Tsavo West & Amboseli Kilimanjaro Safari
Three days deep in the Kenyan safari circuit — volcanic Tsavo West and the elephant herds of Amboseli beneath snow-capped Kilimanjaro.
Big Game Safari
Tsavo East Big Game Day Safari
Duration
Full Day
Group Size
2–6 guests per vehicle
Difficulty
Easy (vehicle-based)
Best Time
Year-round · Jun–Oct & Jan–Feb for driest game viewing
About This Experience
Tsavo East is one of the world's largest national parks and, remarkably, sits close enough to the coast to be explored as a long day trip from Watamu or Malindi. Famous for its 'red elephants' — dusted terracotta by the park's iron-rich soil — and dramatic populations of lion, buffalo and giraffe, Tsavo East offers a genuine big-game safari without giving up your beach holiday. Depart before dawn for the scenic drive inland, arriving as the park wakes: expect unhurried game drives along the Galana River, waterholes thick with elephant and buffalo, and the ever-present chance of a lion sighting in the golden grass. A bush lunch is served at a shaded picnic site inside the park before the afternoon game drive and the return journey to the coast at sunset.
Highlights
Search for Tsavo's famous red-dusted elephant herds
Track lion prides across open savannah
Game drive along the Galana River floodplain
Bush picnic lunch inside the park
Pop-up roof 4x4 for unobstructed photography
Locations Visited
Tsavo East National Park
Galana River
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Dawn Departure to Galana River
Pick-up from your hotel around 5:30am for the scenic drive inland as the sun rises over the Taru plains. Enter Tsavo East at the Sala Gate and begin an unhurried morning game drive following the Galana River, where elephant, buffalo, waterbuck and giraffe gather to drink, with lion prides often resting in the shade nearby.
Day 2 — Bush Lunch & Afternoon Game Drive
Break for a packed bush lunch at a shaded picnic spot overlooking the plains, then continue a second game drive through different tracks as the light softens — the best hour for both wildlife activity and photography — before exiting the park for the drive back to your hotel, arriving early evening.
What's Included
- Return hotel transfers
- Park entry fees & conservation fees
- 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Bush picnic lunch and bottled water
Not Included
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities for driver-guide
- Personal travel insurance
- Optional balloon safari add-on
Need a fully custom quote — different group size, luxury upgrade, or added nights? Contact our team and we'll tailor it.
Absolutely — Tsavo East is one of the few major parks reachable from Watamu in under three hours, making it possible to see the "Big Five" ecosystem without sacrificing your beach itinerary.
Elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and various antelope are seen on the vast majority of drives; lion and other predators are seen frequently but, as with all wild safaris, are never guaranteed.
Visit our full FAQ page or contact us directly — we typically reply within a few hours.
You Might Also Like
Related Experiences
Watamu Marine National Park Snorkeling Safari
Glide over technicolor coral gardens inside Kenya's oldest marine park, sharing the water with turtles, parrotfish and reef sharks.
Mida Creek Dhow Sunset Cruise & Seafood Feast
Sail a hand-carved dhow through mangrove channels as flamingos and fish eagles fill the sky in the last light of day.