East Africa
Africa's safari powerhouse



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.
Gorilla trekking
Where and how to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda & Uganda
Before Sir David Attenborough’s landmark TV programme, Life On Earth, gorillas were seen largely in a negative light, based on King Kong and cheap B-movie monsters. At one point, a survey of the world’s most feared animals featured gorillas alongside sharks and spiders. Seeing this popular TV personality interacting with friendly gorillas changed all that...read more
East Africa Travel Guides
11 days
Tanzania safari and beach
See all the spectacular wildlife Africa has to offer
14 days
Kilimanjaro and Tanzania wildlife adventure
Explore snow-capped Kilimanjaro and tour wild game reserves
16 days
Tanzania safari, Kilimanjaro and islands
From mountain top and safari adventure to island beaches
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Ethiopia
Epic landscapes and divine history
Ethiopia is epic... -
Tanzania
Hiking, migration safaris and spice islands
Tanzania is your quintessential African destination... -
Serengeti
The best place on earth to see the Big Five
The vast, untamed Serengeti might just be the best place on earth to see wildlife... -
Seronera
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Lake Victoria
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Ngorongoro Conservation Area
All off Africa in one 'bowl'
The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact – and inactive – caldera in the world... -
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Stand on top of Africa
Standing 5,895m high, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest peak and one of the continent's most impressive sights... -
Nalemuru Gate
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Simba Camp
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Kikelewa Camp
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Mawenzi Tarn Camp
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School Hut Camp
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Uhuru Peak
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Horombo Camp
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Marangu Gate
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Kilimanjaro International Airport
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Tarangire National Park
Herds of elephants, lions and even wild dogs roam Tarangire National Park, with the dry season bringing in large concentrations of animals... -
Zanzibar
Spice islands
A cultural crossroad for centuries, the Zanzibar archipelago mixes Africa, Arab and Indian influences... -
Matemwe
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Pongwe
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Pemba Island
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Arusha
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Karatu
Gateway to Ngorongoro
Karatu is a small but lively town on the edge of Ngorongoro Conservation Area... -
Selous Game Reserve
A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Selous Game Reserve has a rich variety of wildlife with the Rufiji River running through to join the Indian Ocean... -
Nyerere National Park
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Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania's largest national park and is home to baobabs, grasslands and rolling hills... -
Ras Kutani
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Songosongo Archipelago
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Dar es Salaam
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Lake Manyara National Park
On the edge of Lake Manyara, the Lake Manyara National Park is a forested area of land, sitting below the Great Rift escarpment... -
Mahale Mountains National Park
In the very far west of Tanzania, the densely forested Mahale Mountains cascade down to the soft sand beaches and turquoise waters (with incredible snorkelling) of divine Lake Tanganyika... -
Katavi National Park
A remote park, during the dry season Katavi National Park is home to large herds of wildebeest, giraffes, elephants and zebras... -
Mafia Island
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Ndutu
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Gombe Stream National Park
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Mt. Meru
Trekking without the crowds
Mt... -
Ol Doinyo Lengai
Making up the northern tip of a mountain triangle that includes Kilimanjaro and Meru, Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962m) is a live volcanic cone whose distinctive shape and billowing volcanic smoke have made it a holy mountain for the Maasai people of Tanzania and Kenya... -
Usambara Mountains
The Usambara Mountains are a great buckle of steep sided ridges and intensely farmed or forested hills that rise up behind Tanzania’s northeastern coastal zone... -
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
In the central part of the country, the Udzungwa Mountain National Park is said to be the second most biodiverse national park in Africa... -
Kenya
More than just safaris
Think of Kenya and you might think of a 4x4 safari vehicle chasing a big cat on the prowl for its next catch or a herd of elephants peacefully grazing... -
Masai Mara National Park
The world-famous Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most popular destinations, with safari-goers flocking to the reserve to glimpse lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalo and elephant... -
Mombasa
Mombasa is Kenya’s largest port and has been a gateway into the country for centuries... -
Nairobi
Most visitors to Kenya simply fly in and out of capital Nairobi – which is a huge mistake... -
Nairobi National Park
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The Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley stretches across Africa from Mozambique into Lebanon in the Middle East... -
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya might only be Africa’s second-highest mountain, but it’s considerably more beautiful than it’s bigger cousin, Kilimanjaro... -
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and is one of the sources of the Nile... -
Laikipia
The high plains of Laikipia offer an excellent alternative safari experience to the better-known Maasai Mara... -
Gede
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Ol Pejeta Game Reserve
Ol Pejeta Game Reserve is rapidly making a name for itself as Kenya’s premier conservation site... -
Meru National Park
Trekking without the crowds
Meru National Park is one of the least visited wilderness sites in Kenya, yet it still offers sightings of the Big Five and excellent birdwatching... -
Amboseli National Park
Sprawling across the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, the greater Amboseli ecosystem is one of East Africa's preeminent wildlife viewing regions and Amboseli National Park is the postcard park of Kenya... -
Samburu Game Reserve
The Samburu are a nomadic people who have lived within the Samburu Game Reserve for centuries... -
Lamu Island
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Lake Nakuru National Park
One of Kenya’s most popular parks, Lake Nakuru National Park is made up of grasslands, acacia woodlands and rocky escarpments... -
Lake Naivasha
One of the freshwater lakes that dot Kenya's Great Rift Valley, the large but relatively shallow Lake Naivasha is a sanctuary for a diverse range of wildlife, from hippos and zebras to over 400 species of birds, including the majestic African Fish Eagle... -
