You will be met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and transferred to a hotel in the Karen suburb of the city. The rest of the day can be spent at your leisure.

Early morning flight to Tsavo West National Park. We have lunch in Tsavo, and reach our camp below Mzima Springs in the late afternoon. Overnight Mzima Springs Camp.

We rise with first light, and after breakfast we begin our foot safari across the vast 8,300 square mile wilderness that is Tsavo. Our route closely follows the Tsavo River, flanked by rich riverine vegetation, as we walk along hippo trails winding their way through thickets of fig and tamarind trees, doum and raffia palms. The craggy, sharp-rising Ngulia Mountains offer a dramatic backdrop to this section of the river, as the early morning produces a fascinating play of light across the range, when the clouds lift to present the orange-coloured rocky peaks. This part of the Tsavo River will produce many hippo sightings, as well as plains game such as Lesser kudu, gerenuk, and Maasai giraffe. Our walk today will cover a distance of 10 miles, and we will arrive at our camp in time for a large lunch. Like all our camps, this one is situated on the banks of the Tsavo River, below the highest peak of the Ngulia range. The afternoon is set aside for siesta, and in the late afternoon we'll drive to Mzima Springs - one of Tsavo's treasures. Overnight Kudu Camp.

They say that in order to experience the wonders of the African bush, it is essential one does precisely as the animals do - our daily routine therefore emulates the schedule of the wildlife. Up at first light, eat a fresh breakfast, and head out along the path. Today our foot safari will make its way along a 12 mile course, following game trails along the Tsavo River, as it winds across the country below Ngulia Mountain. We are now entering a region renowned for its elephant populations, and you will be amazed at how close we can safely approach this great animal. As the morning moves along, our route leads us to a point beneath the spectacular Kichwa Tembo (elephant's head) peak. This dramatic 3,000 foot spire soars above the banks of the Tsavo River, and it is appropriately known to the Taita people as the "guardian of the plains". We reach our camp in time for lunch, followed by a well-earned siesta (the animals insist on this too). This region of Tsavo West was the location of intense fighting during the First World War. Tanzania was then known as German East Africa, while Kenya was British East Africa. The Tsavo River was of vital logistical importance during the battle for Kilimanjaro - it offered, for the British, a well-watered direct route to the mountain, while the German's were well aware of it's comparative easy access to the British railway, linking the Kenyan coast (Mombasa) to the interior (Nairobi). This railway was blown up several times. As a result of this the Tsavo River region was heavily fortified, and today many indications of the First World War still exist. Overnight Kichwa Tembo Camp.

A 10 mile walk distances us from the peaks of Ngulia and Kichwa Tembo, as we enter drier country leading to Maji Ya Chumvi (salt water). As with every day on our foot safari, wildlife is continually encountered. Impala, Grant's gazelle, zebra and giraffe are frequently seen. Tsavo is the largest elephant ecosystem in the world, and the Tsavo River is a vital destination for them. After lunch and siesta, we will have an optional game-drive down the river, and for those of us willing, climb Kinyiki Hill for a spectacular overview of the endless Tsavo wilderness. Overnight Maji Ya Chumvi Camp.

Today the Tsavo River leads us into the area of the famous "Maneaters Of Tsavo". Our morning walk of about 7 miles takes us to the region where in 1896 two lions ruthlessly (and, somehow inspiringly), halted the advance of the British Empire literally in its tracks. During a three month period, while the British were building the railway bridge across the Tsavo River, using imported labourers from India, these lions ate over 130 men. They were eventually, after exhaustive effort, killed by Col. John Paterson. Again we reach camp in time for lunch, and after a short siesta (today we trounce the wildlife), we continue our foot safari in the late afternoon for a further 4 miles to Tsavo Bridge, which still proudly stands in pristine condition. We are met here by our vehicles and driven back to camp. Interestingly enough this region today sports a large lion population, and we often see them as they take advantage of the shade offered by doum palms on the banks of the river, and hear them at night from our camp. Overnight Maneaters Camp.

We drive the short distance to Tsavo Bridge, and continue our walk down the river. Today we enter Tsavo East National Park (owing to the immensity of Tsavo, for administrative purposes, it has been divided into two separate regions: Tsavo West National Park and Tsavo East National Park. At this point the Tsavo River makes its way down towards the confluence of the Athi River, beneath the prominent Yatta Plateau, where it forms the Galana River at a place called Tabagunji. Our walk today is about 8 miles, across country dominated by many rock kopje's (outcrops). We reach our waiting vehicles in the late morning, and drive to our camp at Lugards Falls. After lunch and siesta, we game-drive down the Galana River. Overnight Lugards Falls Camp.

We have now entered a different ecosystem. The dense undergrowth of Tsavo West has now given way to semi-desert country, bordered to the north by the Yatta Plateau (the longest lava flow on earth - 260 miles in length). In this country, because of its openness, game is easier to see and there is a lot of it. The Galana River is about 100 yards wide, and is characterised by wide sandy beaches, and palm trees. It sports one of the largest lion populations in East Africa, as well as a wealth of plains game (including the very rare Peter's gazelle). Big herds of zebra, hartebeest, impala and Fringe-eared oryx are frequently seen along the Galana River. This is also the region of Tsavo's biggest elephant populations. Our walk today is about 10 miles and takes us to our camp, which is located at the point of the Yatta Plateau. We game-drive the river in the late afternoon. Overnight Epiya Chapeyu Camp.

We are now in one of the most remote wilderness areas of East Africa, in a world of stunning beauty. To see a herd of elephants, silently loping across the sand to the rivers edge, then wading through the blue water to the distant shore, is a sight which can't be improved. At this point of our safari, one can easily, and naturally, feel as much a part of the wilderness as the wildlife we are seeing. Without doubt our senses have awakened to a state where we can instinctively hear, see, and feel things, that no amount of concentration at the beginning of our walk could ever have produced. Our 12 mile walk takes us to our camp for lunch and a well-earned rest. As is the norm, we'll game-drive along the river late in the day. Overnight Epiya Chapeyu Camp.

During the past few years, Tropical Ice has been conducting our own Galana River lion research project. We are the only people working in this region, and our experiences with lion contacts whilst walking, has enabled us to assist in unravelling some of the mysteries surrounding the lions of this area. And there are many unanswered questions. Why are most of the male lions maneless? Why do the male lions seem to do most of the hunting (this is usually the role of the female)? Why do these Galana River lions display more aggression than lions in other parts of Africa (remember the Maneaters of Tsavo - they were two maneless male lions)? Our research project has been mainly involved in pride identification, recording numbers within each pride, and pride movements (how far do they range?). We have now amassed a considerable amount of information, and have developed a good idea of where the lions of the Galana are located from month to month. As our foot safari continues down the Galana River, it is highly likely we'll be able to make contact with some of these lions. Lunch is in camp, followed by late afternoon game drives. Overnight Durusikale Camp.

For the remainder of our foot safari we will base ourselves out our large semi-permanent camp at Durusirkale, as we walk down toward the Koito area, and finally Sala, on the eastern boundary of Tsavo. Vehicles will collect us after each day's walk and return us to camp. We feel the afternoon game drives are an essential part of this safari. The river sparkles in the rich golden light of the late afternoon, and wildlife can easily be seen. Overnight Durusikale Camp.