Top Safari attractions in East Africa
Top Safari attractions in East Africa – Gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda, Great Wildbeast migration in Kenya and Tanzania
Top safari attractions in East Africa – If you are planning your African adventure or a fun family vacation, you won’t have to look very far. East Africa is an exotic potpourri of thrill, adventure and delightful scenes. From the golden expanse of Serengeti to the mountain trails along Kilimanjaro and Rwenzori, a trip to East Africa can possibly be the best vacation or holiday you have ever had.
Serengeti National Park-Tanzania
Top safari attractions in East Africa – Enjoy a wildlife safari as you search for Lions, Elephants, Rhinoceros, Leopard and African Buffalos in one morning, then make a trip to the Masai Mara National reserve in Kenya. Spawning across acres and acres of golden savannahs, a Masai Mara safari beats all safaris everywhere in the World. The big five won’t be just pictorial depictions on your favorite Wildlife channel. You will experience firsthand the big five in their natural habitat. From July to October (dry season) you will get to see the annual migration of animals that set out seeking streams and water bodies.
Visa can be acquired on arrival. Masai Mara is a 5 hour drive from Nairobi. It is advised to avoid walking on the streets of Nairobi after dark.
Lake Naivasha-Kenya
Lake Naivasha is a freshwater body very close to Nakuru town. This lake is known for its wide display of bird species especially flamingos. Take a boat ride and enjoy being close to hippopotamuses’ and a host of birds. Lake Naivasha and Nakuru are ideal places for photography.
Mountain Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro can be accessed through Kenya or Tanzania. This mountain is the highest in Africa and the view from the top is said to be one of the World’s most beautiful sights to behold. Enjoy the beauty of this mountain peak for the best of your East African adventure.
Mombasa-Kenya
Mombasa is along the coast of Kenya. It takes an hour by flight to get there from Nairobi. Mombasa has wonderful beaches and is a tourist hotspot. The blue azure skies and powdery sand make for a fun and relaxing holiday. Also you could plan a boat ride and show your kids the wonders of the aquatic world and coral reefs. Although touts along the beach usually avoid hassling Indians, it is best to be weary of them.
Source of the Nile River-Jinja
Ever wondered from where the Nile finds its source? The longest river in the World finds its origins in Uganda. Although there is a debate as to whether the source originates from hot springs in Rwanda, the source of the Nile is a slice of mystical geography. This serpentine river cuts the continent upwards, splits into the Blue Nile and White Nile, ultimately converges and then meets the Mediterranean Sea.
Murchison Falls National Park-Uganda
Murchison Falls National Park offers a variety of wildlife species on your game drives. Imagine a cruise on the River Nile, watching hippopotamus and crocodiles bask in the sun. What a sight to behold. And this cruise ultimately leads to the bottom of Murchison Falls. There’s nothing more soothing to the eyes, nothing more. Murchison Falls is closest to the Masindi town. Murchison Falls National Park is around a 6 hours’ drive from Kampala, which is the capital of Uganda.
Rwenzori Mountain-Uganda
Top safari attractions in East Africa – Uganda is popularly known as the Pearl of Africa due to its lush green landscapes and its magnificence of form. Rwenzori Mountain is located along the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is where the highest point of Uganda is, at 5109 meters above sea level. The range experiences rainfall almost every day throughout the year.
If you want to see Gorillas, you may have to travel south towards the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This forest is at the Rwanda border and just like its name it is dense and impenetrable.
Mabira Tropical Rainforest-Uganda
Legend has it that the Forest is haunted by the spirits of those who were massacred by the previous ruler of Uganda, Idi Amin. Although eerie stories surround this dense forest, many people enjoy bird watching, zip lining and camping for overnight. There are lodges in Mabira tropical rainforest that offer comfortable stay.
Food in most Ugandan hotels/lodges will be to the taste of westerns. If you are a vegetarian, you may have to make do with simple food. Most Africans know how to cook basic Indian food, so you may come by dal rice with ‘matoke’ (banana).
Banana is the staple diet of Ugandan’s. Mashed banana with peanut sauce is found everywhere. If you can develop a taste for it, you are good to go.
Zanzibar-Tanzania
Zanzibar is un spoilt paradise. The Zanzibar Archipelago includes a number of islands like the Pemba and Mafia Islands. You may catch a glimpse of dolphins and even take a swim with them. . These islands are a great place for snorkeling.
The Selous-Tanzania
Top safari attractions in East Africa – The Selous is towards the South of Tanzania. It is not very crowded as compared with the tourist sites in the North. The wetlands at Selous allow tourists to take a boating safari.
So, what’s holding you back? Make East Africa your next family getaway. Take a safari in the savannahs, river raft on the Nile and soak in the sun along the coastline and beaches. Africa is not just about reading but experiencing. And no one can answer this better than those who may have traveled to the marvelous safari destinations.
Looking forward to exploring the wondrous East Africa, get in touch with us. Show some love, share the article, and inspire people to travel.
