East Africa Travel Guide - Horizon Guides

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In the league table of natural wonders, the eastern swathe of the African continent ranks as a global superpower.

In East Africa, where the grinding of plate tectonics has carved a unique geology and sweeping range of habitats, you'll find a land of superlatives: the biggest concentrations of the very largest land animals, the world's deepest lake, the highest mountains in Africa, the list goes on.

And it is this that cements East Africa's place as a tourism heavy hitter. From the wildebeest migration that sweeps across the grasslands of Tanzania and Kenya, the "Big Five" of the Masai Mara, and the great apes of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC, this is a place that is virtually synonymous with safari and wildlife tourism.

Hidden gems in East Africa

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Game drives in Ngorongoro Crater

Khuzeima Zavery

Experience

The Ngorongoro Crater, the remains of an ancient volcano, forms a vast, self-contained ecosystem spanning 100 square miles of wildlife-packed savannah, swamp and forest. A descent into the crater features highly on all popular Northern Circuit itineraries. Aside from watching lions and cheetahs stalk the open grasslands, you’ll see flamingos in Lake Magadi and elephants in Lerai Forest. It’s an early start, setting out at dawn to catch the wildlife at its most active. Access to the crater is through the Loduare Gate, where entry permits and descent fees are required. The crater is a strictly regulated conservation area, and all vehicles must adhere to designated routes and operating hours. Alighting from your vehicle is prohibited other than in designated areas, and there are no walking safaris permitted here. Most game drives leave by mid-morning to avoid the midday heat, but you might find a full-day tour with lunch at Ngoitokitok Springs or other picnic areas. Insider tip The gate opens at 6am and you want to be among the first in order to avoid the rush. Where you stay is critical. I break Ngorongoro accommodation into three categories: premium, high-demand lodges within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and right on the crater rim; lodges within the NCAA but not actually on the rim; and finally there's a wide range of accommodation in nearby Karatu town. In my experience, if staying on the rim itself is too expensive or not available, then somewhere in Karatu is the better option. The value of staying inside the NCAA but not on the rim is limited and does not add significantly to the experience.

Tanzania

The ‘Northwest Circuit’

Philip Briggs

Itinerary

In 2019, Tanzania took the conservation world by surprise when it gazetted a quartet of new national parks in the country’s far northwest. These parks were all amalgamated from badly-managed wildlife reserves that had suffered from extensive poaching, and none, as yet, is properly developed for tourism. Equally, there is nothing stopping those with an adventurous spirit and a decent 4x4 from exploring most of these parks. Most attractive and accessible is Burigi-Chato, which now ranks as Tanzania’s fifth-largest national park, and offers fair game viewing (we saw zebra, warthog and a variety of antelope a recent visit, but lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe are also present). The other three new national parks, in order of accessibility, are Ibanda-Kyerwa, Rumanyika-Karagwe and Kigosi. If you are in this part of Tanzania, you could also consider boating across to lushly forested Rubondo Island National Park, which is one of the best places to see the swamp-dwelling sitatunga antelope. For birdwatchers, Minziro Forest Reserve, on the Ugandan border, is home to at least 50 species not known elsewhere in Tanzania.

Arusha National Park

Canoe on Momella Lakes

Philip Briggs

Experience

Although just 45 minutes from the key transit hub of Arusha, the eponymous national park itself is usually overlooked by tourists heading straight to the more famous Serengeti. This is a shame because Arusha National Park packs in huge scenic and biodiversity into a relatively small area. My favourite activity here is to paddle on the pretty Momella Lakes, canoeing past hippos, buffalo and giraffes. There are usually good close-up views of Mount Meru; weather permitting, you might even sneak a distant view of snow-capped Kilimanjaro.

Saadani National Park

Unique coastal safaris

Philip Briggs

Experience

The palm-lined beaches of Saadani National Park on the Indian Ocean coastline form the last remaining turtle nesting site on the country’s north coast. Adding to Saadani’s uniqueness, it’s the only coastal reserve where you can see big cats, elephant, buffalo and giraffe – although in admittedly low densities compared to the more famous big hitter parks. While here you must take a boat trip on the Wami River, do a guided bush walk and go birdwatching on the salt flats. You probably wouldn’t come here for a standalone safari, but a good operator might help you add this to your itinerary after the Serengeti or one of Tanzania’s other more famous safari locations.

Mt. Meru

Hike into the gaping caldera of Mount Meru

Philip Briggs

Experience

If mountains had feelings, Meru would most likely go through life with a serious chip on its shoulder. This dormant volcano ranks as Africa’s fifth-highest mountain, and it dominates the skyline of Arusha, a town that serves as the bustling safari capital of northern Tanzania. Yet in touristic terms Meru is almost entirely neglected, thanks largely to its proximity to iconic Mount Kilimanjaro. For keen walkers with a day to spare at the start or end of a safari, however, a half-day hike through the forest of Arusha National Park into Meru’s partially collapsed caldera is highly recommended. On the way you're likely to see plenty of wildlife, including elephant, giraffe, zebra and a variety of forest monkeys and birds. Once inside the caldera, you will also enjoy memorable close-up views of its sheer western wall and tall ash cone.

