Philip Briggs is a guidebook writer and travel journalist specialised in African travel. He first backpacked between Nairobi and Cape Town in 1986 and has been travelling the highways and byways of Africa ever since. Since the 1990s, he has researched and authored several pioneering Bradt Guides. These include the first dedicated guidebooks to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda and Somaliland. He has worked on guidebooks for several other publishers including AA, Insight, Berlitz, Eyewitness, Frommers, Rough Guides, Struik-New Holland and 30 Degrees South.
There are a couple of parks in west-central Africa where western lowland gorillas can be seen in the wild. These are the Congo Republic’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park and Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha Forest Reserve, both of which protect vast tracts of lowland rainforest inhabited by the likes of forest elephant, lowland bongo and chimpanzee. At the moment, these parks only really cater to high-end fly-in gorilla safaris and are difficult to reach on a normal holiday or travel budget.
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East Africa
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Safari, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Active, Walking, Nature & Wildlife, National ParksRelated Guides

Safari in Kenya

My first Kenya safari was in 1994 and I’ve been coming back almost every year since in my role as a travel journalist and guidebook author. This is the original home of the safari and, in my view, it’s still one of the finest safari destinations in Africa.

The best time to visit Kenya for safari

January & FebruaryThis is a hot and dry period. Animals gather around water holes and river banks which makes for a good period to be on safari.

Masai Mara safaris

The very essence of a Kenyan safari landscape, the Masai Mara stretches along the Kenya-Tanzania border and forms the northern fringe of the greater Serengeti ecosystem (most of which is in

Safaris in Tsavo East & West National Parks

Combined, Tsavo East and West National Parks cover an enormous swathe of Kenya. Tsavo West alone (the bigger of the two parks) covers an area greater in size than Wales, or two and half times the size of Yellowstone National Park.

Buffalo Springs & Samburu safaris

Far removed from mainstream Kenyan safari, the three interconnected reserves of Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba have a wild reputation.

Safari in Meru National Park

The country's forgotten national park – Meru was once one of the most popular of all Kenya safari parks.

Laikipia safaris

The Laikipia plateau area of central Kenya is one of the most exciting places in African conservation. The fertile, rain fed lands here were prized by British colonialists as prime wheat growing and cattle ranching territory and much of the area's rich wildlife populations were slowly removed to make way for farming.

Safari In Lake Nakuru National Park

One of the most popular of Kenya's safari parks, Lake Nakuru National Park is centred on the large Rift Valley soda lake but also encompasses fringing grasslands, acacia woodlands and rocky escarpments.

Safari in Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is the postcard park of most Kenya safari itineraries.

Safari in Nairobi National Park

While most capital cities have their collection of attractive parks filled with neatly cut lawns, old trees, meandering paths and perhaps a boating lake, Nairobi has gone one step further. Its biggest ‘park’ is in fact a 117 kmsq swathe of undulating savannah grasslands and acacia woodlands.

Kenya off the beaten track


Kenya safari costs

For a multi-day, mid-range safari visiting some of the big name parks and reserves then you’re looking at around USD $300-600 per person, per day. This includes accommodation in a comfortable, if often uninspiring, safari lodge or camp, three reasonable meals a day, and game drives in a shared vehicle.

Kenya besides safari

The most popular add-on to a safari is to throw in a bit of sun and sand time on Kenya’s delicious Indian Ocean coastline. Direct flights link most of the main national parks and reserves with Diani and Malindi beaches.

Gorilla trekking

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.

Is Uganda or Rwanda better for gorilla trekking?

In short, I usually recommend Rwanda to those looking to splash out, or on limited time. I suggest Uganda is a better choice for the more budget conscious, and if you're looking for a bigger variety of activities before or after a gorilla trek.

Gorilla trekking costs

Gorilla trekking can cost from USD $1,500 per person on the low-end, to $5,000 and above on the luxury end.

How to get gorilla trekking permits

A permit is required to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC.

The best time to see gorillas

The climate, gorilla trekking conditions, and tourism seasons are more or less the same in both Rwanda and Uganda. Gorilla-trekking is a year-round activity, but I find there are some important considerations when timing your trip.

