A classic tented camp on a waterhole in Tsavo East, home to Kenya's famous red elephants.
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Overview
Tsavo's Red Giants
Set beneath doum palms overlooking a natural waterhole, Satao Camp is built around Tsavo East's free-ranging elephant herds.
Satao Camp sits on the edge of a permanent waterhole deep in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya's largest protected area and home to elephants famously reddened by the park's ochre dust. Traditional walk-in safari tents are raised on wooden platforms and shaded by doum palms, positioned so that game viewing happens as easily from the deck as from a vehicle. Tsavo East's vast, open terrain and comparatively low visitor numbers make it a favourite for travellers seeking a wilder, less-crowded alternative to the Maasai Mara.
20
Tented Rooms
13,747 sq km
Tsavo East Size
1
Waterhole Frontage
1948
Park Established
Suites
Classic Safari Tents
Traditional walk-in tents on raised platforms, shaded by doum palms above the waterhole.
Safari Tent — Satao Camp
01
Raised Tent PlatformsWalk-in canvas tents on wooden decks positioned for direct views over the waterhole.
02
En-Suite BathroomsEach tent has a full en-suite bathroom with running hot water.
03
Private VerandasA shaded veranda in front of every tent for watching wildlife come to drink.
04
Doum Palm ShadeThe camp is built beneath a natural grove of doum palms for cool, dappled shade through the day.
Experiences
Tsavo, Wide Open
Tsavo East's scale and low density make for genuinely unhurried, uncrowded game viewing.
Wildlife
Red Elephant Herds
Large elephant families dust-bathed in Tsavo's distinctive red volcanic soil.
Scenery
Waterhole Viewing
Game viewing directly from camp as animals come to drink through the day.
Landscape
Yatta Plateau
One of the world's longest lava flows, visible from parts of the park.
Dining
Dinner by the Waterhole
Meals are served with direct sightlines to the waterhole, day and night.
01The main dining deck overlooking the waterhole
02A campfire circle for evening drinks
03Bush breakfasts and lunches on request
04A small bar stocked with regional favourites
Waterhole Deck — Satao Camp
Location
Tsavo East National Park
Kenya's largest national park, roughly midway between Nairobi and the coast.
Located within Tsavo East National Park, one of Kenya's largest and oldest protected areas.
Around 4.5-5 hours by road from Nairobi, or a short flight to a nearby airstrip.
Often paired with Tsavo West or the Kenyan coast on longer itineraries.
Known for red-dust elephants, wide plains and low visitor density.
Fly
Light-aircraft charters connect to nearby Tsavo East airstrips from Nairobi Wilson Airport.
Drive
A 4.5-5 hour drive from Nairobi via Mtito Andei.
Arrive
Check-in from 13:00 followed by an afternoon game drive to the waterhole.
Wild Tsavo
The Road Less Travelled
A quieter, wilder alternative for guests who have already experienced the Maasai Mara.