Tsavo East National Park: red elephants, Lugard Falls and fees
Tsavo East is the eastern half of Kenya's largest park, a flat, open savannah crossed by the Galana River. Its elephants wallow in the red earth and come out rust-coloured, an image that made the park's reputation. Most visitors come from the coast: Mombasa and Diani are the most convenient starting points, and this park is an alternative to the parks of the south and west of the country. For the more hilly western half, see Tsavo West; to book a stay from the coast, safari to Tsavo from Mombasa.
Highlights
The red elephants
Their colour comes from the red dust they coat themselves in. You see them mostly around waterholes, in the late afternoon.
The plain and the Yatta Plateau
The wide flat spaces are bordered by the Yatta Plateau, described as one of the longest lava flows in the world. Roads are long and distances considerable.
The Galana and Lugard Falls
The river is the centre of animal life: hippos, crocodiles, birds. Lugard Falls are rapids where the river runs through rocks. Mudanda Rock and Aruba Dam are two other places where animals come to drink.
Practical info
Tips
- Entry fee for non-residents (KWS rates found in October 2026): USD 80 per adult and USD 40 per child for 24 hours, valid for Tsavo East as for Tsavo West; a fee of about KES 800 is added for a car. Payment is made on the KWS eCitizen portal, by card or M-Pesa, or at the gate. These amounts change: check before you go. The park is vast: distances between the points of interest are long, which makes a driver-guide very useful. Sleep in a lodge or camp near the Voi or Bachuma gate, and bring water, a hat and sunscreen.
How to get there
From Mombasa, the Voi gate is about 2.5 hours by road; the Bachuma gate is also used by visitors from the coast. Operators in Mombasa and Diani offer tours with transfer. You can also take the Nairobi-Mombasa train (SGR) to Voi station and then arrange a transfer to the park.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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