Tsavo East safari from Mombasa: Red elephants and Aruba dam

Spot the red elephants and the man-eaters of Tsavo in one full day from the coast

A private full-day safari from Mombasa to Tsavo East National Park includes hotel pickup at 5:45 am, a drive of just over an hour to the park, 5 to 6 hours of game viewing with a professional English-speaking guide in a customized safari van with pop-up roof, lunch at a lodge inside the park, and a visit to Aruba dam where wildlife gathers to drink. The total day runs 7 to 8 hours. Children from age 4 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 Bachuma gate
• Stopover before entering the park
• Game drive searching for wildlife
• Visit Aruba dam for wildlife viewing
• Lunch at lodge inside the park
• Afternoon game drive in the park
• Drive back to Mombasa
• Drop off at hotel

The experience

Your day starts before dawn. The pickup comes at 5:45 am from your Mombasa hotel, and you follow the Mombasa–Nairobi road toward Tsavo East. The drive takes a little over an hour, with a short stop at the first gate before you enter via Bachuma gate. Once inside Kenya's largest national park, you begin your first game drive in search of the red elephants Tsavo is known for, the historic man-eaters lions, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and antelopes. The landscape shifts as you move through the park: rock formations rise from the savanna, and the dry season brings concentrated wildlife to water sources.

The Aruba dam is your first major stop, a place where different animals come to drink and where sightings are especially reliable during drier months. You spend 5 to 6 hours inside the park depending on what you encounter, moving between game-viewing areas in the customized safari van. The pop-up roof gives you clear sightlines without leaving the vehicle. Your guide navigates the routes and explains what you're seeing. The guide speaks English and can also speak French if that suits your group. Lunch happens at one of the lodges inside the park, a break before you head out for a second game drive in the afternoon.

After the final drive, you exit the park and begin the return to Mombasa, arriving back at your hotel roughly 8 hours after you left. Bottled drinking water is included throughout the day, and the park entrance fee is covered in the price. The whole experience is built for all fitness levels. You're in the van most of the time, and the stops are short walks or viewing from the vehicle.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Mombasa location.
• transport in a customized safari van with pop-up roof for clear game viewing.
• professional English-speaking guide (French also available).
• park entrance fee to Tsavo East National Park.
• lunch at a lodge inside the park.
• bottled drinking water throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Full-day trip to Tsavo East National Park, departing from MombasaGuide in English or French · 05:30Pickup is included

Game drive in a Land Cruiser jeepGuide in English or French · 05:30Land Cruiser 4x4 jeep: this option uses a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for game viewing and photography, and pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:30

Book up to9h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by PERFECT WILDERNESS TOURS AND SAFARIS

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in Mombasa and want a full day in Tsavo without splitting your time between locations: the early pickup catches peak wildlife activity at the waterholes.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 15 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

How long do we actually spend looking for wildlife inside Tsavo East?

You spend 5 to 6 hours on game drives inside the park, depending on animal sightings and where the guide takes you. The rest of the 7 to 8 hour day is the drive from Mombasa (just over an hour each way) and lunch at a lodge.

What animals are we likely to see at Tsavo East?

Tsavo East is home to red elephants, the historic man-eaters lions, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and antelopes. The Aruba dam is a reliable spot to see different species gathering to drink, especially during the dry season when water sources concentrate the wildlife.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is included and served at one of the lodges inside Tsavo East National Park. It breaks up the day between your morning and afternoon game drives.

What's the pickup time and how early do I need to be ready?

Pickup is at 5:45 am from your Mombasa hotel. The early start gets you into the park as it wakes up, when wildlife is most active.