Tsavo East at a glance
Tsavo East is a national park managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), inland from the coast. It is the usual safari add-on for a beach stay around Mombasa and Diani. Photos from the park show elephants coated in red dust, herds on open plains and the occasional leopard on a rock. No visit can promise a particular animal, so treat every sighting as a bonus.
This guide is independent and not affiliated with KWS. Fees and gate times come from published lists, so confirm them with your operator or at the gate before you travel.
Safari from Mombasa and Diani: gates and travel time
Coast operators commonly enter through Bachuma Gate and leave through Voi Gate. A separate entrance, Sala, is reached from the Malindi to Tsavo road. One travel agent puts it at 1 to 2 hours from Malindi, which is a rough guide only.
One published two-day itinerary collects guests at a beach hotel at 6:30 a.m. and enters Bachuma Gate at 9:45 a.m. That is 3 hours 15 minutes including road and ferry sections. Your own time depends on your hotel, traffic and the crossing, so ask your operator for the pickup time and the planned route. The simplest way is an organized trip from your hotel, because the operator arranges the vehicle and the entry.
In March 2026 the press reported that flooding closed routes at the Sala access, with Bachuma and Voi named as alternatives. Ask which gate is open for your date. The Madaraka Express stops at Voi (see our Madaraka Express guide), but the train does not run into the park. From Voi you need a road transfer to a lodge.
Our picks: overnight safaris from the coast
Two private two-day safaris with the lodge stay, meals and park entry listed.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Two-day Salt Lick safari
The price is per person, with one night at Salt Lick Lodge, a pop-top safari vehicle, meals as per the itinerary, park entry and hotel transfer. A holiday surcharge of $40 per person applies, for example from 23 December 2026 to 1 January 2027.
Check availability →
Two-day Tsavo East safari
The price is per person. It covers a pop-top safari vehicle, Tsavo East entry, one night at Voi Wildlife Lodge with dinner, breakfast and lunch, and the transfer. Other drinks, snacks and tips are extra.
Check availability →Tsavo East safaris from the coast
Day trips and overnight safaris to Tsavo East, with live prices and availability.
Tsavo East National Park fees in 2026
Daily rates per person from the KWS list of October 2025.
| Visitor category | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident | $80 | $40 |
| Other African citizens | $40 | $20 |
| Kenya resident | KES 1,350 | KES 675 |
| East African citizen | KES 1,000 | KES 500 |
These are planning values, not a final price. KWS announced the new list for October 1, 2025, and the press reported a court stop the next day. Ask your operator or KWS which rates apply on your date, and whether a payment fee is added when you pay online.
- Validity: the daily fee is a single entry and lasts at most 24 hours.
- Children: KWS counts a child from age 5 up to 18 and also exempts children aged 5 and under. The two rules overlap at exactly age 5, so ask when you pay.
- Vehicles: a vehicle with fewer than 6 seats costs KES 600 a day, and one with 6 to 12 seats costs KES 1,500 a day. Tours usually fold this into their price, so check.
- Students: there is no general student discount, only one for organized educational visits.
Park rules and a safe game drive
The KWS rules that apply to the Tsavo parks.
Stay on the road
Drive only on park roads, at no more than 40 km/h (25 mph). Outside designated spots, stay inside the vehicle.
Keep your distance
Stay at least 20 m (65 ft) from animals and never feed them. Elephants and other wildlife do not owe you a photo.
Gate hours
The published daily gate time for the Tsavo parks is 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Plan to be out before it closes, and confirm the Tsavo East times at the gate.
No swimming
The UK government warns against swimming in rivers and lakes because of animals and infection, and says it is illegal in national parks. Check the safety page for the wider picture.
Taita Hills, Salt Lick and Tsavo West
The Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is a separate sanctuary with its own fees. Salt Lick lodge belongs to its offering, so it is not a lodge inside Tsavo East National Park. One published itinerary leaves Tsavo East at Voi and drives on to the sanctuary.
- Entry: non-residents pay $40 for adults and $20 for children aged 5 to 11. East African residents pay KES 600 and KES 300. Entry starts at age 5.
- Gate: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Vehicles: $5 per night for 4 to 12 seats, rising to $20 per night from 45 seats.
- Lodge rates: full-board prices do not include sanctuary entry, so ask what your booking covers.
Tsavo West is a different KWS park with the same listed non-resident fee of $80 and $40. A Tsavo East ticket does not automatically cover it.
Day trip or overnight safari
The same park, two very different days.
Day trip from the coast
One operator lists pickup between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., a game drive until 3 p.m. and then the drive back. It is a long day with several hours in the vehicle before and after the drive. It works if you only have one day to spare.
Overnight or two days
Staying inside or near the park gives you an afternoon and a morning drive and less rushing. You also add a night of accommodation, which is a separate cost.
What to compare
Offers differ in what they include, so compare the same items first: private or shared vehicle, pickup area, park fee included or not, lunch, accommodation, cancellation terms and what happens if weather stops the trip. Our safari and beach guide shows how to fit a safari around a coast stay.
More to plan
Where Tsavo East fits into a coast trip.
Combine a safari with the coast
Day trip or several days, and how to plan the sequence.
Getting to the Kenya coast
Airports, the Likoni ferry and the Dongo Kundu bypass.
Madaraka Express
Fares, timetable and the Voi stop.
Shimba Hills
A shorter forest and grassland trip from Diani.
Tsavo East: frequently asked questions
How far is Tsavo East from Mombasa and Diani?
No fixed driving time applies. One published itinerary allows 3 hours 15 minutes from a beach hotel to Bachuma Gate, including road and ferry sections. Ask your operator for the pickup time and route for your hotel.
How much does Tsavo East cost?
The KWS list of October 2025 gives $80 for non-resident adults and $40 for children per day. A court stop was reported soon after the list started, so treat these as planning values and confirm them before you pay. Vehicle fees and the cost of the trip itself come on top.
Can I visit Tsavo East in one day from the coast?
Yes, operators run day trips with pickup between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. and a game drive until about 3 p.m. It is a long day, and an overnight stay gives you more time in the park.
Does a Tsavo East ticket cover Tsavo West?
Not automatically. They are separate KWS parks, and Tsavo West lists its own fee of $80 and $40 for non-resident adults and children. Ask your operator what a ticket covers.
Is Salt Lick inside Tsavo East?
No. Salt Lick lodge is part of the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, a separate sanctuary with its own entry fee and gate hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Can I swim at a waterhole or river in the park?
No. The UK government warns against swimming in rivers and lakes because of animals and infection, and says it is illegal in national parks.