3-Day Tsavo Safari from Mombasa: Red Elephants & Rhino Sanctuary

Track red elephants across two parks and stand at a waterhole where wildlife gathers at dusk.

A 3-day safari from Mombasa through Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks with private 4x4 transport, lodge accommodation, all meals and guided game drives. You stay at Ashnil Aruba Lodge in Tsavo East and Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge in Tsavo West, with early morning and afternoon drives to spot elephants, lions, leopards and rhinos. The itinerary includes a visit to the rhino sanctuary and Mzima Springs, where you can watch wildlife come to drink. A minimum of 2 people per booking is required, and all park fees, transfers from your Mombasa hotel and an English-speaking guide are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Mombasa to Tsavo East National Park

• Pick up from Kenya Coast hotel
• Drive to Tsavo East National Park
• Game drive via Aruba Dam
• Check in at Ashnil Aruba Lodge
• Have lunch at the lodge
• Afternoon game drive in the park
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 2 — Tsavo East to Tsavo West National Park

• Early morning game drive
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Leave Tsavo East for Tsavo West
• Game drive en route to Ngulia Safari Lodge
• Check in and have lunch
• Visit rhino sanctuary
• Watch for leopard at lodge
• Dinner and overnight at Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge

Day 3 — Tsavo West to Mombasa

• Early morning breakfast game drive
• Visit Mzima Springs
• Depart Tsavo West for Nairobi
• Lunch at Voi Lion Hill Camp
• Proceed to Nairobi
• Drop off at hotel or airport

The Experience

You're picked up from your Mombasa hotel in the morning for a 5-hour drive into Tsavo East National Park, stopping at Aruba Dam en route to watch for wildlife. After checking in at Ashnil Aruba Lodge and lunch, you head out on an afternoon game drive—this is when you'll start seeing the park's large elephant herds. Tsavo East is where the famous man-eating lions of 1898 once roamed, and the landscape itself carries that history. Dinner and the night are at the lodge overlooking the Tsavo plains.

Day two starts before dawn with an early game drive back through Tsavo East, then breakfast at the lodge. You drive west toward Tsavo West and Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, stopping for lunch after you arrive. The afternoon takes you to the rhino sanctuary—a focused visit to see these animals in their protected space—and if conditions are right, you may spot a leopard near the lodge's trap. Dinner is at Kilaguni, where the lodge sits in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary overlooking a waterhole; wildlife often comes to drink in the evening.

On the final morning, another early game drive includes a stop at Mzima Springs, where you can watch animals gather to drink from the clear water. You then drive back toward Mombasa, stopping for lunch at Voi Lion Hill Camp before the evening arrival at your hotel or airport. The entire tour runs with a private 4x4 Land Cruiser, your own guide, all meals, water and accommodation—nothing else to arrange once you're picked up.

What’s included

• Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with an English-speaking guide and driver.
• accommodation at Ashnil Aruba Lodge and Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge.
• all meals and drinking water.
• game drives as noted in the itinerary including visits to the rhino sanctuary and Mzima Springs.
• all transfers from your Mombasa hotel or airport.
• all national park entrance fees and government taxes.
• Flying Doctors medical, emergency and rescue cover.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Africa Flash McTours and Travel

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English throughout, so commentary and questions flow naturally without translation delays—ideal if this is your first safari and you want to absorb the landscape and wildlife behavior as it unfolds. The fixed itinerary and private vehicle mean you're not waiting for a group to assemble or adjusting to shared stops; the schedule holds, and the 4x4 goes where the animals are.

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Top questions

What's the drive time from Mombasa to Tsavo East on the first day?

The drive from your Mombasa hotel to Tsavo East National Park takes approximately 5 hours, with a stop at Aruba Dam en route where you may spot wildlife before reaching Ashnil Aruba Lodge.

What animals am I most likely to see in Tsavo East?

Tsavo East is renowned for its large elephant herds and is historically linked to the famous man-eating lions of 1898; you'll also have chances to see other wildlife during the morning and afternoon game drives.

What happens on the second day in Tsavo West?

Day two includes an early morning game drive in Tsavo East before you travel to Tsavo West, where you'll visit the rhino sanctuary in the afternoon and stay at Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, which overlooks a waterhole where wildlife often comes to drink at dusk.

Is Mzima Springs included in the tour?

Yes, Mzima Springs is visited on the final morning before you depart Tsavo West for Mombasa, allowing you to watch animals gather at the clear water.

What lodges will I stay in?

You stay at Ashnil Aruba Lodge in Tsavo East on the first night and Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge in Tsavo West on the second night; both are included in the tour price.

Does the tour include meals and drinks?

All meals and drinking water are included throughout the 3 days, along with accommodation, game drives, transport in a private 4x4, and all park entrance fees.