3-Day Tsavo East and Tsavo West Classic Safari

Tsavo

Rates From $830

About This Tour

Tsavo East and Tsavo West offer a journey through contrasting landscapes, from red-earth plains to volcanic springs. The itinerary suits travellers seeking a short but intense immersion into Kenya’s oldest and largest protected areas.

The route travels from the lush, spring-fed greenery of Tsavo West to the vast, open savannahs of Tsavo East. The journey ends with a transition toward the Kenyan coast.

The pace is steady, allowing for multiple game drives across different ecosystems. Movement between the parks is unhurried, focusing on the changing textures of the landscape.

Our Community Impact

Johnbow prioritizes lodges that employ staff from local communities near Tsavo. These partnerships provide steady income and support local families. We also select partners who contribute to community-led conservation initiatives that protect the park’s boundaries.

Our Sustainability Promise

We choose lodges that operate with a light environmental footprint, such as Satao and Kilaguni Serena. These properties use sustainable waste management and energy-saving practices to protect the fragile Tsavo ecosystem.

Why This Safari Works

The routing follows a logical line from Nairobi toward the coast, making it an ideal bridge between the city and the beach. By spending one night in each park, the itinerary balances the volcanic scenery of the West with the high wildlife density of the East. The use of road transport allows for a continuous safari experience without the need for internal flights. This structure works best for first-time safari guests, couples, and those with limited time.

Your Trip at a Glance

A snapshot of your entire experience, from key highlights to where you'll stay and what to expect each day.

  • 4x4 Land Cruiser
  • Big Five Experience
  • Birding Experience
  • Bush Breakfast / Bush Dinner
  • Classic Safari
  • Couple
  • Family
  • Full Board
  • Game Drives

Trip Summary

  • Day 1: Nairobi to Tsavo West
  • Day 2: Tsavo West to Tsavo East
  • Day 3: Tsavo East to Coast

Destinations

  • Tsavo East National Park
  • Tsavo West National Park

Where You Stay

  • Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge: 1 Night
  • Satao Camp: 1 Night

Safari Highlights

  • Volcanic landscapes of Tsavo West
  • Crystal clear waters of Mzima Springs
  • Large herds of red-dust elephants
  • Views of the Chyulu Hills
  • Open plains of Tsavo East
  • Evening waterhole sightings at Kilaguni
  • Classic tented camp experience at Satao
  • Sunrise over the savannah

Featured Destinations

Where You Stay

Route Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Itinerary Highlights

  • Views of the Chyulu Hills
  • Afternoon game drive in Tsavo West
  • Evening at the Kilaguni waterhole

Itinerary information

The journey begins with a drive from Nairobi into the rugged terrain of Tsavo West. The landscape features ancient lava flows and thick acacia woodland. In the afternoon, the vehicle moves through the park toward the lodge, observing wildlife among the volcanic hills. The day ends with a quiet evening overlooking a waterhole where animals gather to drink.

  • Meals: Lunch and Dinner
  • Accommodation: Kilaguni Serena

Itinerary Highlights

  • Visit to Mzima Springs
  • Vast plains of Tsavo East
  • Red-earth elephant sightings

Itinerary information

The morning starts with a visit to Mzima Springs to see hippos and crocodiles in clear water. The safari then moves eastward, entering the wide-open savannahs of Tsavo East. This park is famous for its large elephant population and distinctive red soil. The afternoon game drive offers clear views across the plains before arriving at the tented camp for the night.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Accommodation: Satao Camp

Itinerary Highlights

  • Early morning game drive
  • Galana River views
  • Transition to the Kenyan coast

Itinerary information

A final morning game drive captures the park as the sun rises over the Yatta Plateau. The vehicle travels toward the park exit, following the Galana River. After leaving the park, the journey continues toward the tropical coastline for the next stage of the trip.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: None (End of Safari)

JohnBow Safari Expert Insight

❝ This route is the most efficient way to see both Tsavo parks while travelling from the city to the beach. It offers great landscape variety in just three days. ❞

~Safari Team

Rates

Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences

SeasonDate Range2 Guests4 Guests6 Guests
Shoulder SeasonJan – March, 2026N/AN/AN/A
Peak Season1 July – 31 Oct, 2026$ 1,090$ 895$ 830

Important Rate Notes

  • Rates vary based on seasonal availability and room types.
  • Single room supplements apply for solo travellers.
  • Child policies differ by lodge and require confirmation at booking.
  • Lodge substitutions of a similar standard may be offered if needed.

