Why Honeymoon in Tsavo
Tsavo feels big in a way the Mara does not. You can drive for an hour without meeting another vehicle and when you find a lion it is usually your sighting alone.
The two halves are different. Tsavo West is hilly, volcanic and greener, with Mzima Springs, the black Shetani lava flow, Chaimu crater and the Ngulia rhino sanctuary. Tsavo East is flatter and drier, crossed by the Galana River and edged by the Yatta Plateau, often described as the world's longest lava flow. Elephants here dust themselves in the iron-rich soil and turn rust red.
There is a story behind the name too. In 1898 two maneless lions killed railway workers building the line through Tsavo until engineer John Henry Patterson shot them. Tsavo's lions still often lack full manes. Couples who have done a classic safari before, or who want a quieter one before a beach stay, tend to like Tsavo most.
When to Go
The dry seasons are best: roughly June to October and again January to February. Grass is short, animals gather at waterholes and the Galana River and the tracks are reliable. Expect heat at midday in Tsavo East, with cooler nights in the hills of Tsavo West.
The long rains run about March to May and the short rains around November. The park turns green and beautiful, birding improves with migrants arriving and rates drop, but some tracks become impassable and animals disperse widely. A few camps close for part of the long rains.
If you are pairing Tsavo with the coast, December to March is the calmest beach season, so a January or February trip lines up both halves nicely. June to October suits a combined Mara, Tsavo and beach trip, though the coast can be breezier then.
Where to Stay
Lodges spread across both parks and the private land around them, so choose by which half you want to explore.
In Tsavo West, Finch Hattons is the high-end tented camp, set around a spring-fed pool where hippos wallow in front of the tents. Kilaguni Serena Lodge, one of Kenya's older park lodges, overlooks a floodlit waterhole with Kilimanjaro on clear days. In Tsavo East, Satao Camp is a classic tented camp facing a busy waterhole and small camps along the Galana River make the most of the water.
Expect roughly $300 to $1,200 per night for two with meals and game drives, depending on the camp and season (approximate). Park fees are charged per person per day and are usually added on top. A camp with its own waterhole is worth it: in the dry season the wildlife comes to you while you sit on the deck with a coffee.
Romantic Things to Do
At Mzima Springs, the water filtered through the Chyulu Hills emerges crystal clear. A short trail leads to an underwater viewing chamber where you might see hippos and crocodiles from below. Go early before it warms up.
Walk a short stretch of the Shetani lava flow, a field of black rock from an eruption in the 1850s and climb Chaimu crater for the view. In Tsavo East, picnic at Lugard Falls, where the Galana squeezes through rock channels and stop at Mudanda Rock, a long outcrop above a pool where elephants come to drink in the dry months.
At sundown, find a high point and watch the plain go purple. Many camps run bush dinners or sundowners on kopjes. For something different, ride the Madaraka Express train to Voi or Mtito Andei and start your safari straight from the platform.
Getting There and Around
Most couples fly into Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) via Europe, the Gulf or Addis Ababa; Kenya Airways has also run nonstop service from New York JFK (check the current schedule). From Nairobi or Mombasa you have three choices.
By road, the Mombasa highway runs between the two parks, with gates near Voi and Mtito Andei. Mombasa to Voi takes about two and a half to three hours. The highway is busy with trucks, so travel by day with a professional driver. By train, the Madaraka Express stops at Voi and Mtito Andei, where lodges can meet you. By air, light aircraft serve park airstrips from Nairobi Wilson (WIL) and the coast.
Avoid the eastern Sala Gate route toward Malindi, which crosses areas under the advisory's do-not-travel warning. Within the parks, game drives are in your lodge's vehicles, since distances are long and signage is minimal.
Food and Drink
Tsavo camps serve full board, so most meals come with the room: cooked breakfasts after an early drive, lunch on the deck and three-course dinners. Bush breakfasts and lantern-lit dinners under a tree are common extras worth asking for.
Kenyan dishes appear on most menus. Try sukuma wiki (sautéed greens), chapati, pilau and grilled meats. Lodges near the coast road often bring in Swahili flavors from Mombasa, so you may get a coconut fish curry at a safari camp.
Tusker beer and South African wine are standard at the bar and a gin and tonic at sundown is something of a ritual. Kenyan coffee is grown in the highlands and is usually very good. Drink only filtered or bottled water and ask camps whether they refill bottles to cut down on plastic.
Honeymoon Tips
- Read the State Department's Kenya advisory before booking. It names Tana River County as do-not-travel while excepting Tsavo, so stick to the main gates and roads your operator recommends.
- Malaria is present. Take prophylaxis on medical advice, wear long sleeves at dusk and use repellent. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices.
- Tsetse flies can be a nuisance in thicker bush. Wear khaki or olive; dark blue and black attract them.
- Distances are large. Pick one half of Tsavo for a short stay rather than trying to cover both.
- Bring a soft bag if you are flying in on a light aircraft; luggage limits are strict.
- Midday heat in Tsavo East is intense. Plan a long siesta and save energy for the evening drive.
