Discover Kenya’s vast red earth wilderness, where elephants roam free and lions rule the savannah

Your Tsavo East adventure begins with a convenient pickup from your hotel in Watamu or nearby, followed by a scenic drive through the Kenyan countryside as you make your way toward one of Africa’s largest and most iconic national parks.

Once inside, you’ll be accompanied by an experienced safari guide on thrilling game drives across the park’s vast red earth landscapes. Tsavo East is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, offering excellent chances to spot majestic elephants, prowling lions, graceful giraffes, zebras, buffalo, antelopes, and a wide variety of colorful bird species. A definite highlight is a visit to the famous Aruba Dam, a renowned wildlife hotspot where animals gather to drink and cool off, offering fantastic photo opportunities.

Along the way, you’ll enjoy delicious meals at a safari lodge, giving you the chance to relax and recharge between game drives.

Whether you’re short on time and choose the one day safari, or opt for our recommended two day experience … Tsavo East promises an unforgettable journey into Kenya’s spectacular wilderness. Why two days? Read on.

One day experience

Two day safari recommendation

Your Tsavo East adventure begins early, with a pickup from your hotel in Watamu at around 6:00 am. From there, you’ll travel by jeep through the Kenyan countryside, arriving at the park gate after roughly three hours on the road. This is also where your 24 hour park ticket begins.

Once inside, your first game drive gets underway, offering excellent chances to spot majestic elephants, prowling lions, graceful giraffes, zebras, buffalo, antelopes, and a wide variety of colorful bird species across the park’s iconic red-earth landscapes. Around midday, you’ll head to your chosen camp or lodge for room allocation and a relaxing lunch, including a stop at the famous Aruba Dam, a renowned wildlife hotspot where animals gather to drink and cool off.

In the afternoon, a second game drive takes you back out into the park, running until sunset … the time of day when animals are most active and sightings of predators on the hunt are especially likely. Afterwards, you’ll return to the lodge or camp for dinner and an overnight stay under the stars.

On day two, you’ll head out again before dawn for a sunrise game drive, catching the park’s other prime window of wildlife activity while your ticket is still valid. Together, these two drives … one at sunset, one at sunrise … capture the two richest wildlife viewing windows the park has to offer, all within a single 24-hour entry.

Since a second afternoon in the park would fall in the quieter midday hours and require an additional ticket, we use the rest of the day differently instead: after breakfast, you’ll begin the journey back to the coast, stopping en route for lunch and a visit to a local curio and souvenir market, where skilled artisans sell handcrafted wood carvings, jewelry, textiles, and other unique keepsakes … the perfect chance to pick up a memorable souvenir before arriving back at your hotel in Watamu in the late afternoon.

Duration

1 day safari: approximately from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm
2 day safari: approximately from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm

 

Prices

1 day safari: from EUR 180
2 day safari: from EUR 280

 

This adventure includes

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Professional safari guide
• Safari vehicle with pop-up roof
• Lunch
• Bottled drinking water

Park entry fees and accommodation are excluded.

Things to bring

• Light, breathable clothing in neutral colors
• Comfortable closed shoes
• Sunprotection
• Camera or smartphone with good zoom for wildlife photography
• Binoculars
• Light jacket or sweater for the early morning chill
• Some cash or card