East African Safari Tours & Holidays

East Africa is made up of several countries which include Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda and. Burundi although some other countries might join. All these countries joined have one of the best safari destinations and a lot of activities to do on these safaris.

There an East African visa but it only applies to Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda at the moment with the hope of other countries to join later on. A travel around the East African community will have you enjoy the various beautiful beaches in Zanzibar, the coast at Kenya, gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda, the various parks in the different countries where you get to view the different animals that habitats in Africa.

In this article, we are going to look at the different safari destinations in East Africa, the best time to take your safari and the different activities when you take your safari to East Africa.

east african safari

The different destinations for a safari to East Africa

We are going to look at the different safari destinations in the different East African countries below.

Tanzania Safari

Tanzania has a lot of destinations that you can get to enjoy on your safari and these include the different parks that is Serengeti National park where you get to witness the wildebeest migration, Tarangire National park, Ngorongoro national Park all located in the Northern part of the country, the different mountains including the famous Kilimanjaro, the Katavi, Nyerere National Park and Ruaha game reserves which are located in the south Central part of Tanzania, and the lake Tanganyika where you will be able to see the different types of butterflies all in one place.

Rwanda Safari

Rwanda is one of the land locked countries in East Africa and is a small in nature. A safari to Rwanda will lead to the capital city of Rwanda Kigali which has different attraction sites like The volcanoes National park where you will enjoy mountain gorilla trekking, birding and animal viewing.

Kenya Safari

Kenya is a famous destination for all animal lovers as they get to enjoy the great migration in Masai Mara, the beautiful beaches at the coast of East Africa, the different National parks which include Samburu National park, Masai Mara and the Amboseli National wild life reserve and the vast culture found in the country.

Uganda Safari

Uganda is known to be the Pearl of Africa and for a good reason. The country has various tourist attractions that will leave you wanting to continue with your safari forever and these include waterfalls like Murchison, Karuma, Nkusi waterfalls, the different mountains like The Rwenzori ranges, The Elgon Mountain, Mountain Muhabura and many more, the lakes and Rivers like ,lake Victoria, River Nile, lake katwe, River Katonga and many more others, the deep rich culture that is found in the country due to the different tribes, the historical society like Kasubi tombs, Amabere ga Nyinamwiru, the National parks like Bwindi, mount Rwenzori National park, Queen Elizabeth National park and many more others.

When is the right time to take a Safari to East Africa and where to go?

After looking at the different safari destinations, we are going to find out the right time as to when to visit East Africa because it’s not that every time is good for a safari. All places are good when it comes to taking a safari in East Africa and all this is going to be explained below according to months.

A safari from December to March

If you are a fun of game viewing this is the best time to visit East Africa. It experiences warm temperatures and short rains making it the right time to visit since during the dry season many animals are seen moving around the different parks in search of grass and water and they can be seen gathering around the different water sources. The average temperature in East Africa is between 28 degrees Celsius and a low average of 15 degrees Celsius.

Places to go to during this period

This is the best time to visit and climb the Kilimanjaro Mountain especially during January and February because you will not experience the muddy hike up the mountain.

Gorilla trekking both in Rwanda and Uganda are usually carried out during this season since it is easier to see the gorillas during the dry season.

Visit the Zanzibar beaches during this season because they are less crowded and you get affordable prices for accommodation.

All in all, December to March is the best time to visit most of the National parks in East Africa because in this period, many animals can be seen at the same time.

A safari from April to June

April to June is the best time to visit April especially for all those that love birding as this is the beginning of the rainy season. You will be able to visit the different parks and view the various birds species in the different National parks and lakes. Fishing can also be done in this period as the rains happen almost every day for long hours but this should not put you off since there are many other things to do when it comes to the rainy season.

You will also be able to see the different animals during the calving process and this is the same time that the great wildebeest migration. Starts as animals prepare to start their trek to the Masai Mara in Kenya from the Serengeti National park in Tanzania. A visit to Ngorongoro will give a glance at the big five although it won’t be as easy to see them as during the dry season. Although you should avoid the East African coast during this time due to the humid weather conditions in the area.

Safari from July to November

If you are a fun of beaches, this is the right time to visit the coast and of you are planning for a safari make sure you book accommodation earlier on because they tend to get full due to the presence of the wildebeest migration in Tanzania and Kenya. Around October to December, central Kenya and Tanzania received short rains but the rest of the countries mostly experience the dry season.

the gorilla trekking can be done in the Bwindi Impenetrable forest in Uganda and also in Rwnada in the volcanoes National park.

There are also top experiences that you would not want to miss when you safari in East Africa and these include:

Hot Air Balloon Safari

The hot air balloon can be found in Tanzania especially in Serengeti National park. This is carried out in the mornings and evenings as these are the best times to view the animals properly. The balloons are filled with hot air and have a big basket where people sit before they set off into the sky.

The beginnings of the ride in the balloons are a bit bumpy but as you gain momentum, the excitement increases as well. When you are in the balloon ride, you will be able to see the different animals that traverse the East African vast wild land and you need to carry some warm clothes because it becomes chilly and cold when you are up there.

The balloon offers you a chance to see the vast plains of Serengeti in Tanzania and you also get to see the wildebeest migration up close from above since the balloon flies just a few inches above the wandering herd of wild animals.

The great wildebeest migration in Serengeti in Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya

The wildebeest migration occurs in two countries that is Kenya and Tanzania and it is a recurring event depending on the rains in the place. The animals start their migration in Tanzania when the dry season starts and they keep on moving towards where the rains are and that is Kenya and it is quite a sight to see. And when Kenya gets the rains the animals trekking back to Tanzanian.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

This is considered to be the best experience when one visits East Africa because Mountain gorillas are not found everywhere in the world and Uganda has the largest number of gorillas in the whole world. Come and experience the best of these primates which swing from tree to tree and learn about their different behaviors. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Impenetrable forest in the south Western part of the country and in Rwanda it is done in the Volcanoes National park.

It is not a complete safari if you don’t go for the gorilla trekking and a visit to the place helps in the conservation of the forest and the primates themselves that were being poached on by the local people commonly known as the Batwa in Uganda and Twa in Rwanda. And on this trek you might also see other primates like the blue balled monkeys and chimpanzee.