavo East and West and the Amboseli
national Park. Departs daily with a minimum
of 2 people. Accommodation will be in a
luxury lodge or tented camp of your choice
or our recommended lodges.
Please inquire with
us |
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The park has also an important history : first, for its
cruel "Man-Eaters of Tsavo" story and secondly, for being a
major battle field in WWI where British and German troops
battled for territory.
The vegetation around Tsavo East National Park is savannah
grassland with thorny bushes and some swampy marshland near
Voi River. The landscape is unique because of the Yatta
Plateau formed from the lava that oozed from Ol Doinyo Sabuk
Mountain.
Only a small area of Tsavo East National Park's vast nature
reserve, larger by far than Tsavo West, is open to the
public although new areas for human intrusion are now being
added. The remainder provides a remote animal wilderness.
The main river that passes through this park is the River
Galana. A variety of animals can be seen along it; lions,
leopard, cheetah, zebras, giraffes, serval, antelopes,
kongoni, lesser kudu, oryx, klipspringer, impala, stripped
hyena, ostriches, gazelles, buffalos, elephants and many
more.
Aruba Dam - a watering point for many animals in
Tsavo East |
Antelopes are a common sighting in the park |
A variety of migratory and native birds are seen. The birds
are viewed between late October and early January, and come
from as far as Eastern and Western Europe. Commonly seen
birds are African skimmers, goshawks, red and yellow
bishops, palm nut vultures and the white-headed buffalo
weavers.
There are many interesting aspects in the open areas of
Tsavo East not least the spine of the Yatta Plateau, one of
the world's longest lava flows. An additional attraction is
the Athi River flanked by stately doum palms which, near the
Manyani gate forms the Lugard Falls, a long stretch of
rippling white water cataracts and a favorite haunt for
sunbathing crocodiles.
View of the Galana River from Galdessa Camp in
Tsavo East |
Huge Herds of Elephants are resident in Tsavo East
National Park |
Lugard Falls gush through a small fissure, narrow enough for
the foolhardy to leap across, before dropping to Crocodile
Point below, where the river changes its name to the Galana.
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| Voi
Wildlife Lodge and Safari Spa is located in the Savannah
grasslands of Tsavo East, with
spectacular views of nearby
volcanic outcrops, like the
Kasigau and Mwakingali Hills ...
read more |
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Voi Safari Lodge is set on top of a hill and
overlooks Tsavo East plains extending as far
as the terrain of the Yatta Plateau.
Wildlife is attracted by the water holes
sunk by the lodge below the cliff ...
read more |
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Galdessa Camp is a small eco-camp
located in Tsavo East National Park, 15
kilometers upstream of Lugard's Falls.
Galdessa Camp's remote location in a very
wild part of the park ensures that tourism
is kept to a minimum, enhancing the intimacy
the camp, and guests, enjoy with nature ...
read more |
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Satao
Rock Camp, Satao Tented Camp, Ndololo Safari
Camp, Red Elephant Safari Lodge, Tarhi Eco Camp,
Patterson Safari camp, Sagala safari lodge,
Kilalinda safari lodge,
Ngutuni Safari Lodge, Man-Eaters Camp, Manyata
Camp, Tsavo Mashariki Camp (Click
here for details on above accommodations) |
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