African Safari Trails · Travel Guide
Ways to explore the region
Things to do in East Africa span gorilla and chimp trekking, the great migration, mountain climbing, beach holidays and the reefs of the Indian Ocean across Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya. African Safari Trails arranges all of them across the region, in one trip. This page links to our full guide for each.
East Africa is the richest corner of the continent for the traveller, where Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya together hold the great apes, the migration, the highest mountains in Africa and a tropical coast of white sand and coral. In a single trip you can trek gorillas, watch a river crossing, climb Kilimanjaro and dive a reef. Below is a short guide to the main things to do across the region, each with a link to our full article. African Safari Trails ties it all together.
Things to do
Trekking mountain gorillas in the forests of Uganda and Rwanda is the region’s signature experience, an hour with a wild family of the rarest great ape. More than half the world’s mountain gorillas live in these few forests. It is genuinely moving.
The region holds the best chimp tracking in Africa, from Uganda’s Kibale to the Lake Tanganyika forests of Tanzania and Rwanda’s Nyungwe. Following our closest relatives through the forest is a lively, absorbing experience. The calls fill the trees.
The great migration moves nearly two million wildebeest and zebra around the Serengeti and Maasai Mara of Tanzania and Kenya, with calving, river crossings and predator drama across the year. It is one of the natural wonders of the world. Timing is everything.
Game drives are the heart of a safari, across the great parks of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, with lions, elephants and the Big Five. Few regions offer such density and variety of wildlife. The big cats are a highlight.
East Africa holds the continent’s great mountains, from Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya to the glaciated Rwenzori and the Virunga volcanoes, with climbs for every level. Kilimanjaro is the great prize, walkable without technical skill. The scenery is spectacular.
The Indian Ocean coast, from Kenya’s Diani and Lamu to Zanzibar and the Tanzanian islands, is the perfect safari finish, with white sand, warm water and Swahili culture. A few days here unwinds a trip beautifully. The contrast with the bush is the appeal.
With well over a thousand species, East Africa is one of the world’s great birding regions, from Uganda’s shoebill and Albertine Rift endemics to the flamingos of the Rift Valley lakes. Birds are seen alongside the big game. The variety is staggering.
Boat safaris bring you close to hippos, crocodiles, elephants and birds along rivers, channels and lakes, with Uganda’s Kazinga Channel and the Nile the highlights. The water offers a different view from a game drive. The wildlife is dense.
On foot, the region reveals its detail, from guided big-game walks in the conservancies to gentle forest and lakeshore trails. Walking turns the bush from a view into something you feel. The pace lets you notice everything.
A canopy walk takes you high above the forest floor on a suspended walkway, with Rwanda’s Nyungwe the flagship at 70 metres up, plus treetop walks at Lake Manyara and Ngare Ndare. It is the forest seen from above. The aerial view is unique.
The region’s cultures run from the Maasai and Samburu to the Swahili coast, the Chagga, the Hadzabe and the forest Batwa. Done through the communities, these visits add a human dimension to a safari. The contrasts are striking.
Community visits centre on projects local people own and run, from the Batwa Trail to the community conservancies, so that tourism funds schools and conservation directly. They go beyond a cultural show. Your visit does some good.
Golden monkey trekking visits the bright, playful monkeys of the Virunga volcanoes, found only in Rwanda’s Volcanoes Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga. It is a gentle, affordable trek that pairs perfectly with gorillas. The lively troops are a joy.
The White Nile at Jinja in Uganda is one of the world’s great rafting rivers, with warm, powerful rapids up to grade five and gentler family floats. Jinja is the adventure capital of the region. It is a pure shot of adrenaline.
The coast and islands offer warm, uncrowded diving, from Zanzibar and Mafia to Pemba and the Kenya marine parks, with coral, turtles, whale sharks and dramatic walls. The water is warm year-round. The reefs are superb.
Snorkeling over the shallow reefs of Kenya’s marine parks, Zanzibar’s Mnemba and Mafia Island brings coral, fish and turtles within easy reach, no training needed. It suits families and first-timers. The water is warm and clear.
A dawn balloon safari over the Serengeti or the Maasai Mara drifts silently above the plains and the migration herds, ending with a champagne breakfast in the bush. It is the most magical hour of any safari. The light at dawn is glorious.
The Indian Ocean coast offers world-class big-game fishing for marlin, sailfish and tuna, with the Pemba Channel and North Kenya Banks among the finest grounds, while the great lakes hold giant Nile perch. The billfish are the headline.
Cycling ranges from riding among wildlife at Kenya’s Hell’s Gate to Rwanda’s Congo Nile Trail along Lake Kivu and Uganda’s crater lakes. It puts you close to the land at a human pace. Few rides anywhere compare.
East Africa is a photographer’s dream, from the migration and big cats of the Serengeti and Mara to the elephants of Amboseli and the gorillas of the forests. A photo tour builds in the light and the time. The subjects are world-class.
Choosing which experiences and countries to combine, sequencing the gorillas, the migration, the mountains and the coast and pacing the flights and drives all go more smoothly with someone who builds these trips for a living, so your East Africa adventure is full but never rushed. African Safari Trails has spent years tying Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya together into seamless journeys. They will tell you straight what fits your time and interests and how to combine it across borders, and handle the permits, flights, lodges and fees quietly in the background.
Want a proper quote, or just a steer on planning an East Africa trip? Reach out to African Safari Trails and a real person gets back to you.
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