3-Day Tsavo East Safari Tours

4.2/5 – 90 Tsavo East Reviews

Tsavo East National Park is one of Kenya’s best safari parks. At once accessible from Mombasa, close to other parks (such as Tsavo West), and yet with an unmistakably wild feel about some of its more remote corners, it really does have a diverse charm. Your happiest memories of visiting Tsavo East could be seeing cheetahs and the park’s famous maneless lions out on the plains, as well as the park’s many elephants that have changed color by rolling in the red Tsavo dust. There are lots of other wildlife highlights to go with a range of different habitats (from rocky monoliths to the Voi and Galana Rivers). Add in some excellent accommodations and there’s everything you need to have a fantastic safari experience.

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5 Questions About 3-Day Tsavo East Safaris

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony is a writer and author of more than 150 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including guides to ‘Kenya’ and ‘East Africa’. He has written about Kenya and the wider region for magazines and newspapers around the world. He is also the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’.
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Is a 3-day Tsavo East road safari or fly-in safari a better choice?

“It all depends on where you’re coming from. Remember when making this decision that a 3-day Tsavo East safari only includes 1 full day: day 1 includes time spent getting to Tsavo East, and day 3 is when you leave. This means you will want to minimize the amount of time you spend traveling here so that you can spend as much time as possible enjoying the park itself. If you’re visiting Tsavo East National Park after time in Mombasa or Tsavo West, then driving doesn’t take too long. If you’re any farther afield, you should consider flying. Flying will always be quicker, especially if you fly into one of the airstrips inside the park boundaries. But it’s also more expensive, so that’s another thing to factor in when making your decision.”

What are the accommodations options on a 3-day safari in Tsavo East National Park?

“Tsavo East has an excellent range of accommodations, both inside and outside the park. Inside the park, the accommodations are nicely spread out, which means that it never feels too crowded. There is also a cluster of accommodations just outside the park’s western gate; these can feel a little busier, but most of them look out across the park fence and into the park, so the location is still good. There are also simple accommodations a little farther away in the busy town of Voi. Accommodations in and around Tsavo East include camping areas, where you will sleep in simple tents on a ground mattress. Sometimes these tents will sit on slightly raised wooden platforms. Campgrounds have shared shower and toilet facilities, as well as a communal kitchen and dining area. There’s also lodge-style accommodations, which means you’ll sleep in a four-walled room, usually with a mosquito net and en suite bathroom. Tented camps have safari tents; the best of these will have en suite bathrooms, mosquito nets, a sofa, a private terrace, a writing desk and other nice touches. Most Tsavo East lodges and tented camps have a restaurant and bar, and some have a swimming pool and gift shop.”

Can I combine Tsavo East with a beach holiday?

“Yes. Tsavo East is the most popular park to visit for those enjoying a beach holiday along Kenya’s southern Indian Ocean coastline. That’s because it’s not far from the beach. Some people even visit on a day trip from the coast, but I recommend enjoying the full 3 days in Tsavo East, and then allocating more time for the beach. Because of Tsavo East’s relative proximity to the coast and because this is a combination that many travelers ask for, most safari tour operators have experience in making the arrangements for a reasonable price. Combining beach and safari also means that you get a real taste of Kenya’s diverse appeal, from the wildlife-filled savannahs of the park to the swaying palms and pristine waters of the coast. That you can enjoy all of this in just a few days is why so many travelers fall in love with Kenya.”

How much does a 3-day trip in Tsavo East cost?

“There are many variables to consider when calculating the cost of a 3-day Tsavo East safari. As a very general starting point, a budget safari might start at around US$125 per person per day, and this could rise to US$350 per person per day or even higher for a more luxurious experience. One thing that pushes the per-day price higher is the park entry fee of US$52/35 per adult/child per day. One reason costs vary so greatly is that much depends on what accommodations you choose. Staying in a national park campsite will cost significantly less than in a luxury lodge or tented camp. Whether you travel on a private safari (where you pay for your own guide, driver and vehicle) or a group safari (where these costs are shared) will also have an impact. Another consideration is when you travel: the cost of visiting in high season (which runs from December to March and July to October) can be significantly higher than what you will pay in the quieter low-season months.”

Is it recommended to extend a 3-day Tsavo East trip with 1 day in Tsavo West?

“If you have the time, adding a day in Tsavo West to your 3-day Tsavo East safari is an excellent thing to do. It works best if you’re able to fly between the two parks, which is quicker but more expensive. If instead you travel by road, a couple of days in Tsavo West would be better, just so that you can see more of the park. Tsavo West is a really big park, but near its eastern edge is the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, which alone is worth the experience. There are no rhinos in Tsavo East, so if you see a rhino in the sanctuary in Tsavo West, seeing the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) on your safari becomes a real possibility. The area around Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary is also stunning, with red-rock escarpments to the horizon, and this can add a whole new dimension to your tour.”

Tsavo East Reviews

4.2/5 90 Reviews

Expert

Lizzie Williams –

Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Big 5 in a Wide East African Savannah

4/5

A vast, flat scrubland, broken by the emerald-green meandering Galana River fringed by doum palms, Tsavo East is popular since it offers a pretty sure chance of seeing plenty of wildlife, just half a day’s drive from Kenya’s coastal...

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

Kenya’s Largest Wilderness Park

4/5

Kenya’s largest national park at 11,747 square kilometres, Tsavo East is a compelling slice of wilderness situated at the core of a vast block of contiguous conservation areas (among them Tsavo West on the opposite side of the...

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Ton M. –

Reviewed: Aug 1, 2025

5/5

The safari was fantastic. Also during the stay at the lodge Elephants visited to drink, and later various other animals. In front of the bedroom window we were greeted by a monkey. Stay in the park was perfect.

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Jane –

Reviewed: Jun 14, 2024

Satao Camp

5/5

My overall rating for SATAO CAMP is excellent in all respects. This is a friendly and welcoming camp. Perfectly situated and open to all the animals that inhabit it. The accommodation, service and attention to detail are superb. The staff...

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Yolanda Moerkens –

Reviewed: Oct 19, 2023

5/5

Great place to go on safari when you stay at the coast. It's only a few hours by car and here you can see so many elephants in a red color. Not red cause of the skin but red cause of the red soil. Nice landscap with plains and bush and very...

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Bruno Vidal de Souza –

Reviewed: Sep 14, 2023

5/5

This park is quite large, so it is harder to find things. It is perfect for a calm and real safari experience! You are really in contact with nature and it is more difficult to run across many cars and tourists in the same place. The...

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5 Questions About 3-Day Tsavo East Safaris

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About 3-Day Tsavo East Safaris

Is a 3-day Tsavo East road safari or fly-in safari a better choice?

What are the accommodations options on a 3-day safari in Tsavo East National Park?

Can I combine Tsavo East with a beach holiday?

How much does a 3-day trip in Tsavo East cost?

Is it recommended to extend a 3-day Tsavo East trip with 1 day in Tsavo West?

Tsavo East Reviews

The Big 5 in a Wide East African Savannah

Kenya’s Largest Wilderness Park

Satao Camp