The 5 Best Places to Visit in East Africa for Game Viewing

Just saying the phrase “East Africa Safari Destinations” causes travel enthusiasts to get a serious case of wanderlust. And rightly so, East Africa is home to some of the best holiday destinations in East Africa including the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. Other popular African safari destinations in East Africa include Bwindi National Park, Diani beach, Amboseli National Park, Mt Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar beaches. What do these destinations offer, and when is the best time to explore them? In this article, James Gatheru, the safari director for Ajkenyasafaris.com, shares all you need to know for a thrilling African safari to these destinations.

1. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Masai Mara is among East Africa’s most rewarding travel destinations, and there are good reasons for that. It is a place you can travel all-year-round to view wildlife, with the peak season being between June to October.

The reserve has won many awards, with the most prestigious one being named Africa’s Leading National Park from 2013-2018. You can view the Big Five in one day when you visit Masai Mara.

Top Highlights of a Safari in the Mara:

• Hot Air Balloon: A balloon safari in the Mara is an incredible way to see the stunning ecosystem of Mara in the early morning hours. The ride takes about 1½ hours and allows you to view the savannah, rivers, and wildlife from the sky. It always ends with a champagne breakfast in the bush.
• Game Drive: Game drives are the attraction of Masai Mara, and they take you out to look for iconic animals, like elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, zebras, cheetahs, and rhinos. You can experience a morning game drive, an afternoon one, or even a night adventure. 
• Great Migration: This annual event sees over 1.8 million wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra cross the deadly Masai Mara from Serengeti. The event occurs between the end of June and early October.
• Cultural Visit: You can also visit the Maasai Community to learn about their culture and buy some souvenirs. The cultural visit can also include walking safari, sundowners, evening bush dinner, and birdwatching.

Hint: English and Swahili are the most spoken language in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. So, if you are traveling to East Africa from countries such as India, Italy, Spain, or other non-English speaking countries, you will need to hire a language translator. Also, most local agencies offer multi-lingual tour guides. For example, the Indian based Masaimarasafari.in, which focuses on helping Indians explore the Masai Mara, offers guides who speak Indian languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and more.

2. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Serengeti is another leading safari destination in East Africa with excellent wildlife viewing, birdwatching, hot air balloon ride, and the great migration. You can visit this park all-year-round, but if you want to witness the movement, the best time is from June to August. 

The Mara was named Africa’s Leading National Park in 2019 and it has won other awards. The plains host the Big Five as well as hundreds of other animals and bird species.

Top Highlights of Serengeti:

• Game Drive: Game drives in the Serengeti let you see the hunter-prey action during the day. They also allow you to catch a glimpse of various bird species, including fresh eaters.
• Serengeti Visitor Center: The center provides walking paths where you can get information about the park. You get everything from the park history to the ecosystem in this center.  
• Moru Kopjes: These are small islets or miniature mountains in the plains of Serengeti. Vines, trees, and bushes rise out of these mountains and locks and provide animals with drinking ponds.
• Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride: The ride allows you to see Serengeti from the sky and witness night animals going back to their resting quarters.
• Observe the Migration: You can also catch the great migration from the Tanzania side, although it is not as spectacular as when the animal crosses river Mara.

Caption: Wildebeest Crossing River Mara, Kenya.

3. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable is a rainforest that extends over steep ridges in Uganda’s Virunga Volcanoes mountain range. This UNESCO World Heritage Site shelter’s about half of the total gorilla’s population in the world. 

The forest is famous for its biodiversity, with over 100 species of ferns and 160 species of trees. There are also thousands of butterflies and birds in this forest.

The best time to visit Bwindi is between December to February and June to August.  Bwindi won the prestigious TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for earning 5-star by most travelers.

Top Highlights of Bwindi:

• Gorilla Tracking: The forest is known for its high concentration of gorilla, and that is why people visit this site.
• Other Primates: You can also see other primates like chimpanzees when tracking gorillas. There are also Red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoests’s monkeys, Blue monkeys, and De Brazza monkeys.
• Hiking: The forest has a lot of hiking paths that take you to the gorillas hiding places.
• Birdwatching: You also get to see over 347 species of birds.

4. Nairobi National Park, Kenya

The park is located to the south of Nairobi and is the only game reserve in the world that is close to a country’s capital. You are likely to see giraffe, zebras, lions, and rhinos, as well as over 400 bird species when you visit this site.

It ranks top among Africa’s most accessible game parks and reserves, and you can visit it from July to September. Note you can visit all these destinations 365 days a year because the weather is usually favorable. Top highlights of a Nairobi national park safari include:

• Spot 4/5 Big Fives: The park offers four or the big five, including rhinos, buffalos, leopards, and lions. It provides the most significant number of black rhinos in Kenya.
• David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: The conservation center is famous for its rhino and elephant orphanage. You can visit the site during the feeding hours of 11 am to 12 pm and get to interact with these animals.
• Giraffe Center: It is a center that protects the endangered Rothschild giraffes that opened in 1983. You can get close-up with giraffes, feed them, and learn all about conservation.
• Nairobi Museum: It is located a 10-minute drive from Nairobi National Park.

Caption: Rhinos in Nairobi National Park

5. Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar is the perfect place to relax after touring the various safari destinations in East Africa. It was voted as the World’s Leading Devine Destination in 2015 for its amazing beaches.

You can visit this island from June to October and December to February when the weather is dry and cool.

Top Highlights for Zanzibar

• Visit Stone Town: People have occupied this island for over 20,000 years, with the Stone Town being the center of all activities.
• Boat Ride: You can take a boat ride and enjoy the blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
• Visit Jozani Forest: The forest offers black and white monkeys with red tails.
• Beach Activities: You can engage in various beach activities like relaxing, beach volleyball, beach football, swimming, and others.

Bottom Line

There you have the best places to visit while in the East African region of this continent. You can enjoy all the continent has to offer by setting your feet in the above destinations.