A trip to Kenya, the home of “Big Tuskers”

ABOUT THE EXPEDITION

A safari through Kenya is unlike anywhere else in Africa. Although hunting in Kenya was banned in 1977, the country remains one of the continent’s most iconic wildlife destinations, renowned for its vast national parks, spectacular scenery, and rich safari history. Unfortunately, many conservationists believe that poaching, habitat loss, and increasing livestock encroachment have had a severe impact on wildlife populations in the decades following the hunting ban.

Curious to experience Kenya for ourselves, we decided to combine a coastal holiday, some game fishing, and a classic East African safari through the famous Tsavo region. We flew into Nairobi before connecting south to Diani Beach on the Kenyan coastline. The warm Indian Ocean waters, palm-lined beaches, and relaxed atmosphere made for the perfect start to the journey.

While the original plan included several days of offshore fishing targeting larger game fish, mechanical issues with the charter boat unfortunately cut the trip short. Despite only managing a few small Bonito, the experience still added another layer to the adventure.

From the coast, we travelled inland by road toward the legendary Tsavo region, an area forever linked to the famous “Man Eaters of Tsavo.” The story, made famous by Colonel John Henry Patterson and later popularised by the film The Ghost and the Darkness, remains one of Africa’s most fascinating safari tales. During the construction of the railway bridge over the Tsavo River in the late 1800s, the two notorious lions were believed to have killed more than one hundred railway workers over a nine-month period.

Visiting the original railway area and seeing the historic station was a highlight, although it was sad to see many of the buildings slowly falling into disrepair. The history surrounding Tsavo feels like stepping back into the golden age of African exploration and safari travel.

Contrary to the Hollywood portrayal in The Ghost and the Darkness, the infamous Tsavo lions were actually maneless males, a trait still commonly seen amongst lions in this region of East Africa. Today, the preserved lions can still be viewed at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

We later explored Tsavo National Park itself, one of the largest wildlife reserves in Africa, covering more than 5,000 square miles across Tsavo East and Tsavo West. The park supports enormous elephant populations, with Tsavo remaining one of the last true strongholds for Africa’s famous “big tuskers.” The reserve is also home to lesser kudu, gerenuk, gazelle, giraffe, zebra, and countless other plains game species uniquely adapted to the harsh semi-arid environment often associated with classic East African safaris and plains game hunts.

Tsavo is particularly famous for its remaining “big tusker” elephants — massive old bulls carrying tusks weighing more than 100 pounds per side. It is believed that fewer than thirty of these giants remain today. Seeing these enormous elephants moving through the red dust of Tsavo is difficult to describe and remains one of the great wildlife experiences Africa still offers. Encounters with bulls of this size also help explain why elephant hunting safaris continue to be regarded amongst the most respected and challenging dangerous game hunts in Africa.

Beyond the famous tuskers, there are many mature bulls in the 65-to-75-pound range, and ongoing debates continue around elephant population management, habitat pressure, and long-term conservation strategies throughout parts of East Africa.

Although this was not a hunting safari, the journey offered a fascinating perspective on African wildlife conservation, safari history, and the scale and beauty of Kenya’s wilderness areas. For anyone planning a future African safari, adding a few extra days in Kenya to experience Tsavo, the coastline, and the legendary big tuskers is highly recommended.