5 Days Amboseli & Tsavo National Parks

A captivating five-day journey through two of Kenya's most iconic and contrasting national parks. Amboseli offers Kilimanjaro views and vast elephant herds in open marshland; Tsavo — Kenya's largest park — provides dramatic volcanic landscapes and the famous dust-red elephants. Together they deliver one of Kenya's most complete wildlife experiences.

This itinerary departs from Nairobi or Mombasa and can be configured in either direction. Accommodation ranges from economy to ultra-luxury — we tailor to your budget and style.

Highlights

• ◆Big Five encounters across both Amboseli and Tsavo East/West
• ◆Famous dust-red Tsavo elephants — coated in the park's distinctive red laterite soil
• ◆Mount Kilimanjaro backdrop over Amboseli's elephant herds — Africa's defining image
• ◆Mzima Springs (Tsavo West) — crystal spring with underwater chamber for hippo viewing
• ◆Optional Maasai village cultural visit in Amboseli
• ◆Bush walks with armed rangers · bush dining under the stars

Day-by-Day Itinerary

1. 

   Day 1

   Nairobi / Mombasa → Amboseli National Park
   Day

   1

   Nairobi / Mombasa → Amboseli National Park

   Depart early from Nairobi (~4hrs drive) or Mombasa (~5hrs). Arrive Amboseli in time for lunch at your lodge. Afternoon game drive: elephant herds moving to the Enkongo Narok swamp with Kilimanjaro catching the last afternoon light. Sundowner at Observation Hill. Camp dinner under the African night sky.

2. Day

   2

   Full Day in Amboseli National Park

   Pre-dawn wake-up for a sunrise game drive as Kilimanjaro emerges from clouds in pink and gold. Lions and hyenas may still be active from the night. Return for a full lodge breakfast. 10:00 optional guided bush walk with an armed ranger. Afternoon game drive to the swamps — cheetahs on open plains, massive buffalo herds, over 600 bird species. Bush dinner under the stars.

3. 

   Day 3

   Amboseli → Tsavo West National Park
   Day

   3

   Amboseli → Tsavo West National Park

   Final morning game drive at 06:00. Drive to Tsavo West (~2hrs). The landscape transforms: from Amboseli's open marshes to Tsavo's volcanic hills, Shetani lava flow, and thick Commiphora bush. Afternoon game drive: lions, leopards, and the first sightings of Tsavo's dust-red elephants. Late afternoon visit to Mzima Springs — freshwater springs fed by Kilimanjaro snowmelt; watch hippos through an underwater glass chamber.

4. Day

   4

   Tsavo West → Tsavo East National Park

   Drive across the Tsavo River into Tsavo East — Kenya's largest national park. Game drive along the Galana River: enormous crocodiles, hippo pools, and elephants bathing in the red dust. The Aruba Dam watering hole is Africa's finest wildlife gathering point at dusk. Sundowner game drive.

5. 

   Day 5

   Tsavo East → Nairobi / Mombasa Departure
   Day

   5

   Tsavo East → Nairobi / Mombasa Departure

   Final sunrise game drive in Tsavo East. Return to lodge for breakfast. Pack up and begin the scenic return drive to Nairobi (arriving ~16:00) or Mombasa (arriving ~12:00). Drop-off at JKIA or hotel. End of safari.