It was some time back, when a trip to Mombasa was an adventure itself, because it was a jumpy way to go, just potholes followed potholes, if you were able sometimes sees the road at all. Now it is completely different, new smooth tarmac is leading down to the coat, so tempting, that even the police regularly set a check point with radar to stop those who are over speeding. Both side of the road is running between the Tsavo national park, one of them, the East-Tsavo itself the largest park of Kenya.

Voi is the best place for the visitor to get the most comfortable and nearest stay to this majestic park. Voi itself is a busy lively place nowadays, and it is perhaps just the legend that it got its name from a local chief, Kivoi, who made his fortune by selling his fellow Africans and tribesmen to Arab slave traders more than hundred and fifty years ago. So, maybe it is more preferred to call Taita the place. The entrance of the -Tsavo - East is not really far from Voi, the park, with its nearby 12 million years old escarpments racing through the Yatta plateau, which is said is the largest lava flow of the world.

The park rules are strict, for example you must have your ID with you, otherwise you have you pay full tourist charges, this mistake we made, and had to go back to the hotel for our papers. Near to the Voi gate entrance is the Kanderai swamp and the Mudanda rock, which is actually biger than a rock, because it is 1,6 km long, 100 m wide and 20 m high, and through stairs one can climb conveniently onto the top, to watch the drinking animals at the nearby pond. The park throughout has excellent roads, the dust roads are well maintained, we believe that any type of car easily maneuvered there if the weather is accommodating. The arid grassland is the home of elephants, and they are many many elephants here. We were passing herds near the road, and another grazing in the shadow, saw countless number of elephants, and in a moment we surprised a lonely bull in the bush just emerging few meters from our car all of a sudden, galloping into the safety of the acacia trees, leaving us with our heart throbbing loud and fast and we were speechless for a few moments. Kilometers of unperturbed driving was the main attraction for us when we reached the Galana river, which originates from the nearby confluence of the Tsavo River and Athi river. Here the Galana river is flowing through the Lugard falls, which are sort of rapids through shining and glittering rocks many kilometers long, undisturbed and unperturbed, since not to many visitors are coming such far, though this is one of the most beautiful vista of Kenya. The road runs parallel with the Galama River, and one can make even a bolder shortcut from the Galana Gate directly all the way to Malindi, the dust road is smooth and here is no traffic at all, naturally. This is the place we were lingering till sunset admiring the rapids from here and there, when we realized how far indeed we are form the entrance. And we got what we deserved, we arrived pretty late, around 7 or so appearing at the Voi gate to arise a lot of suspicion and it took some time to convince the wardens that we are not poachers neither smugglers. But the cold official inspection was followed by hearty laugh for our relief once duties were done.