Location: Situated in coast province, on the South Eastern part of Kenya, on the western highway of the Nairobi Mombasa Road, 240 km from Nairobi.

Size: Covers an area of about 9,065 km2 about 30% of the entire Tsavo ecosystem.

Geography/Habitats: Tsavo West is more popular on account of its magnificent scenery, rich and varied wildlife and a good road system. The park’s habitats include open plains alternating with savannah bush and semi desert scrub, acacia woodlands; rocky ridges and outcrops and more extensive ranges and isolated hills; belts of riverine vegetation; palm thickets and on the Chyulu hills, mountain forest. There are numerous rocky outcrops and ridges and part of the park, towards the Chyulu Hills. In the far south-western corner on the Kenya Tanzania border is Lake Jipe, part of which is in the park. There are only two permanent rivers in this vast area, the Tsavo, which begins its life on Mount Kilimanjaro and is greatly supplemented by a huge underground river flowing from Mzima Springs and the Athi in Tsavo East, which begins near Nairobi. Mzima springs  are replenished by underground streams that flow from the nearby Chyulu Hills and are a great wildlife attraction. Mzima is also the main source of Mombasa’s water supply.

Animals: leopard, cheetah, buffalo, rhino, red skinned elephant, giraffe, zebra, mongoose, hyrax, dik-dik, lesser Kudu, and Nocturnal Porcupine. There are over 600 bird species.

Of Interest:  Game viewing, Camping, Cave exploration, Underwater Hippo and fish watching, Caving at the Shetani caves