What's Included

  • Accommodation as listed
  • Private 4x4 Land Cruiser
  • Daily game drives
  • All ground transfers
  • All meals as listed
  • All national park entry fees
  • Professional English-speaking driver guide

Optional Addons

  • Bush sundowner
  • Hot air balloon safari
  • Night game drive
  • Guided nature walk

What's Not Included

  • International and domestic flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Premium drinks
  • Laundry service

Ready to start planning your Safari? Tell us your travel dates, who you are traveling with, and what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tsavo West is hilly and volcanic with thick vegetation, while Tsavo East consists of vast, flat savannah plains.
Yes, this itinerary is specifically designed to end at the coast, making it a perfect pre-beach activity.
A private four-by-four Land Cruiser is provided for all game drives and transfers.

See What Our Travellers Have To Say

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Dorcas Munga
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Great planning and communication. My trips have been smooth. All expectations met 💯
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Mike Bourassa
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Our driver, Patrick, made the experience even more special with his outgoing personality and his knowledge of each park. He always made certain that he positioned his vehicle just right so we could get a perfect photo. He shared a lot about African culture an answered our questions. His keen eye spotted a cheetah from a long distance and we experienced the animal stalk and catch his prey (only to have a hyena steal it from him at the end). The accommodations were excellent at Massai Mara but were a bit too primitive at Amboseli. The large openings between the sleeping area and the bathroom brought way too many bugs into the tent. Wonderful memories of the entire experience!! We hope to come back next year and Patrick will be our choice of guide.
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Kate Mandere
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Wonderful team, very warm, helpful and well coordinated!
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Emmy Chepkoech
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I recently booked my 1st trip with Johnbow Tours and Travel and it was an outstanding experience from the start to finish. The team was professional, well-organised, helpful and incredibly friendly. Transfer to my hotel room and back was handled smoothly allowing us to relax and enjoy our journey. The fact that they allow lipa mdogo mdogo was not overwhelming paying for the package...I can't wait to book again with Johnbow 😊
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Gloria Kikete
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Jonbow has offers seamless travel service with a personal touch.
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Lolo Chgn
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Safaris de 5 jours depart Nairobi et arrivée à Diani beach Visite des parcs d’amboseli, tsavo ouest et est , t.hills Découverte d une faune magnifique Notre chauffeur Chombo a tout fait pour rechercher les animaux et il était à notre écoute ! Dépaysement total garanti Les hôtels étaient tout confort avec des conditions d’alimentation en eau et électricité précaire ! Nous remercions vraiment Morris et Chombo pour ce magnifique Safari
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Irene Nduku
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Excellent services, the team was friendly, efficient and went above and beyond to meet my need.Their service was prompt and effective. I highly recommend
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Cheyenne van den B
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We had a two day tour with Johnbow Tours & Travel to Tsavo West. The park itself is not that good to be honest, but we stayed at Salt Lick lodge and that was amazing. The animals are coming so close to the lodge, it is really beautiful to see. The driver Pius was also really nice and he had a lot of knowledge about the animals. I have been in contact with Morris and that was also really pleasant because of the arrangement we had.
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virginia mumo
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As a team of 12pax..we had an exceptional good experience with the Johnbow team. Well informed and humble team who contributed a lot to an enjoyable trip and creating memories.
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Stay06810033473
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Customer Servive Customer service was great!Communication was timely and effective especially as there were some flight changes.Either way the bookings were perfect, customer service was exceptional and we even got a treat for our anniversary, at no extra costElijah and Sam were very helpful.
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Annette M
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Exceptional Experience with Johnbow Tours and Travel! I had an unforgettable trip to Bali and Thailand, the guides were amazing, the places beautiful and the itinerary on point. Bali has very many temples and beautiful rice terraces, the swings and sunset views unforgettable. thank you Johnbow for the tour.
