Tsavo East is one of the largest parks in Kenya at 13.747 square kilometres and borders the slightly smaller Tsavo West National Park. It is named for the Tsavo River which runs west to east through the park.

Its land is generally flat with dry plains and doum palm groves across which the Galana River flows. A very interesting and popular view point is the Lugard’s Falls where the Galana River forms a series of white water rapids.

You can also easily climb Mudanda Rock, an isolated stratified rock hill that acts as a water catchment that supplies a natural dam below. It offers a superb view point for the hundreds of elephants and other wildlife that come to drink during the dry season.

Yatta Plateau is instead the world’s longest lava flow (290 km length) that runs along the western boundary of the park above the Athi River.

Tsavo East history is fascinated and awful at the same time. When the British started building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River, in 1898, two maneless male Tsavo lions stalked the campsite, dragging Indian workers from their tents at night and devouring them. Colonel John Patterson, who led the project, shot the pair not before they had killed thirty five Indians.

The lions are now on permanent display at Chicago Field Museum.

The story has made famous by the film “The Ghost and the Darkness”, directed by Stephen Hopkins, starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas.

We suggest you visit this park, which is about two hours drive to Mombasa, if you are going to the coast.