Galdessa Little
Exclusive-use tented camp · Tsavo East, doum-palm fringe of the Galana River · Sheldrick Lodges, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Top-end
Inside the park
Owner/family-run
The smaller half of the Galdessa pair, three rooms under doum palms on the same stretch of river. Families and groups often take both camps together, which gives you sixteen beds and the entire riverbank to yourselves.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Uninterrupted river view across to the Yatta Plateau
- Lagoon-style pool and an on-site gym
- Private access to the Trust's Voi orphan elephant unit
- Combines with Galdessa Camp for a party of sixteen
- Whole camp booked exclusively for up to six guests
Cons
- Whole-camp booking only; no single room or sharing option
- Conservation fees are extra on top of the camp rate
- Site publishes no rates or child policy; the Trust confirms these directly
- Road access needs your own hired car and driver
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Tsavo National Parks charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryThe non-resident rate, and East and West are ticketed separately.
- $80per person, per day
- VehicleKSh 600 a day for a typical hire car, roughly $5.
- $5per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $495 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
A combination ticket covering both parks saves about $35 over two single tickets.
The full fee schedule for Tsavo National ParksRates at Galdessa Little
On request. Exclusive use only, quoted per camp per night for up to six guests, not per person. Bookable together with Galdessa Camp for a party of sixteen.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates gathered in July 2026 from operators' own rate cards and the official KWS tariffs. Watch the pricing basis: most Tsavo camps quote per person per night sharing, while Serena, the KWS guest houses and the self-catering bandas quote per room or per unit, so two sets of numbers are not directly comparable. KWS conservation fees are extra almost everywhere at $80 per adult per park per day, plus KSh 600 for a car under six seats.
Questions about Galdessa Little
Is Galdessa Little good for families?
Sheldrick Lodges' site does not display rates or booking conditions, so no minimum age or child policy is published. It takes the whole camp at once, three rooms for up to six guests, so a family has the place to itself; for a bigger group it combines with Galdessa Camp next door for sixteen beds. Ask about child rates when you enquire.
How much does it cost to stay at Galdessa Little?
Galdessa Little is booked as the whole camp, not per person, so the quote covers up to six guests for the camp per night and is given on request. Combine it with Galdessa Camp and the price covers a party of sixteen across both properties. Conservation fees are paid separately, direct to KWS.
Can you self-drive to Galdessa Little?
Galdessa Little's nearest airstrip is Lugard Falls South, shared with Galdessa Camp, and Sheldrick Lodges describes roughly a 50-minute flight or a five to six hour drive from Nairobi for its Tsavo East camps. Driving yourself means arranging your own hired car and driver; the Trust can advise if you need help booking one.
What does the rate at Galdessa Little include?
Galdessa Little's rate covers the lagoon-style pool, on-site gym, game drives, bush breakfasts and sundowners, and private access to the Trust's Voi elephant unit. Sheldrick Lodges says park and conservation fees are not included in its lodge rates and are paid direct to KWS, so add those to your budget separately.