What To Do After A Gorilla Trek

UgandaUganda is a haven for primate lovers. You can track golden monkeys in Mgahinga and chimpanzees in Kibale, Budongo and Kyambura Gorge.
Gorilla Photography Tips

Your hour with the gorillas will fly by and you’ll certainly want some good photos as a memento.If you are lucky you’ll find your gorilla family out in the open on a sunny day in perfect conditions for photography.
Conservation & Responsible Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla families vary in size from fewer than 10 members to 65, with bigger families usually splitting into smaller groups. Mountain gorillas are social animals.

The best places to see the wildebeest migration

Sometimes called ‘the greatest show on earth’, the wildebeest migration sees mega herds of almost two million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles continuously travel thousands of kilometres in a broadly clockwise direction from the southern Serengeti, north into Kenya’s Maasai Mara, and back again. The migration is one of Africa's classic safari experiences, drawing visitors year round to witness this magnificent spectacle.

The Best Time To See The Wildebeest Migration

By definition, the wildebeest migration is a continually moving and perpetually active phenomenon; where you go depends very much on when you decide to travel. A note on the "route" Beware any safari company that tells you they can guarantee the route the herds will take.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In January?

A new year means new life, and the stage for the spectacle this month is around the Ndutu Plains in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, to the south of the Serengeti National Park.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In February?

In February most of the migration action takes place in the Ndutu Plains, to the southwest of the Serengeti. Behold the classic image of endless plains, blanketed and dotted as far as the eye can see with grazing wildebeest and their newborn calves.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In March?

After a long period of grazing in the Ndutu region, the once green grass is now over-grazed, with little left for the enlarged herd. The time to move on has come.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In April?

Long rains mean thicker vegetation and scattered herds, which makes viewing more of a challenge. But the rewards of the low season are lower prices and few other people as the migration makes its way north and into ‘big cat territory’.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In May?

The long rains taper off and the herds are on the move, heading north towards Kenya. Routes diverge somewhat, but they’ll all funnel through a narrow corridor between two rivers in a dramatic spectacle.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In June?

The skies are clear, the land dries out, and the herds gain strength and power as the calves mature. But June is no walk in the park.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In July?

July is primetime viewing for what many consider to be the main act of the migration theatrics – the crossing of the Mara River.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In August?

Welcome to the height of the high season. Everyone has the same idea of witnessing the most action-packed month for river crossings.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In September?

The September high season in Kenya’s Maasai Mara has its obvious rewards.The skies are sunny, crowds are thinning somewhat, dramatic river crossings are still going strong in Mara side with few crossing between Lamai and Kogatende, predators have hit their stride, and the ‘big five’ are all out in view.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In October?

The end of the high season means the crowds have (mostly) gone.The migration is straddled between Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In November?

In November the ‘short rains’ start to fall in the Mara.The plains return to their emerald green hue, and the migration is on the move southward, back to Tanzania’s Serengeti.

Where Is The Wildebeest Migration In December?

The annual cycle of life is turning full circle.The rains have returned, and the wildebeest are on the move back toward the rich grasses of Ndutu.

The best safaris in Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the best places in Africa to go on safari. I first backpacked through it in the 1980s, when I was far too cash-strapped to think about going on a costly safari, so I spent most of my time exploring remote coastal towns, then took a lengthy train and ferry trip from Dar es Salaam to Zambia via Lake Tanganyika.

The Best Time For Safari In Tanzania

With the exception of the rainy months of March and April, Tanzania is a great safari destination through most of the year. The dry season – June to October – is the most popular and best for wildlife sightings, but January and February also see a break in the rains.

How to book a Tanzania safari

There's no denying it, a safari anywhere is an expensive trip – and a safari in Tanzania is at the pricier end of the spectrum.

What to do in Tanzania besides safari

If you're coming to Tanzania, chances are you'll be going on safari.

Where To See The Big 5 In Africa

The "Big 5" safari beasts – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – were so named because they were the prize targets of colonial-era hunters. Fortunately, modern safari has become a force for wildlife conservation not destruction, and today's safari-goer is more likely to be shooting with a camera than a rifle (aside from the many trophy hunting reserves, which we resolutely do not cover in this guide).

Trekking in Tanzania

I’ve spent my career trekking in some pretty far-flung places, from Nepal to Norway.

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimp trekking runs throughout the year at most of the national parks and forest reserves described above. Hiking conditions are generally best in the dry season, which varies from region to region, but broadly falls over June to August and December to February in Uganda and Rwanda, and August to October in western Tanzania.

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Lesser-known gorilla safari locations
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