Tsavo West National Park
Introducing
Tsavo West National Park
Tsavo West National Park is known as “ Land of Lava, Springs, Man-eaters and Magical Sunsets”. Its popularity is based on the man eating lions that killed hundreds of people during the construction of the Railway line and the highway during the colonial era. Tsavo West national park is the second largest national park in Kenya covering an area of 9,065 square kilometres. Its separated from Tsavo East national by the A109 highway that connects Nairobi to Mombasa. The park is also a home of over fifty million gallons of crystal clear water that comes from under parched lava rock. The park is more scenic than tsavo east national park with rugged mountainous areas. The Mzima springs and the Shetani lava flows are unique attractions found at the park. Tsavo West national park is wetter than tsavo east national park.
To the south of Tsavo West, the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary, directly bordering the well-known Taita Hills Game Sanctuary, is one of Kenya’s most successful new community conservation initiatives. If you’re interested in Lumo safaris you’ll find there’s just one lodge on the conservancy and that it shares a common border with the Taita Hills Sanctuary.
Highlights
Its popularity is based on the man eating lions that killed hundreds of people during the construction of the Railway line and the highway during the colonial era.
Tsavo West national park is the second largest national park in Kenya covering an area of 9,065 square kilometres.
Home of over fifty million gallons of crystal clear water that comes from under parched lava rock. The park is more scenic than tsavo east national park with rugged mountainous areas.
The park's habitat includes open plains and savannah bush, semi-desert scrub, acacia woodlands, numerous rocky ridges and outcrops and swathes of riverine vegetation.
Wildlife Viewing:
Tsavo West National Park
Wildlife densities in Tsavo West National Park aren’t that great, but everything is there – you just need to be patient. There are many elephants, and they are often covered in red dust, giving them an eerie appearance. The park is also known for its maneless lions and big herds of buffalo. Black rhinos have been on the comeback in Tsavo since the 1980s when they were close to being locally extinct.
Tsavo West is one of the best places to see the skittish lesser kudu. The rocky terrain is also a good habitat to look for klipspringers, which are often seen in pairs. Watch also for antelope that thrive in arid conditions, including the very localized fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk. The drive-through rhino sanctuary increases your chances of spotting the elusive black rhino.
Best time to visit:
Tsavo West National Park
The best time to visit Tsavo West is in the dry season from July to September and December to March. These months provide the best wildlife viewing opportunities as the grass is short and the animals are drawn to water sources, especially to the river banks and watering holes in front of lodges. It is generally advised to avoid March to May, the long rainy season and October to November, the short rains. However, Tsavo West is a semi-arid climate, and rainfall is more infrequent than other parks, so this is a great park to choose if you are travelling on the cusp of the rainy season.
How to get to:
Tsavo West National Park
Tsavo West is situated in the southeast Kenya, 232km/144mi from Nairobi and 250km/155mi from Mombasa, and rough takes 4-6 hours driving. Driving to the reserve from Nairobi, Mombasa or another park is a good option depending on your itinerary. If coming from Nairobi, many choose to stop at Lake Nakuru National Park for a short game drive and picnic lunch. There are scheduled flights to Tsavo West from Nairobi Wilson Airport, and several other parks including Maasai Mara and Amboseli. There are also airstrips available for chartered flights.