Chyulu Hills National Park
Located Tsavo National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro, Chyulu Hills is one of the lesser visited national parks in Kenya, but the rolling green hills of the volcanic field make it worth the visit... -
Shimba Hills National Reserve
A densely forested coastal park, the reserve is made up of rainforest and grassland... -
Watamu Marine National Park
Located north of Mombosa on the north coast of Kenya, Watamu Marine National Park is a large coral reef about 300 meters offshore... -
Lake Bogoria National Reserve
North of the city of Nakuru, Lake Bogoria is a soda lake, so when conditions are right, it attracts tens of thousands of flamingos... -
Aberdare National Park
Aberdare National Park is an area within the Aberdare Mountain Range consisting of two different ecosystems with a high, cold moorland and a dense tangled montane jungle below... -
Kakamega Forest Reserve
The Kakamega Forest Reserve is an example of what’s left of the rainforest that used to stretch across central Africa... -
Tsavo East & West National Parks
Separated by the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, Tsavo East and West National Parks cover a massive area of Kenya, but despite their close proximity, they are distinctly different... -
Diani Beach
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Taita Hills Game Sanctuary
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Rwanda
Everything in one perfect package
One of Africa's last-known tourist destinations, tiny Rwanda gets a fraction of the visitors of neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania -- but not for long... -
Kigali
Rwanda’s bustling capital sprawls across several valleys and hillsides, bookended by towering mountains... -
Nyungwe National Park
One of Africa’s oldest rainforests, Nyungwe National Park is home to around 500 chimpanzees and 12 other primate species... -
Akagera National Park
The savannah plains of Akagera National Park on Rwanda’s border with Tanzania are the perfect place for a Big Five safari... -
Karisoke Research Camp
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Volcanoes National Park
The home of Rwanda's mountain gorillas
Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda and named for the chain of dormant volcanoes that make up the Virunga Massif (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura), Volcanoes National Park is home to endangered mountain gorillas, rare golden monkeys and more than 200 bird species... -
Uganda
Unforgettable encounters
Uganda is a gem... -
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
While Bwindi Impenetrable Forest steals the limelight, the smaller Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda has arguably better views and is directly connected to the extended Virunga conservation area... -
Queen Elizabeth National Park
For an incredible wildlife experience with second-to-none photo opportunities, head to Ishasha in Western Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you can see the area’s rare population of tree-climbing lions snoozing happily up above the ground in fig and acacia trees... -
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s most popular and largest nature reserve, Murchison Falls National Park’s beautiful location and impressive animal populations (the park is home to over 15,000 elephants) makes it a wonderful stop for any traveller hoping to glimpse Uganda’s rich wildlife... -
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
A collaborative effort between the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rhino Fund Uganda, this private, non-profit animal sanctuary offers a secure home and breeding programme for the only wild rhinos left in Uganda... -
Kibale Forest National Park
Grab yourself a guide and set off into the evergreen jungle of the Kibale National Park in Western Uganda in search of chimps... -
Kazinga Channel
Visit the Kazinga Channel in western Uganda and see one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos and elephants in their natural habitat... -
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The dense forests of Bwindi in the south-west corner of Uganda are home to over half of the world’s small population of the endangered mountain gorilla... -
Karamoja Highlands
Once the domain of only the most adventurous of travellers — up until five years ago it was a closed district which required travel permits to enter — Uganda’s Karamoja region is now officially open for tourism, and well worth the visit... -
Mount Elgon National Park
Straddling the border of Kenya and Uganda, Mount Elgon National Park is home to some of the best trekking in East Africa... -
Kidepo Valley
Trek high up into the mountains of the Kidepo Valley in northeastern Uganda and get a fascinating insight into the lives of the small but authentic population of Ik tribespeople... -
Rwenzori mountains
Climb to the top of Africa’s third-highest mountain while avoiding the kind of crowds found at Kilimanjaro with a hike in the stunning Rwenzori mountains... -
Kampala
Bordering the shores of Lake Victoria in the heart of the Buganda Kingdom, Uganda’s capital city is an engaging and dynamic city with a rich history... -
Lake Victoria
Named after Queen Victoria and one of Africa’s Great Lakes, Lake Victoria is the world’s largest tropical lake, with its waters divided between Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya... -
Lake Mburo National Park
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Semuliki National Park
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Jinja
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Entebbe
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Buhoma
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Lake Bunyonyi
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Kaboya Wildlife Reserve
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Mabira Rainforest
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Burundi
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Bujumbura
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Mozambique
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Vilanculos
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Machangulo Pensinsula
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Places to go in East Africa
East Africa Tours

Best Of Uganda Game Viewing Safari
12 daysFrom $5,450
Ol Pejeta Wildlife Sanctuary Safari
Two day safari from Nairobi
2 daysFrom $330
Kilimanjaro Trek Umbwe Route
Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking 6 Days Umbwe Route
9 daysFrom $1,800
Mt. Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route
Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking 7 Days Lemosho Route
7 daysFrom $1,840
Mt. Kilimanjaro Marangu route
Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking 5 Days Marangu Route
5 daysFrom $1,390
Mt. Kilimanjaro Machame Route
Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking 6 Days Machame Route
6 daysFrom $1,680East Africa Travel Companies



Tailormade Africa
Luxury safaris experts


Wayfairer
Tailor-made luxury travel


Governors' Camp Collection
Luxury Safari holidays in East Africa


Odyssey Safaris
Creating unforgettable experiences in East Africa


Kenya Treks
Guided walking tours to Kenya's highest peaks


CTPH Gorilla Conservation Camp
Affordable lodging at at one of Uganda’s leading conservation centres

