East Africa boasts of its wealth of immersive and thrilling adventures offering tourists on African safari the opportunity to enjoy close interaction with nature. East Africa is a magical place, a region with an incredibly diverse natural endowment with breathtaking landscapes from mountains to distinctly lush African tropical rainforests, dry arid areas, and splendid savannas. Visit East Africa amidst Covid 19 and enjoy a variety of experiences from walking safaris, camping, big game safaris, primate adventures, cultural safaris to great migration experiences.
The Top 5 Experiences to do in East Africa amidst Covid 19
- The Great Wildebeest Migration- East Africa
If you are looking for an unusual wildlife encounter on an African safari, then a visit to East Africa has you sorted. The Great wildebeest migration is one of a kind wilderness experience and undoubtedly the top 5 experiences to do in East Africa amidst Covid 19, 2022. The wildebeest migration experience entirely lets you enjoy a magical encounter of a huge profusion of interesting mammal species where over 1.5 million wildebeest, thousands of zebras, Thompson gazelles move crossing the Mara River.
East Africa’s gigantic wildebeest migration takes place once a year and particularly in pristine savanna protected areas of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. Many have described wildebeest migration in several ways- as one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth and interestingly, it is recognized among the natural wonders of the world.
To enjoy the best of East Africa’s wildebeest migration experience, the perfect time to visit Masai Mara National Reserve or Serengeti National Park is during the dry months of the year that is from July, August to September when large herds of wildebeest cross the Mara River. If you are on an African safari and you wish to witness these mammal species give birth, then the best calving season is from January to February.
- Gorilla trekking
In the world, there are only 3 countries to visit for mountain gorilla trekking and all are located in Eastern Africa. They include Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the world’s remaining 1063 mountain gorillas all live. This is one of the lifetime experiences East Africa has to offer the world.
There are only 4 Parks in East Africa to visit for gorilla trekking with 2 in Uganda. While on a gorilla safari in Uganda, East Africa, the top places to consider visiting for mountain gorilla trekking include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park– these are found in the Southwestern side of the country. Trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda is done in already habituated families and there are presently 21 groups set for this purpose.
In Uganda mountain gorilla permits are pocket-friendly, each costing Foreign Non-Residents US$700, Foreign Residents US$600, and East Africa citizens UGX250,000 per person per day. Rwanda gorilla safaris are only available for East Africa safari holidaymakers to enjoy in Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri in the Northwestern part of the country. The lush Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest and smallest gorilla safari parks, established in 1925 and occupies an area of 160sq kms. Each gorilla permits in Rwanda or for Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri costs USD1500 per person per gorilla trek.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) also shelters a section of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas in her Virunga National Park. The Virunga National Park is undoubtedly the biggest of all the 4 gorilla trekking Parks, occupying up to 7800sq.km of land area and also established in 1925 making it a few oldest parks in Africa. D.R. Congo is also the most affordable gorilla safari destination with gorilla permits costing each gorilla trekker on Congo safari US$450. Unlike Uganda and Rwanda, D.R. Congo is still recovering from political instabilities and efforts have been put to restore peace and stability in this vast Central African state.
- Big 5 safari
The big five safaris are without doubt one of the top 5 experiences to do in East Africa. It is one reason most tourists confine into East Africa and Africa as a whole. There are several magical savanna safari parks offering amazing big five safaris in East Africa for you to see the Cape buffaloes, elephants, lions, rhinos, and leopards.
In Kenya, the best places worth visiting to enjoy the most of African big 5 safaris include Masai Mara National Reserve, Tsavo East, and West National Parks, Amboseli National Park, etc; Tanzania’s top destinations for big five safaris include Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Mkomaz National Park, Selous Game Reserve and more. In Uganda, most of the parks have 4 of the big five including buffaloes, leopards, lions, elephants and rhinos are available in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The best places to encounter the big five in Uganda include Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Amazingly, while on the big five guided or self-drive safari in East Africa, there is a chance to encounter the tree-climbing lions. These rare mammal species exist in Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park and in Uganda only within the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This makes East Africa such a distinct wildlife safari destination.
- Mountain Climbing
Mountaineering adventures in East Africa offer the most thrilling experiences as you conquer some of Africa’s tallest mountains. The best places in East Africa any enthusiastic climber or hiker should consider visiting include Mount Kilimanjaro 5895m, Tanzania’s top hiking destination. Adventure seekers should be ready to spend 5-8 days or more depending on the route to conquer the 5895m high elevation. Other hiking adventures you must not miss include Mount Kenya trekking, Climbing Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, Mount Meru, Virunga Volcanoes (Nyiragongo, Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Bisoke), Mount Elgon, and many more.
- Diving in Zanzibar/white water rafting at the Source of the Nile
East Africa is one distinct region with countless experiences and among the must-do adventures include diving at Zanzibar or white water rafting at the Source of the Nile in Uganda.
