Africa

This is the ultimate safari destination, with the world’s biggest variety and concentration of large mammals as well as around 1,500 bird species and thousands of insects and reptiles. But the wildlife is only part of the story. East Africa’s landscapes are just as magnificent, ranging from snow-capped volcanic peaks looming over vast plains to superb Indian Ocean beaches. And the history and culture are amazing too.

Our favourite parts of East Africa include Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, each with its own identity and very different offerings. The first two provide the world’s best safaris, in the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti National Park respectively, and that is what the vast majority of visitors come for. Each offers sightings of Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) as well as being home to the awe-inspiring natural spectacle of the Great Migration of wildebeest.

But there’s plenty more besides. In Kenya, for instance, you can discover the culture of the capital as well as its not-for-profit Giraffe Centre, saving Rothschild giraffes, while Nairobi National Park has wild-roaming black rhino, giraffe, lion, and leopard, and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.

Among Kenya’s 26 national parks and game reserves, others worth considering are Hell's Gate National Park and Meru National Park (where 'Born Free' lioness cub Elsa was raised). Meanwhile, the country’s vast coastline includes the fantastic beach resorts of Mombasa, Malindi, and Watamu Bay.

Tanzania, meanwhile, has the Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheatre for watching wildlife including black rhinos, bull elephants, and big cats. In Tarangire National Park you can expect both spectacular game viewing (zebra, buffalo, eland, kudu, lion, leopards, hyena, and more) and bush walks with Masai guides, Masai village visits, and community enterprise tours

There’s also Lake Manyara National Park with its pink flamingos and hiking trails through the jungle of the Kilimanjaro National Park. And when you’ve happily exhausted yourselves exploring some of these, you can retreat to the pristine white sands of the archipelago of Zanzibar for a post-safari beach break.

And last but not least, Rwanda is a unique destination for its trekking to see wild gorillas in Volcanoes National Park – a transformative, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

When to visit

Most people come to East Africa in the long dry season (June to October), for the best game viewing and easiest travel. But these are also year-round destinations.

For instance, you might come to Kenya in the short dry season (January and February) for some winter sun: wildlife viewing, and travel are still good. Or you might visit during the long rainy season (March to May) to see the first interactions between mothers and new babies and, if you’re lucky, some newborn animals’ first steps.

Similarly, if you visit the Serengeti in Tanzania between the short dry season and the wet season long rains, you might catch the calving season of the migrating herds, while March and April are great for birdwatchers.

Rwanda’s mountain gorillas can also be visited year-round, but hiking conditions are at their best during the long dry season (June to September) and the short dry season (mid-December to early-February). September is a particularly special time because of the annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony which features music and dancing, conservation talks, and guided tours.

What to do

Whatever you seek from your travels, East Africa offers ample opportunities to immerse yourself in diverse cultures, thrilling adventures, and breathtaking landscapes. From the rugged terrain of Kenya and Tanzania to the lush forests of Rwanda, East Africa offers something for everyone.

What to eat

South Africa is many worlds in one. Whatever you are looking for from a holiday, here you will find plenty of opportunity to explore, relax, and try something new. From its beautiful beaches and bustling cities, to its delicious cuisine and rich culture, South Africa is the ideal destination for all ages.

Most people head to Kenya to go on safari – especially in the iconic Maasai Mara, which has one of the highest wildlife densities in the world and some of the planet’s fastest and fiercest animals. As well as game drives, you can experience a hot air balloon safari that culminates in an indulgent champagne bush breakfast.

The Maasai Mara is a vast plain that stretches through the Great Rift Valley towards Tanzania and is located 225km south of Nairobi. It offers the chance to spot Africa's Big Five: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino. Additionally, it is home to Kenya's top tourist attraction - the Great Migration. During this event, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest surge through the muddy River Talek.

But there are a total of 26 national parks and game reserves here to choose from, so you might also consider Hell's Gate National Park north-west of Nairobi (great for birdlife including buzzards, vultures, and rare Lammergeyer eagles) and the lesser-visited Meru National Park, which was home to the 'Born Free' lioness cub Elsa. 

There’s even the Nairobi National Park, located just 10km south of the city centre but teeming with wild-roaming black rhinos, giraffes, lions, and leopards against the incongruous backdrop of the city. Don’t miss a visit to its Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, which hand-rears orphans to release back into the wild.

