Ashnil Aruba sits right on the bank of Aruba Dam, a man-made water body finished in 1952 that has become the single most reliable wildlife magnet in this part of Tsavo East. Several other waterholes lie within easy reach, and in a park this dry, water is where the animals are.
Tsavo East is flat, open grassland — sight lines run for kilometres, which is the opposite of the dense bush most people picture. It makes for easier spotting than the Mara in some respects, with a fraction of the vehicles.
Most operators send beach clients on a rushed overnight from Diani and call it a safari. From here the drive to the coast is about two hours, which means a proper two- or three-night Tsavo stay can sit either side of a beach week without a brutal transfer day. If you are combining bush and ocean, this is where we would put the safari nights.
A larger property than most in our portfolio — 46 rooms plus 6 tents.
Tsavo is at its best in the dry months, June to October and January to March, when game packs tightly around the remaining water.
The park is low-lying and hot. April, May and November bring rain that can make some tracks difficult, but rates drop and the landscape transforms.
Being straight with you: this property is not currently a default in any of our fixed packages. We contract it directly and build it in on request. Any of these itineraries can be re-costed around it:
Comparing options? Every lodge we book is on the accommodations page. We would rather put you somewhere that suits you than somewhere that pays us more.
Tell us your budget and dates and we will put two or three Tsavo & Taita options side by side, honestly compared.
