Tsavo West National Park

Unique Geology in Tsavo West National Park

As we continue heading eastward from Chyulu Hills toward the Kenyan coastline, we reach Tsavo West National Park, located in Kenya’s Coast Province. Tsavo is one of Kenya’s few viable wildlife habitats covering a whopping 8,000 square miles of wilderness, making it Africa’s largest wildlife protected area with sufficient space to support diverse species and enormous wildlife numbers.

FASCINATING GEOLOGY, VOLCANOES & LAVA FLOWS

Tsavo West is geologically very different to other parts of Kenya and this uniqueness makes it stand out in your safari itinerary. The massive, vast open landscapes are bedded in rich, red soils woven with acacia thickets, punctuated with rocky outcrops that make it very scenic with many lovely viewpoints. The views here are spectacular; dramatic colouring completely free of human civilisation for miles in all directions. A further unique geological highlight of Tsavo West is the Shetyani Lava Flow, an area of approximately 50sq meters of folded black lava covering the otherwise lush savannah following an eruption in 1856. Today, the lava flows are beginning to show signs of life again, with plants slowly popping up through the rock structures, adding bursts of colour to an otherwise blackened area and offering ideal habitat for predator species such as Lion and Hyena. The Shetyani Caves, also formed as a result of volcanic activity, are a particularly unique area to explore on foot.

Swampland areas surrounding Lake Jipe make excellent habit for a vast variety of birdlife, while the natural pools of Mzima Springs, fringed by palms, enjoy families of hippo who like to wallow in the pools. There are also large areas of acacia woodland for bird lovers to explore, with over 500 species of bird living in Tsavo West.

WILDLIFE SPECIES THAT ARE DIFFERENT TO THE MARA

One of the appeals of Tsavo West National Park is its many wildlife species that are very different to what you would see in more mainstream parts of Kenya such as The Maasai Mara. In addition to Tsavo’s red elephant, expect to see Leopard, Hippo, Lesser Kudu, Dik-dik, Klipspringer, Grant’s Gazelle, Coke’s Hartebeest, blue Sykes’ monkeys, Wild Dog, Yellow Baboon, Fringe-eared Oryx and Maasai Ostrich. This makes it an excellent destination for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers looking to increase their range of species photographed.

RED-SKINNED ELEPHANTS IN TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK

As mentioned, Tsavo is also very well known for its herds of apparently red Elephant, so visit this area to see these and in large numbers in season. This phenomenon is caused by the deep red colour of the sand they spend their time bathing in; over time, the sand stains their skin and they have since affectionately become known as the red-skinned elephant by locals.

A RHINO SANCTUARY

Tsavo West has also been a fantastic success story for rhino conservation. Within the park, there is a 40 mi2 Rhino sanctuary with 200 Rhino living in it and about 20 roaming freely outside. This sanctuary has made an enormous contribution to reducing Rhino poaching in this area, which has fallen 98% since the 90’s, with very little Rhino poaching today.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES THAT WE MAKE A PART OF YOUR SAFARI IN TSAVO

When we plan your safari in Tsavo we'll open up a whole new world with unique activities in addition to game drives, including visits to a Ma'asai homeland, warrior training, survival training, night game drives, hikes and walks in a rainforest or to Oldoinyo Ololarami, visits to a rhino sanctuary, Mzima springs, the roaring rocks or Chaimu Crater. Days of longer, enjoyable exploration and a world of possibility await you in this area.