Lake Natron

Drive through the Rift Valley

Philip Briggs

Experience

Relatively few people do it, but the remote and starkly beautiful back route connecting Serengeti National Park to Arusha via Lake Natron ranks as one of the wildest drives you can undertake in East Africa. Hemmed in by the sheer Rift Valley escarpment, Natron is a forbidding presence, thanks to its hypersaline water, which is too caustic to support any aquatic life other than flamingos and the cyanobacteria on which they feed. Red-robed Maasai lead herds of cattle and camels between the zebras and antelope that graze the surrounding arid plains. Rising above it all, Ol Doinyo Lengai, the Maasai ‘Mountain of God’, is an active volcano whose 9,710ft peak towers above the 1,970ft lakeshore. Some of the world’s oldest known human footprints are preserved in an old lava flow between the mountain and the lake. Depending on current volcanic activity levels, it is possible to hike up the shadeless, ash-strewn slopes of Ol Doinyo Lengai, a tough five-to-six-hour ascent best undertaken at night.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Hike Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau

Philip Briggs

Experience

One of Africa’s most iconic sights, Kilimanjaro is the world's tallest freestanding mountain, and its 19,341ft Uhuru Peak Is the highest point anywhere on the continent. It's an alluring goal for hikers, but the full ascent – which takes at least five days, better six or seven – is a serious commitment in terms of time, money and physical endeavor. I recommend as an excellent and little publicized quick-fix alternative the guided Shira Plateau Day Trail, which leads for about 5 miles through a relatively flat tract of moorland perched at 11,000-12,000ft on the mountain’s western slopes. You’re bound to feel the altitude, but in clear weather (most likely if you set off before 9am) you’ll also enjoy magnificent frame-filling views of Kilimanjaro’s distinctive snow-capped peak rising from the Afroalpine moorland.

Usambara Mountains

Endemic wildlife in the Eastern Arc Mountains

Philip Briggs

Experience

Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains are listed among the world's top 20 biodiversity hotspots. Comprising a dozen different ranges scattered along the country's eastern coastal belt, these lushly forested mountains – sometimes dubbed the African Galápagos – support a wealth of unique creatures, including 75 vertebrate species found nowhere else in the world. The best known range is West Usambara, where several guided hikes are offered by a community project based in the lovely small town of Lushoto. For birders, a great starting point is Amani Nature Reserve in East Usambara, while primate enthusiasts are pointed to Udzungwa Mountains National Park, which hosts three monkey species unique to this part of Tanzania. Adventurous travelers could literally spend months exploring this little-visited region, much of which remains undeveloped for tourism.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Descend into Empakaai Crater

Philip Briggs

Experience

You don't always need to head far off the beaten track to get away from the crowds. Little-visited Empakaai, only 90 minutes’ drive from the over-touristed Ngorongoro Crater, is a case in point. The second-largest caldera in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Empakaai is a near-perfect circular crater with a 5-mile diameter and a depth of 1,800ft. The road along the rim offers stunning views across the Rift Valley escarpment to the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai. But the highlight of a visit is the short, steep hike down the forested eastern wall (look out for blue monkeys and buffalos) to the crater floor, which is dominated by a green soda lake that usually hosts large flocks of flamingos.

Mkomazi National Park

Support the critically endangered black rhino

Experience

Mkomazi National Park, in northeastern Tanzania, is scenic and almost entirely devoid of other tourists. It has abundant wildlife but for me the stand-out experience here is visiting the rhino sanctuary which offers the best chance of seeing the critically endangered black rhino anywhere in Tanzania. The rhino here are breeding, and patrols keep them safe from poachers. There is also an African wild dog breeding programme here too.

Nyerere National Park

Rufiji River boat safari

Philip Briggs

Experience

Tanzania’s main wildlife destinations can all be explored in a 4x4. These days, many also allow guided walking safaris. But Nyerere National Park stands out as the only major Tanzanian reserve where you can do a boat safari. This is a true hidden gem. The palm-lined Rufiji is Tanzania's largest river, and it supports prodigious hippos, some monstrously proportioned crocodiles, and a dazzling array of birds ranging from the majestic African fish eagle to the colourful white-fronted bee-eater. Boat safaris in Nyerere also come with a good chance of spotting elephants crossing between the banks, giraffes coming down to drink and lions snoozing below riverside trees.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Game drives in Ngorongoro Crater

Khuzeima Zavery

Experience

The Ngorongoro Crater, the remains of an ancient volcano, forms a vast, self-contained ecosystem spanning 100 square miles of wildlife-packed savannah, swamp and forest. A descent into the crater features highly on all popular Northern Circuit itineraries. Aside from watching lions and cheetahs stalk the open grasslands, you’ll see flamingos in Lake Magadi and elephants in Lerai Forest. It’s an early start, setting out at dawn to catch the wildlife at its most active. Access to the crater is through the Loduare Gate, where entry permits and descent fees are required. The crater is a strictly regulated conservation area, and all vehicles must adhere to designated routes and operating hours. Alighting from your vehicle is prohibited other than in designated areas, and there are no walking safaris permitted here. Most game drives leave by mid-morning to avoid the midday heat, but you might find a full-day tour with lunch at Ngoitokitok Springs or other picnic areas. Insider tip The gate opens at 6am and you want to be among the first in order to avoid the rush. Where you stay is critical. I break Ngorongoro accommodation into three categories: premium, high-demand lodges within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and right on the crater rim; mid tier lodges within the NCAA but not actually on the rim; and finally lower budget options in nearby Karatu town. In my experience, if option one is too expensive or not available, then option three is the better way to go. The value of staying inside the NCAA but not on the rim is limited and does not add significantly to the experience.