Kenya Tsavo East National Park 肯尼亚察沃东国家公园
March 31, 2025
We spent two more days at sea. During these sea days, Chenggang attended golf lessons taught by a PGA instructor and participated in various activities offered throughout the ship. It was the perfect time for us to relax and recharge while enjoying everything the ship had to offer.
After two days at sea, we arrived in Mombasa, the largest port and the second-largest city in Kenya.
Chenggang joined a full-day safari to Tsavo East National Park—one of Kenya’s oldest and largest wildlife reserves—for a 12-hour adventure. We woke up early and had a continental breakfast at 5:30 a.m. However, due to a delay in the ship’s clearance by local authorities, the shore excursion started about 30 minutes behind schedule.
Our group consisted of five people packed into a classic safari Land Cruiser, part of a convoy of 11 vehicles from the ship. The three-hour drive to the park offered us a fascinating glimpse into Kenya’s rural countryside.
Right before entering the park, our group made a pit stop at a tourist center that included gift shops and a café. Suddenly, loud noises coming from a tree behind the building caught our attention. To our amazement, we saw a large colony of Village Weavers, with hundreds of birds busily constructing their intricate nests. Each nest, coarsely woven from strips of grass and leaves, hung gracefully from branches and featured a distinctive downward-facing entrance. It was our first time witnessing this fascinating natural wonder, and we were thoroughly captivated by the spectacle.
As we rolled through the vast, open plains, Tsavo East unveiled its natural wonders. We saw zebras standing elegantly against the golden grasslands and towering giraffes browsing quietly in the distance. The park’s famous “red elephants,” their skin stained by the iron-rich soil, created a stunning contrast with the dry earth and blue sky. Two elephants fighting with tusks was another highlight. A giant hippo was bathing in the pond.
We encountered abundant wildlife up close along the way, including Red-billed Queleas, Herons, Gazelles, Impalas, Ostriches, Agama Lizards, Secretary Birds, Antelopes, and many others. Although we didn’t come across any predators—no lions or leopards this time—the absence of big cats didn’t diminish the wild’s magic in the slightest.
Zebra
Birds
Giraffe
Ostrich
Antelopes (Gerenuk, Hartebeest )
Midway through the journey, we stopped at Ashnil Aruba Lodge for a buffet lunch. Though we didn’t spot any animals at the waterhole during our break, the meal and brief rest were a welcome pause from the heat and dust.
The drive back was long and just as rugged, but we were rewarded with sightings of even more elephants. Near a pond close to the park gate, a magnificent red elephant slowly approached us, putting on a final, graceful performance as if to bid us farewell.
Tsavo East had offered us an authentic glimpse into nature’s raw beauty—an experience impossible to replicate in any zoo or wildlife documentary. Yes, the roads were bumpy, the air dusty, and the sun relentless, yet the excitement and wonder of our adventure easily outweighed any discomfort. This was the essence of a true safari—wild, untamed, and absolutely unforgettable.
In the evening, a local performance group treated us to a vibrant folkloric show, showcasing the rich cultural tapestry and artistic expressions of Mombasa through music, dance, and colorful costumes. It was an unforgettable experience.
肯尼亚察沃东国家公园一日游
经过二天的海上行，昨天我们来到肯尼亚第二大城市，最大海港Mombasa。今天我们踏上了一次前往察沃东国家公园（Tsavo East National Park）的野生动物观赏之旅。这里是肯尼亚最古老、面积最大的国家公园之一，这段十二小时的草原之行令人终生难忘。
清晨五点半，船上的餐厅特地为我们这些即将早早出发的乘客准备了简单早餐。由于船只通关手续稍有延误，岸上行程比原计划晚了大约半小时才得以启程。
来自邮轮的乘客每五，六人一辆车，总共十一辆四驱越野车组成了一支浩浩荡荡的探险车队。沿途尘土飞扬，道路颠簸不平，烈日高照，但旅途中的兴奋与期待早已掩盖了所有的不适。这就是我们梦寐以求的非洲野生动物之旅——原始、真实，令人震撼。
随着车队深入辽阔的平原，察沃东渐渐展现出它壮丽的自然风貌。斑马在草原中优雅矗立，远处的长颈鹿静静地仰望天空，仿佛画中走出的生灵。我们甚至幸运地目睹了两头大象激烈地用象牙对抗，但可惜照片聚焦有点模糊。而最引人注目的，莫过于这里著名的“红象”——它们身上覆盖着富含铁质的红土，宛如披上一层铜红色的盔甲，在干燥的大地与湛蓝天空之间格外醒目。
虽然此次未能目睹狮子或花豹等猛兽的身影，但这片原野的宁静与神秘丝毫未减其魅力。
中午时分，我们在阿什尼尔阿鲁巴旅馆（Ashnil Aruba Lodge）稍作停留，享用了一顿丰富的自助午餐。虽然在用餐期间水塘边未见太多的动物现身，但短暂的休息让我们在酷热与尘土间得到了宝贵的喘息机会。
返程同样颠簸漫长，但幸运之神依旧眷顾我们。就在靠近公园入口处的水塘边，一头美丽的红象缓缓走来，仿佛在为我们上演一场告别演出。这温柔而庄重的一幕，让我们觉得今天这趟非洲草原之旅再怎么辛苦也值了。