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KSP
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Memorable Safari with a Great Team and Guide We had a really good experience with Johnbow Tours during our Kenya safari. Morris, our main point of contact, was communicative and professional throughout. He stayed in touch via WhatsApp both before and during the trip, answering all our questions quickly and clearly, which gave us a lot of confidence going in.The pricing felt fair for what we received, and the Land Cruiser was comfortable, especially considering the long drives. They also provided snacks at the start of the trip upon request, which was thoughtful.Our guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable. He had a sharp eye for spotting animals and shared interesting facts about everything we saw. We had plenty of game drives and were lucky to spot a wide variety of wildlife.The only small issue was around water. We had been told water would be included throughout, but at a couple of the lodges, we were charged for drinking water, tea, or coffee during meals. It wasn’t a big deal, but having clarity on that from the start would’ve been helpful.Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable safari. The team was dependable, the schedule was well planned, and we felt taken care of from start to finish. I’d absolutely recommend Johnbow to anyone planning a private safari in Kenya.
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Alain V
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A great experience, a must for everyone who reads this Jonbow, our driver who has the same name as the agency, took very good care of us. He was on time for the appointment. Once on the road he was super attentive. In the park he was always the first to spot the game. He gave us very good explanations about all the animals we saw. No effort was too much to make us spot all the game. Super friendly and helpful guy. He operates from Mombasa/Diani Beach. He made sure that our safari will remain unforgettable.
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winnie a
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Dubai tour 2024 was a birthday gift to my son who turned lucky number seven. I writing to thank you for coordinating our trip to UAE, dubai. Everything was perfect; the flight, the hotel was clean and all staff were friendly and professional. Special thanks to Mary Gathua as she was the one who coordinated everything for us.The tour guides were excellent! They made things as easy for us as possible. I really appreciate these and that indicate the quality services that they provide.We had dubai town tour and our guide, Mr. Albert did exceptionally well. We learnt about the origin of UAE and the important features in dubai. We had dhow cruise with dinner, and the dessert safari with dinner.Desert safari was the best of the trip (the driver , Mr . Zaheer was very professional, and the overall experience was thrilling and amazing). The desert safari remains in my priority to do list when I visit dubai next.I would certainly recommend Johnbow Tours and travel to anyone wanting to visit Dubai. Thank you again and look forward to plan our next vacation with you.
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maryanne o
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Awesome Best tour company ..travelled to Dubai in Emirates .Booked the best hotel in Dubai..Johnbow staff are friendly and accommodatve I rate them10/10 they're affordable too .
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M A
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Superb service Happy New Year! Eunice managed our travel plans superbly, and I’m grateful. Our stay at Pride Inn was delightful; the staff’s service, food, attention, and entertainment made our holiday special and memorable. Thanks again for your excellent services.
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gladys n
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Efficient Eunice of John Bow ,was pretty helpful from getting us a hotel to SGR tickets, and transfers to the hotel.She also called to ensure we arrived safely.I loved the seamless process and especially because we chat on whatsapp mostly. Johnbow tours keep their word! I would choose them again.
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Christine N
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Awesome experience This travel company was very efficient. I engaged them on whatsapp in the morning and by afternoon they had finalised everything including the sgr tickets. Their staff Eunice was readily available even at night because we did night travel. And early morning at 4 am, she called to find out if the driver had picked us. I would recommend them anytime
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Sabina M
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It was a time of relaxation and fun. The trip was well planned from Nairobi to Maasai Mara. We had so much fun and took so many photos. We saw lions, cheetahs, elephants and other animals. If we could do it again, we would still chose Johnbow tours and travel.
info@johnbowtoursandtravel.com
Kenya Cinema Plaza, 3rd Floor Room 3-8. Moi Avenue, Nairobi