Private Tsavo East tour from Malindi: Red elephants and Aruba dam

The red elephants of Tsavo East are real, and you'll see them on the same day you leave Malindi.

A private full-day tour from Malindi to Tsavo East National Park with hotel pickup, professional guide, park entry and lunch included. You spend 5 to 6 hours inside the park on game drives, stopping at Aruba dam where animals congregate, especially during the dry season. The whole experience runs 7 to 8 hours from pickup to drop-off, and children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day Tsavo East National Park tour

• Pick up from hotel at 5:45 am
• Drive to Tsavo East via Mombasa-Nairobi road
• Stop at first gate before entering park
• Enter park through Bachuma gate
• Game drive searching for elephants, lions, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, antelopes
• Visit Aruba dam for wildlife viewing
• Lunch at lodge inside the park
• Afternoon game drive in Tsavo East
• Drive out of park and return to hotel

The experience

The day starts early: pickup at 5:45 am from your Malindi hotel, then a two-hour drive following the Mombasa–Nairobi road to Tsavo East's Bachuma gate. You enter the largest national park in Kenya with a professional English-speaking guide and a customized safari van fitted with a pop-up roof so you can stand and scan for wildlife without obstruction. The park holds red elephants, the lions historically known as the "Man eaters of Tsavo," buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and antelope, plus numerous bird species. Your guide knows where to find them.

The Aruba dam is the centerpiece stop: a water source where animals gather, especially when the dry season concentrates them. You'll watch the wildlife come to drink and move through the landscape. After several hours of game viewing, you break for lunch at one of the lodges inside the park itself: a chance to rest and eat before the afternoon game drive. A second drive follows lunch, then the two-hour return journey back to Malindi and your hotel. Bottled drinking water travels with you throughout.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 5:45 am and drop-off at the end of the day.
• transport in a customized safari van with a pop-up roof.
• professional English-speaking guide (Italian and French also available).
• Tsavo East National Park entrance fee.
• lunch at a lodge inside the park.
• bottled drinking water throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Full-day private tour to Tsavo East National Park, departing from MalindiGuide in English, French or Italian · 05:00Pickup is included

Tour carried out in a safari cruiser or jeepGuide in English, French or Italian · 05:00Safari land cruiser or jeep (4x4): this tour is done using a 4x4 safari land cruiser or jeep. Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (2 to 15 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 44 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by PERFECT WILDERNESS TOURS AND SAFARIS

Is this one for you?The early start and full-day structure pack two separate game drives and the Aruba dam into a single departure from Malindi, so you see the park's wildlife in both morning and afternoon light without needing to overnight in the park itself.

Traveler reviews

4.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 15 years).

What animals am I likely to see on a game drive in Tsavo East?

Red elephants, lions, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, antelope and numerous bird species inhabit the park. The Aruba dam is where animals gather to drink, so sightings concentrate there, particularly during the dry season.

How much time do I actually spend inside the park looking for wildlife?

You spend 5 to 6 hours on game drives inside Tsavo East, split between a morning and afternoon drive with lunch at a lodge in between. The full day from pickup to hotel drop-off runs 7 to 8 hours.

Is this tour private, or will I share the van with other travelers?

This is a private tour, so you travel in your own customized safari van with your guide and the people in your party only.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport in the safari van, professional guide, Tsavo East park entrance fee, lunch at a lodge inside the park and bottled drinking water are all included. Alcoholic beverages and tips are not included, though tips are optional.