Tsavo is Kenya at its biggest and emptiest, a wilderness the size of a small country where you can drive an hour between vehicles. Its elephants dust themselves in red laterite soil until they glow, and watching a hundred red elephants at a waterhole with nobody else around is the kind of sighting that stays with you.
This route covers both halves: the open savannah and big herds of Tsavo East, then the volcanic hills, lava flows and Mzima Springs of Tsavo West, where hippos and crocs hang in water so clear you watch them through an underwater viewing chamber.
Down the Mombasa road into the park, with an afternoon drive along the Galana River among the red herds.
Full day on the open country around Voi and the Kanderi swamp, where lions still carry the old maneless look.
Morning transfer through Manyani gate, afternoon at Mzima Springs and the Shetani lava flows.
Dawn drive under the Chyulu Hills, then the return to Nairobi by late afternoon.