Iby’Iwacu Cultural Center-Rwanda
A Rwanda cultural tour to Iby’Iwacu cultural village is one of the key features that make Rwanda safaris exceptional experiences. Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village gives you a rare chance to meet local people, in their environment, with a taste of our culture and traditions. Be genuinely welcomed by the community as a special visitor while they proudly present to you aspects of their traditions and beliefs. The only way to get to know people, is getting close and interacting with local people, and taking part in their daily activities and most of all with them. Iby’Iwacu village is located around Parc National des Volcans in Nyabigoma, Kinigi, Musanze district, Northern Province- have a visit to Iby’Iwacu to share with local people home and heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts and ways of living of local people. Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village is committed at showcasing the ways of living, traditional lifestyles and dances to tourists.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park-Uganda
Top attractions in East Africa – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in the southwestern region of the country, on the edge of the rift valley commonly referred to as the impenetrable forest, Bwindi National Park is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the western side; Kabale town to the southeast is the nearest main town to the Park, 29 kilometers away by road. It covers an area of 331 square kilometers and is located in the highest parts of Kigezi highlands with an altitude of 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level and 60% of this magical park has an elevation of over 2,000 meters above sea level. The highest elevation in the park is Rwamunyonyi hill at the eastern edge and the lowest part of the park is located at its most northern tip.
Bwindi National Park is a world heritage site for mountain gorilla tracking experience which is the tourist attraction and highlight in East Africa and in Uganda. With different Gorilla families that can be booked by 8 tourists per Gorilla family per day. They are inhabitant in four sectors of Buhoma the Northern part, Ruhija the Eastern part, Nkuringo the Southern part, and Rushaga still in the Southern part of Bwindi and all are under the protection of Uganda Wildlife Authority the government body in charge of all Uganda National Parks.
Volcanoes National Park-Rwanda
Top safari attractions in East Africa – Volcanoes National Park (also Known as “Parc National Des Volcans in French and as well as Pariki y’igihugu y’ibirunga in Kinyarwanda”) is found in the Northwestern parts of Rwanda sharing borders with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Virunga National park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Volcanoes National Park is the origin to five of the ancient eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains which include Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo, the rainforests and the bamboo vegetation covers an area of 160 km2. The National Park is home to one of the world’s greatly endangered species that are the Mountain Gorillas and Golden monkeys.
Volcanoes National Park is a must visit park and is the leading tourist destination in Rwanda though Rwanda has got her sister game parks like the Nyungwe and Akagera National Park.
The offers a lot of memorable experiences to a tourist while on an adventure in Rwanda for example An amazing hike to Dian Fossey tombs who was an American primatologists who arrived in Rwanda in 1967 to study Mountain Gorillas, she did her research for almost two decades and she was murdered by poachers in 1985, trekking magnificent Golden monkeys which are a rare species to be sighted is another interesting activity, Mountain Gorilla tracking is the first priority of every tourist who’s doing a tour in Rwanda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park-Uganda
Boat safari on Kazinga channel – Queen Elizabeth national park is known famously for harboring a large number of animal species in the park, the boat cruise is one of the perfect ways to explore the while life at a glance as you sail along the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga Channel in Uganda is one of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s most spectacular sites. A shallow waterway ties the tiny George Lake with the wider Edward Lake. Streams from the Rwenzori Mountains give rise to the water in the stream. Such rivers fill the smaller Lake George and then pass through the canal of Kazinga and into the far larger Lake Albert in Kazinga Channel Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The boat safari on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the highlights of all the activities in the park and it’s the most booked activity by the travelers visiting the park. The boat trip in the Kazinga Channel is conducted in two sessions, the morning session starts at 8:00 am and for lasts for a period of 3 hours and the afternoon boat starts at 2:00pm and lasts for 3 hours up to 5:00pm in the evening.
Kibale Forest National Park-Uganda
Top safari attractions in East Africa – Kibale National Park is a home to our close relatives the Chimpanzees with a variety of 325 different bird species with the endemic spice the Green breasted pita, with other 12 species of primates, 351 tree species, and different species of mammals including Giant forest hogs, Bush pigs, Elephants, Buffaloes, and many other Wildlife species.
The Chimpanzee trekking is like the delightful ape’s attraction which has made Uganda to become the famous safari destination in East Africa and a World heritage site. The National Park became government reserve in 1940 and in 1991 it was established now it is in the hands of Uganda wildlife Authority.
Mabamba Swamp-Uganda
Mabamba Swamp in Uganda is a prime wetland birding site famous for the Endangered Shoebill stork which is Uganda’s most sought after bird by birders as well as by nature lovers. Mabamba Swamp is located west of Entebbe on the northern shore of Lake Victoria, covering 2424 hectors with thick marshes of papyrus, water lilies and other wetland grasses.
Mabamba Swamp can be reached by a number of routes. From Kampala or Entebbe the easiest route is via the Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe where you take a 10 minutes ferry crossing to Kasanje landing and from there drive for about 20 minutes to Mabamba passing through cultivation and open fields that will provide plenty of garden birds.
Birding in Mabamba Swamp is done from a motorized wooden boat by riding through a maze of trails cutting through the thick marshes.