“Red Elephants” of Tsavo
Tsavo's iron-rich red dust coats the elephants who bathe in it — yielding the iconic ochre-skinned giants the park is famous for. Herds along the Galana River are a sure sighting.
Tsavo National Park
Kenya's largest park — a vast, red-earth wilderness famous for its 'red elephants' coated in Tsavo's distinctive dust, and for raw, uncrowded wildness.
Overview
Tsavo East and Tsavo West together cover 4% of Kenya — vast, raw and beautifully under-visited. Best experienced as part of a longer Kenya circuit alongside Amboseli or the coast.
Tsavo at a Glance
- Location
- Southern Kenya
- Size
- 21,812 km²
- Altitude
- 230 — 2,400 m
- Best Time to Visit
- June–October & January–February
Key Attractions
Mzima Springs
Crystal-clear, hippo-filled springs welling up at the base of the Chyulu Hills — viewable from a partly submerged glass tank, one of the more unusual experiences in East Africa.
Lugard Falls & Yatta Plateau
The fissure-falls on the Galana River and the world's longest lava flow at Yatta — Tsavo's scale is geological as much as wild.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tsavo East is bigger, drier and the home of the red elephants. Tsavo West is more dramatic — volcanic, watered and home to Mzima Springs. A combined-circuit itinerary gives you the full picture.