You can also see animals close up at Nairobi’s not-for-profit Giraffe Centre, set up to save Rothschild giraffes from near extinction. You can even see herds of giraffes as you come into land in Nairobi, along with enjoying views (on a clear day) of Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro (in Tanzania).

Nairobi itself is worth a couple of days of your time for its lively arts scene, café culture, and nightlife. After the early rises of a week on safari, you may also like to finish your holiday with some time on Kenya’s glorious coast with it excellent snorkelling and diving – we recommend the beach resorts of Mombasa, Malindi, and Watamu Bay.

When to visit

The Great Migration, when nearly two million wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson's gazelle head from the bare Serengeti to the lush green Maasai Mara, takes place from late July to October, making this the most popular time for safaris in Kenya – especially as the beginning of it also corresponds with the main summer school holidays in Europe.

This is also one of the dry seasons: the rainy seasons are March–May (long rains) and November and December (short rains). The coast tends to have the same weather as the inland regions.

Alternatively, you might choose to come to Kenya in the short, humid dry season of January and February, for some winter sun. The wildlife viewing and ground travel are both easy because of the sparse vegetation, but there are lower visitor levels and prices can be a bit cheaper.

That said, visiting during the long rainy season also has its own magic (as well as lower prices), as this is the calving season of antelopes and other mammals, so you might even witness births, the first mother and baby interactions, and a newborn animal’s very first steps.

Interesting facts

What to do

Explore Kenya's wild north on a camel safari of the Laikipia Plateau at the foot of Mount Kenya, taking you into backcountry that even Land Rovers can’t access. You’ll go through landscapes ranging from high-montane forest to luggas (broad sand rivers), camping as you move or staying in private bush houses.

Also, in Laikipia, visit the Loisaba private conservancy with its Mount Kenya views and sightings of rare species. You’ll get the chance to step away from a safari vehicle to discover the bush on guided walks, on horseback, or on a mountain or e-bike, and to talk to rangers at the conservancy headquarters.

Visit a traditional Maasai village to learn all about Kenyan tribal life. This nomadic warrior tribe that once occupied huge swathes of pre-colonial Kenya have been largely untouched by modern civilisation and retains many of its customs and practices, which you might see in action.

Head to the coast and to Malindi’s marine nature reserve with its fantastic snorkelling and scuba diving, including diving in the challenging Vuma Caves with their Napoleon wrasse, rock cod, soldier fish, yellow striped snapper, and potato bass.

From Lamu Island, take a relaxing trip out to the Indian Ocean aboard a traditional dhow. Vessels follow the great trade routes that brought goods from distant places, and you’ll stop off at Lamu Archipelago islands to check out the deserted beaches, isolated villages, and historic ruins.

What to eat

Modern African cuisine fused with European and Pan-Asian influences, for instance, at Nairobi’s Talisman - widely considered one of Kenya’s best restaurants and including a menu of South African wagyu.

Kenya’s unofficial national dish uyama choma (‘grilled meat’ in Swahili), slow cooked over hot coals and often served with rice, chapati, and kachumbari relish – available in restaurants and from countless street food vendors in the likes of Nairobi’s Green Spot Gardens.

The popular snack mutura that originated from the Kikuyu tribe, resembling black pudding or Spanish morcilla, rolled into a sausage shape, grilled over hot coals, and best enjoyed with a cold beer.

Kenyan’s take on a chicken curry, kuku paka, which is especially popular along the east coast where the influence from India is strongest – you’ll find it on many menus in the coastal towns of Lamu and Mombasa (one of the best places to eat in the latter is Minazi Café).

Mushkaki – Kenya goat kebabs made from marinated meat cooked over coal, best accompanied by garlic chips made from Kenyan potatoes as they are at the charming family-run Nargis in Nariboos (also known for its lamb chops and its tikkas ranging from fish to paneer).

Where to stay

Seeing gorillas can be a life-changing experience. Spread across much of the equatorial African rainforest, these largest living primates divide roughly into lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas - and the volcanic Virunga Massif mountain range stretching across Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo harbours endangered mountain gorillas that can be tracked safely and in a fairly accessible way.

