Tsavo is Kenya’s largest protected area, split into East and West by the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and railway, and together the two parks cover more than 21,000 km2, an area bigger than several small countries. This trail camps in both halves: Tsavo East for its open, red-earth plains and the elephant herds that get their colour from dust-bathing in that soil, then Tsavo West for the volcanic Chyulu foothills, the Mzima Springs underwater hippo-viewing chamber, and the black lava fields around Shetani. Camps are basic bush setups moved between the two sections rather than a single fixed base, which is the only realistic way to actually cover ground this size in five days.
Highlights
- Tsavo's famous 'red elephants', dust-bathed in the park's iron-rich soil
- Mzima Springs underwater viewing chamber for hippo and crocodile
- Shetani lava field, a roughly 200-year-old volcanic flow you can walk onto
- Two distinct ecosystems in one trip, red plains and volcanic hill country
- One of Kenya's least crowded major parks relative to its size
