Tsavo West is a national park in Kenya.
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The two Tsavo National Parks are the closest parks to the beaches of Diani Beach, Mombasa, Malindi. In this way, safari and beach vacation can be combined inexpensively, since the journey can be made by road and not via expensive flight.
history
The Tsavo National Park was founded on April 1, 1948 with an area of 21,812 km². It is the largest park in Kenya. In May 1948, Tsavo National Park was established in East and west shared for administrative purposes. The two parks are divided by the Nairobi-Mombasa railroad / road. The Tsavo East National Park is significantly larger than the Tsavo West National Park.
landscape
The park is characterized by its hilly arid landscape, is dotted with volcanic cones and black lava flows and a number of characteristic rock formations. Animal sightings are more difficult in this area than in the Tsavo East National Park, but the landscape is more impressive.
Flora and fauna
- The park is famous for leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, buffalo, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, crocodiles, mongooses, hyraxes, dikdiks, pygmy kudu and nocturnal porcupines. The bird world offers 600 species.
- Seeing as many animals as possible takes a good guide and a bit of luck. In the off-season after the rainy season (May - June) the grass is tall and the animals are sometimes more difficult to see, except for elephants and giraffes. On the other hand, nature has fresh colors and the safaris are cheaper. In the high season August - September the grass is short and it is easier to see animals, but also more expensive.
climate
- The temperature is 27-31 ° C during the day and 22-24 ° C at night all year round. The humidity is high from December to April. Long rainy season: March to May. Short rainy season: October to December.
- Best travel time: January, February, June, September. March to May is not a good time due to the muddy roads. The best time for bird watchers to migrate is October through January.
getting there
- Small plane. There are 3 runways in the park and outside at Kamboyo, Kilaguni, Tsavo Gate, Jipe, Kasigau, Finch Hottons, Ziwani, and Maktau.
- Car. By car, the journey from Diani Beach or from the beaches between Mombasa and Mtwapa takes about 4-6 hours.
Each park has several entrances (gates).
- 1 Gate Tsavo. of Mombasa, Diani Beach coming.
- 2 Gate Lake Jipe. coming from Tanzania / Taveta.
- 3 Gate Mtito Andei (Kamboyo HQ). of Nairobi coming.
- 4 Gate Chyulu. from Amboseli coming.
- 5 Gate Maktau. coming from Tanzania / Taveta.
- 6 Gate Ziwani. of Tanzania/ Coming to Taveta.
Fees / permits
- Entrance fee: 52 USD / day, children: 35
- Electronic tickets: You cannot buy an entrance ticket for cash at the gates, but only cashless, e.g. with Visa Card, M-Pesa or bank transfer. And not at every gate either. This is to prevent employees of the parks from illegally enriching themselves with the entrance fees. Electronic cards are sold at special gates and points of sale, the so-called Point of Issue (POI) and Point of Sale (POS) from 6: 00-18-00. POS / POI: - Mombasa (Mombasa Marine Park Headquarters), - Malindi (Malindi Marine Park Headquarters), - Tsavo West National Park- Mtito Gate, - Tsavo East National Park- Voi Gate, - among others. There are 2 different types of electronic tickets to buy: 1) Personalized cards: Annual passes. The card is issued for a one-time administration fee of KES 1,000 and you top up an amount that is sufficient for all the parks you want to visit. 2) Temporary cards: Day tickets which are bought at the POS on the day of the visit. The card is handed in at the gate when leaving the park. The card expires 24 hours after it has been issued.
mobility
Safaris in which you are accommodated in a minivan with 6 others are cheaper than if you are traveling with a few in an off-road vehicle. Individual trips are significantly better than group trips in a narrow minivan. Those who want to drive in the park with their own 4WD are well advised to bring a guide at the entrance
Tourist Attractions
- World War 1 memorials. The guided tours of the crater, Kichwa Tembo Fortress, and Mzima Fortress allow you to follow in the footsteps of WWI veterans.
- Mzima Springs. Impressive rich spring that gushes from underground lava stones.
- Viewpoints. Poacher's Lookout and Roaring Rocks: The park is rich in vantage points from which to watch the herds move.
- Ngulia Sanctuary. Breeding station for the endangered black rhinoceros.
- Lake Jipe. The lake is on the border between Kenya and Tanzania and is very good for bird watching.
activities
The main purpose of a wildlife safari is to see wildlife in their natural environment. As a rule, tours are booked through travel agencies that organize tours into the park by minibuses or jeeps. It is also possible to visit the park on your own, but for safety reasons it is not advisable. In addition, you will not get to see many animals, as only the guides know the places where the animals are. However, you can also hire guides at the park entrances, who then travel with you in your own car. But it should already be an off-road vehicle that you drive into the park. Cars are too low so that the animals cannot be seen in the tall grass.
shop
In the lodges the prices for soft drinks are around Ksh 250ksh, beer Ksh 400, wine Ksh 500, water is free in most camps. The prices for drinks in the safari vehicles are about the same.
kitchen
In most cases, meals are included in the accommodation price of the lodges
accommodation
There are a variety of them Accommodations in the park and most of them have a watering hole on the hotel grounds, which attracts animals that are easy to observe here.
Hotels and hostels
- Severin Safari Camp [1]
- Kilaguni Serena Lodge [2]
- Rhino Valley Lodge
- Lions Bluff Lodge[3]: with a very nice 360-degree all-round view from the camp, located in the Taita Hills, outside the park
camping
security
- The safety in the park is guaranteed by the experienced guides. The vehicles are only left on the safari in special places that are safe. If you drive into the park alone with a car, it is advisable to follow the safety regulations in your own interest.
Parking rules:
- Do not disturb the animals, this is their habitat.
- Beware of the animals, they are wild and can be unpredictable.
- Do not push the animals or make any sudden noises or movements.
- Do not feed the animals, it disrupts their diet and leads to human dependency.
- Keep calm, the noise is disturbing the wildlife.
- Always stay in your vehicle, except in designated picnic or hiking areas.
- Keep below the maximum speed (40 km / h).
- Do not deviate from the paths, this will seriously damage the habitat.
- When viewing the wildlife, keep a minimum distance of 20 meters and park on the side of the path so that other vehicles can pass.
- Do not leave rubbish behind, never leave fire unattended and do not throw away any burning objects (cigarette butts).
- Respect Kenya's cultural heritage, never photograph the locals or their villages and houses without asking for permission, and respect Kenya's cultural traditions and always dress with decency.
- Leave the park before dusk, no later than 6:00 p.m., unless you are staying in a park lodge. Night drives are not permitted.