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has 12 fully habituated gorilla families (Susa, Igisha, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Agashya, Kwitonda, Umubano, Hirwa, Bwenge, Ugyenda, and Muhoza), each consisting of at least one silverback with several females and youngsters. Tending to stick to one chosen area, they are constantly monitored and protected by park rangers.

Led by expert trackers and guides, small groups of tourists are taken up bamboo-covered slopes to spend one hour watching the gorillas go about their daily lives. Encounters are as intimate and unobtrusive as possible, with just eight tracking permits issued per troop per day. 

The day starts at the National Park headquarters in Kinigi early in the morning, where you’ll be allocated a family group and briefed on protocols and rules. Which family you visit will be decided by your fitness levels: hikes take anything from 30 minutes to six hours, with altitude varying between 2,500m and 4,000m (there are porters to help with backpacks and camera equipment). You can also choose to pay homage at the tomb of Dian Fossey which is a 30-minute drive from the park headquarters followed by a two- or three-hour hike through the forest, at 3,000m.

As well as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, conservation organisations currently working in Rwanda include The Gorilla Organisation, International Gorilla Conservation Organisation, Gorilla Doctors, and Wildlife Conservation Society. A full 10% of the revenue generated by gorilla permits goes towards local communities, for schools, health centres, and roads, and a compensation fund also covers local farmers for any damage to their crops by gorillas. Gorilla tracking is a fantastic source of employment for many Rwandans, including rangers, trackers, porters, drivers, and lodge staff.

When to go

It’s possible to trek to see the mountain gorillas all year round, but the best times are during the long dry season from June to September or the short dry season from mid-December to early-February when hiking conditions are best.

You can expect daytime temperatures of about 20°C at this altitude, humidity, and possibly mist or rain. Trekkers are advised to wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers and gardening gloves so they can grab plants and branches for support. It’s very important to book well in advance, as there are only 96 permits available each day for the entire country.

Each September, the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is a particularly lovely time to come and see the gorillas. The ceremony itself features music and dancing, as well as talks about the great progress Rwanda has made in gorilla conservation, and also the challenges that remain. There are guided tours prior to the ceremony when you can meet National Park staff and conservationists and take part in cultural events.

Interesting facts

What to do

Bear in mind that the gorillas have been monitored by experts and ‘habituated’ to human activity over a period of up to two years before tourists are taken to see them, so they are not frightened by the sudden presence of strangers arriving on their patch. But you must behave submissively, lowering your head and remaining very quiet.

Count on hiking for an average of two to three hours. Don’t worry about your age or fitness level – gorilla trekking is accessible with a moderate level of fitness, and the guides make sure that regular breaks are taken.

Think about spending two to three days in Volcanoes National Park, to see other wildlife including monkeys and birds, to hike in other areas of it, away from the gorillas, and to enjoy other outdoor activities including canoeing and mountain biking.

After your trek, have a relaxing break just an hour from Volcanoes National Park at Lake Kivu. Here you can expect mist-shrouded mountains, kayaking, and the former colonial beach resort of Rubavu, with its sandy beach and lovely old mansions, some now turned into bars serving sundowners.

From Rubavu you might like to follow part of the Congo Nile Trail leading south to Rusizi, on foot or by bike, passing farming terraces, small villages and banana plantations, and seeing some of the country’s everyday life.

What to eat

Packed lunches while trekking, which will be provided by guides, along with water, and carried by porters. Depending on how long it takes you to track your gorilla group, you may end up having lunch when you come back down.

Global and sometimes local dishes using regional produce are served at lodges and hotels in the Volcanoes National Park. Most places will serve three-course meals at lunch and dinner, along with wine, cocktails, and spirits.

Fish dishes, especially tilapia, from lakes including Nyarakigugu in the Volcanoes National Park, are usually served whole - pan-fried or grilled. Other common ingredients in Rwandan dishes are bananas, plantains, sweet potatoes, and beans.

Umufa, a traditional soup of vegetables and beans, served at Singita Kwitonda, a luxury lodge with its own plant nursery and vegetable garden supplying daily produce and also helping to rehabilitate species that are endemic to Rwanda.

Local dishes such as agatogo stew and bean-based ibishyimbo are elevated at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, where local chef Djafari likes to be inventive with produce including plantain, dodo (amaranth), baby aubergine, sweet potato, epinari (spinach), taro root, and cassava.

Where to stay