Wild Places East Africa: January 2019

Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Tsavo National Park, is at one, the largest and the oldest national park in Kenya. Covering a total of 22,812 km, it is also one of the largest protected wildlife habitats in the world and first opened to visitors in April 1948.

Tsavo National Park is bisected into Tsavo East (13,747 km²) and Tsavo West (9,065 km²) National Parks by the Nairobi-Mombasa asphalt highway. 472 km of single-track narrow-gauage railway, connecting Mombasa with Nairobi, runs parallel to the road for much of its length, and was dubbed in 1898, due to spiralling construction costs and loss of life (a total of 2,493 mainly Indian workers, from 1895 to 1903) as a “monstrous folly” and the “lunatic line”. The railway line was made notoriously famous by the man-eating lions, that preyed on at least 28 Indian and African workers, during the construction of a bridge over the Tsavo river. The nocturnal predatory activities of the two male man-eating lions and their eventual slaughter, were documented by Lieutenant Colonel Patterson, commissioned to oversee the construction of the bridge, in his 1907 book, “The Man Eaters of Tsavo”.

The new standard guage railway, that runs parallel to the old “lunatic line” was constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, and completed on 31^stMay 2017, at a cost of US$ 3.6 billion (the most expensive infrastructure project in Kenya since independence). 90% of the cost was provided in the form of a loan from the Exim Bank of China. In order to accommodate higher train speeds, of up to 120 kph, that has reduced the passenger journey, from Nairobi to Mombasa, from 15 to 4½ hours, as well as to avoid collision with wildlife in the Tsavo corridor; the alignment of the new railway is straighter and large sections are elevated.

Whilst Tsavo is not the favourite national park of tourists coming to Kenya, it is my favourite, as it is easy to get lost in the vast expanses of dry Acacia/Commiphorawoodland and quite possible, away from the tourist lodges, to drive all day and not see another car. It can be a true wilderness experience.

In general, Tsavo West, is considered a more popular destination with tourists than Tsavo East. The main gate to Tsavo West National Park is at Mtito Andei, and located just 240 km SE of Nairobi. To the North, the park is bordered by the dramatic recent volcanic flows of the Chyulu Hills National Park. Along its South-West flank it runs along the Tanzanian border and is contiguous with the Mkomazi Nature Reserve ecosystem in Tanzania. To the North-West, dominating Amboseli National Park, is the massive volcano, Mount Kilimanjaro. Tsavo West has a well-developed road system, contains a 70 km²electric fenced eastern black rhinoceros reserve area, spectacular scenery, prolific birdlife (around 600 species) and a varied wildlife (including hippopotamus, crocodile, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, African wild dogs, Maasai giraffe, lesser kudu, zebra, hartebeest and dik-dik) and the crystal clear waters of Mzima springs – that supplies the coastal city of Mombasa’s water supply – some 245 km distant.

Whilst Tsavo East comprises 13,747 km²of wilderness, the entire area to the north of the Galana river, which forms the greater part of the park, is designated a scientific research area and for this reason, and also because it is subject to incursion and poaching by well-armed poachers, is closed to the general public. The longest flow of lava in the world (around 300 km in length), originates from Ol Doinyo Sambuk volcano near Thika, forming the Yatta Plateau, which rises up to 100 m above the northern bank of the Athi (subsequently the Galana river) and is the dominant geological feature of Tsavo East National Park.

As the Tsavo Parks lie just a few degrees South of the equator, temperatures (day time: 27-31^oC and night time: 22-24^oC) show little variation year round. Rainfall can be heavy during the long rains (from March to May), when the vegetation is green and lush, the Lugard waterfalls on the Galana river can be spectacular, but getting around on the earth roads in the parks may be challenging. The short rains fall between October to December and generally pose less of a challenge to movement around the parks.

Tsavo is easiest in the dry seasons and tourism low season (January/February), as well as the dry season from June to September). However, the vast expanses of the park means that tourist numbers are never a problem. Like many arid and semi-arid areas, the transformation of the area’s vegetation, as with the explosion in insect populations, with the coming of the rains is spectacular. For me, the highlights of a trip to Tsavo in the rains, are the spectacular large metallic green scarab beetles (Scarabeidae), and the amazing diversity of beautifully patterned predatory tiger beetles (Cicindelinae). Bird watching is best in the park between October and January, when many migratory birds may be seen, in addition to the residents.

Below are some photographs taken in Tsavo National Park between January to March 2014: