| Tsavo National Park covers more than 20,800square | | | | Tsavo East |
| kilometers. It is Kenya's largest national park and is | | | | Tsavo East National Park is far less visited than |
| split into Tsavo East and Tsavo West by the busy | | | | Tsavo West, is approximately 11,000 square |
| Mombasa/Nairobi Road and the railroad. | | | | kilometers of varied bush, arid flatland and desert. |
| During the last century, Tsavo West has been | | | | Most of the area north of Galana River has recently |
| through changes connected with the great elephant | | | | been opened to the public after a long period of |
| herds. Thick forests were gradually turned into | | | | insecurity in the region. Much of this part of the park |
| grasslands by elephants grazing patterns. By 1960, | | | | is the Yatta Plateau, a lava flow 300 Kilometeres long. |
| the elephant's population was up to at least 50,000. | | | | Oases along the Athi, Tiva, Tsavo and Voi Rivers |
| Because of poaching, they were reduced to only | | | | relieve the dry scrublands. |
| 5,000. Now the grasslands are changing again to new | | | | A handful of tented camps-some permanent and |
| forest and scrub. Poaching has been a major problem | | | | some mobile have been established in Tsavo East, |
| in this park, and the black rhino population was | | | | making this vast wilderness more accessible for the |
| reduced from about 7,000 in 1969 to less than 100 in | | | | adventurous traveler. Some of these camps in Tsavo |
| 1981. Thank to today's conservation efforts, poaching | | | | East National Park offer game walks-because of the |
| has largely been contained. | | | | past security issues, armed KWS (Kenya Wildlife |
| Tsavo West's approximately 9000 square kilometers | | | | Service) anti- poaching rangers accompany the walks. |
| also include the Ngulia Mountains and the Ndawe | | | | Tsavo west and East national parks combined have |
| Escarpment, all part of the same volcanic upheavals | | | | 2,000 kilometers of dirt tracks, some of which serve |
| that created the rift valley, mt. Kilimanjaro and mt. | | | | as firebreaks, all of which are important in the |
| Kenya. The volcanic ridges give rise to the | | | | continuing fight against poaching. Despite this network |
| underground river systems forming Mzima springs; an | | | | of tracks, wildlife is not easy to see because of large |
| incredible outpouring of crystal clear water which | | | | distances, thick scrub and high grass. However, the |
| forms a series of pools, the luxuriant growth at its | | | | stunning landscapes and the sense of isolation felt in |
| edges is in marked contrast to the dry harshness of | | | | this vastness can put you in touch with a part of the |
| the surrounding terrain. There is an underwater | | | | real Africa. |
| viewing chamber from which you can often see | | | | Tsavo east attractions include the daunting Mundanda |
| hippo. Mzima springs are the source of much of | | | | rock, the more than 90 km yatta plateau and bluff, |
| Mombassa's drinking water. | | | | the thundering high energy Lugard falls, and the |
| In Tsavo West, the combination of rocky hills, high | | | | magnificent and huge galena river fraught with |
| viewpoints and dry scrublands creates a harsh | | | | crocodiles. |
| beauty-a certain drama. | | | | |