Attractions in Tsavo East National Park

Attractions in Tsavo East National Park : Combined Tsavo East and West is famously known as the largest National park in Kenya. It is also one of the world’s largest game sanctuaries ,with an area of 22,000km². Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest parks in kenya, it is situated in a semi arid region previously known as Taru desert and covers an area of 13,747 Square kilometres. It was opened in April 1948 ,the park is located near the town of Voi in today Taita Taveta county former Coast province.

Wildlife

The park together with nearby private and community conservancies form the larger Tsavo conservation area. This parks is famously known because of its large size and also for its large herds of Elephants population. The park being one of the largest, also hosts wide wildlife species both Mammals, Reptiles, and Predators too. This makes the park the best and everyone’s dream safari destination in Kenya. It is one of the Kenya’s most famous tourist safari tour parks ,together with Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National park, Nairobi National Park and Lake Nakuru National park.

Tsavo East National Park and the entire Tsavo Conservation Area is one of the region with the highest number of lions in Kenya ,according to last done and recorded head count data . The region had about 675 lions ,famous among them are the adults males who lack manes.

The park is known for its variety of wildlife, large herds of elephants and the Man eaters lions of Tsavo which killed many people during the construction of Kenya -Uganda railway in the  pre-colonial period. It is home to the largest mammals among them the famous Big five animals, the dust red Elephants, Rhinoceros, Lions, Leopards and Buffaloes. Others include  lesser kudus, impalas, gazelles, warthogs, waterbuck, Hippopotamus, Giraffes, Hyena, Topis, Dik-Dik, Elands, wildebeest among others. Apart from the Lions and Leopards, the park is also home to the Big cats such as Cheetah’s, Hyenas, Jackals, Janet cats, wild dogs and many more.

Birding

The park is also one the best destinations for bird watchers and the second best place after Naivasha for bird watching in Kenya. Some of the birds found here include ;African Finfoot, Black-faced sandgrouse, Fischer’s Starling, Golden pipit, Golden-breasted starling, Lesser krestel, Martial Eagle, Northern brownbul, Pangani longclaw,Rufous chatterer, Red-bellied parrot, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Shelley’s starling, Taita Falcon, Somali  bee-eater, Somali bunting ,Somali ostrich, Vulturine guineafowl  among others. Some of the common birds are; Eastern black headed oriole, Golden Palm Weavers, pied kingfisher,  Verreaux’s eagles owls and vulturine guineafowl. There are also several birds of prey also known as Raptors include all vultures Hawks, Eagles, Goshawks, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Owls, Kestrels, Harriers, Falcons, Secretary Bird and Osprey.

The Tsavo East National Park has breath-taking landscapes and the vegetation cover are made up of three types of grasses; grouped trees grasslands, scattered tree grasslands and dwarf trees grasslands combining to give the parks variety landscapes. The other feature adding up this parks amazing landscape is its red soil filled with iron oxide ,which the elephants enjoy rolling over during their routine dust baths. 

Mudanda Rock

Mudanda rock is another attraction of Tsavo East National Park. The rock is a 1.6 kilometres rock rising abruptly from the plains of Tsavo East National Park. It acts as a water catchment during the rainy season ,the water collects at the base of the rock which forms a natural dam storing water for the dry seasons.

Attractions in Tsavo East National Park
Mudanda Rock

The Mudanda rock is pinkish red rock ,with sizeable chunks of natural stairs ,which makes it look like a stairway to the sky. The rock was used ancient inhabitants called Waliangulu  who were Hunters and gathers as a place to dry their meat.

It is one of the most visited tourist sites in Tsavo East National Park. The Mudanda rock has the best view for wildlife viewing, the dam below the rock acts as a waterhole in which it is frequently visited by animals to quench their thirst. The most common being the Elephants,  vervet monkeys and Baboon are the most found here.

Luggard falls

The falls are named after the first British governor of East Africa , Captain Luggard. It is one of the thrilling and spectacular natural features found in Tsavo East National Park. It is found along the River Galana, where the river plunges into a narrow gorge smaller than its width creating a vehement sound. The falls is more ravaging especially during the rainy season, Attractions in Tsavo East National Park.

The unique beauty that makes this place unforgettable safari is its multi coloured rocks. There are several natural designed rocks with  strips of pink, light grey, and white colours giving it a wonderful eye catching scenery.

There is a designated parking  area near the falls ,where visitors or tourists can park their vehicles or have their picnic Lunch while enjoy the nature. Visitors can also climb around the eroded rocks or walk down the river for a better view of the rapid  Luggard falls. Just less than a kilometre away from the falls ,you will find an habitat for giant crocodiles and Hippos.

Yatta Plateau

This wonderful natural feature stretches for 290 kilometres was formed by volcanic lava from Ol Donyo Sabuk Mountain. Yatta Plateau is found in Kitui County Kenya. The Yatta Plateau starts at Tsavo National park and flows for 150 long and 1 to 3 kilometres wide and ends at North of Nairobi.

Yatta Plateau is one of the tourist must visit features in the Tsavo national park, although Kingangop Plateau is the largest Plateau in Kenya, Yatta Plateau is recorded to have the longest lava flow in the world. The Plateau has thorn bushes with the western side being covered by the volcanic mountains and hills giving it magnificent scenery.  There are plenty of activities to be done here during your safari tour in the Yatta Plateau such as game drives, walking safari and Bird watching. 

Aruba Dam

Aruba Dam is located along Voi river in southern end of  Tsavo East National Park. It is less than a hour drive from the Nairobi – Mombasa Highway and the Railway. Aruba Dam is a 85 hectares Man made Dam built by Kenya wildlife service in 1957 specifically as a water reservoir for wildlife.

This is one of the attractions of Tsavo East National Park where the tourist can have a close up view of variety of Wildlife. The area receives high concentration of wildlife, because of the water, animals are frequently spotted visit the Dam to quench their thirst.

Voi river flows from the Taita Hills to the Dam before proceeding to join Tsavo River. The dam is a hippos pool and it is the best place to view hippos in Tsavo East National Park. One of the regularly spotted lion prides are seen around the Aruba Dam preying on the animals coming for water.

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