Tsavo east covers an immense 11,750 square kilometres and yet is home to a few tourism properties which ensures a unique and exclusive experience. The park is one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, bushy grassland and open plains alternate with semi-arid acacia scrub and woodlands and the Galana river gives rise to lush vegetation.
Wildlife
There is an incredible variety of wildlife and birdlife to be seen in the Park: lion, leopard, cheetah, zebras, giraffes, serval cats, genet cats, antelopes, kongoni, lesser kudu, oryx, klipspringer, impala, striped hyena, gazelles, buffalos and elephants. Some 500 bird species have been recorded in the area, including ostrich and migratory kestrels, while buzzards stop by during their long flight South. Of course, Tsavo is world-famous for its vast herds of elephants, which often glow red after a dust bath, and Satao’s watering hole can attract up to 1,000 elephants a day. Large prides of lion are also sighted regularly.
Game drives
Satao camp offers morning and afternoon game drives within the Park. If you’re looking for the legendary Big Five, you won’t be disappointed. All our safari vehicles are open 4×4s equipped with everything you need for the perfect game drive. We provide binoculars, guide books about African birds and mammals and even a cool box with chilled drinks at the ready. Our guides are qualified Professional Safari Guides and have worked for many years in Tsavo. Their passion and understanding of the environment and the rich biodiversity of Tsavo are unequalled and they will be delighted to share their knowledge with you.
Sundowners
Sunset over the Tsavo plains is a sight to behold and the ‘sundowner’ experience is a must for all our guests at Satao. At the end of a leisurely late-afternoon game drive, your driver/guide will take you to “our” special sundowner spot. The fire is lit, delicious bitings are served and the chilled sparkling wine or the famous ‘dawa’ cocktails are poured. Sit back and relax, watch the sun slip behind the Sagala Hills and listen to the sounds of the wild. It’s an experience you will treasure forever. For aspiring photographers, the hour before the sun goes down is blessed with what the professionals call ‘magic light’ – a time of soft golden light that displays the Kenyan wilderness to optimum advantage.
Birding
Satao camp’s oasis is a favourite habitat for a great variety of birds: over 300 different species have been identified. Birders can safely walk around the Camp’s grounds and watch the many beautiful birds coming to nest or take a bath in the waterhole. Hornbills, barbits, starlings, guinea fowls and pearl spotted owls are very common to see. Our resident flock of colorful guinea fowl are a pleasure to watch.
Nearby attractions
As well as teeming with wildlife, Tsavo East offers visitors some spectacular scenery. The Mudanda rock is a 1.6km inselberg of stratified rock that acts as a water catchment that supplies a natural dam below. It offers an excellent vantage point for the hundreds of elephants and other wildlife that come to drink during the dry season. On the Galana river, Lugard falls is a series of white water rapids running between some remarkable rock formations. On request, clients can book a full day game drive with a picnic lunch to see both the falls and also Yatta Plateau, the world’s longest lava flow. Its incredible 290 km length was formed by lava from Ol Doinyo Sabuk Mountain.
