East Africa

Wildlife safaris and beach adventures abound in this region. Sightings of the Big Five—leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, and buffalo—are guaranteed, while a myriad of other fauna and flora species will delight visitors to the region. Experiences include gorilla trekking, hiking to the top of the highest point on the continent and witnessing the spectacle that is the Great Migration.

East Africa is the site of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, the two tallest peaks in Africa. It also includes the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, Lake Victoria, and the world’s second deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika. Because of a combination of the region’s generally high altitude and the rain shadow of the westerly monsoon winds created by the Rwenzori Mountains and Ethiopian Highlands, East Africa is surprisingly cool and dry for its latitude. Most of the rain falls in two distinct wet seasons, one centred on April and the other in October or November.

Given the sights and sounds, travellers to this part of the world are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on itineraries. What about combining a Kenya wildlife beach and bush safari, following the Great Migration through Tanzania and Kenya, go gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda or taking to the waters of Malawi and Zanzibar.

There are more than enough national parks and game reserves in East Africa to experience the quintessential safari.