“When is the best time to go to East Africa?” is a question we get asked a lot.
Thanks to the size and unique areas in East Africa this means that it is a year round destination. Here we highlight the best time to visit certain areas.
Best times to visit Tanzania:
Jul-Aug: During this time, the weather is cool. Dry season parks, like Tarangire, are at their prime. This is the best time to visit the Serengeti because during the height of the dry season, almost all the animals will go away on their own holiday in Kenya’s Masai Mara.
June- October is great for Zanzibar as the temperature is around 28 degrees.
December to mid March is the calving season in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater which is has amazing game viewing.
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Best times to visit Kenya:
Jul-Aug: During this time the migration crosses the Mara River where the animals stay in the Masai Mara until November (short rain season) before heading south back into the Serengeti.
Jan–Feb: Most people find the hot, dry weather during this time the most pleasant in comparison to the rest of the year’s weather. This is also the best time for bird watching, as birds in huge numbers flock to the lakes. Lake Nakuru is a hit with the flamingos.
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Best times to go to Uganda:
June– Sept: This is a very dry period. April to October brings the rains which isn’t ideal.
Related article: About.com
Here is another good question: Why travel to East Africa?
If you’re looking to get as close to Africa as possible, then East Africa is the place to go. Offering gritty camping adventures, genuine experiences with fauna, locals and their cultures, a voyage across East Africa will completely immerse you in the spirit of ‘real’ Africa.
East Africa is a destination that allows travellers to tick off the ‘must-see’ tourist boxes of game viewing in Africa, but also offers a wide variety of non-commercialised travel experiences. When touring East Africa, you will have the chance to properly interact with the Masai cultures and instead of being targeted as a tourist and being pushed into purchasing things at local markets, you can simply enjoy a stroll through the village, as well as the leisure of experiencing towns as locals would.
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Top East African Safari Tours:
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Tour Length 22 days Group Size Max 20 Starts & Ends Starts: Livingstone Ends: Nairobi Countries Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya Overview Three weeks, five countries, one adventure. This thrilling overland tour is your ticket to Africa’s most spectacular highlights. Feeling the heart-pounding thunder of Victoria Falls, the greatness of Lake Malawi, and the suspense of a nocturnal safari in the Serengeti, are all part of the itinerary. Top it off with three days of horizontal me-time on the paradise beaches of Zanzibar and now you’re really living. Price from
Original price was: R64,750.R51,800Current price is: R51,800.
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Tour Length 13 days Group Size Max 16 Starts & Ends Starts: Nairobi Ends: Dar es Salaam Countries Kenya, Tanzania Overview With showpiece attractions by the likes of the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Mount Kilimanjaro, East Africa is story-book Africa. This whirlwind adventure sees you living out your wildest dreams with open-top game drives through vast plains and eye-opening Masaai village tours. After getting your fill of wildlife and local living, dust off your boots and soak up the African sun on the powdery-white beaches of Zanzibar. Now this is a dream come true. - Price Beat Guaranteed
- 10% early bird discount (6 months or more)
Price from
R75,100
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Tour Length 12 days Group Size Max 16 Starts & Ends Starts: Nairobi Ends: Nairobi Countries Kenya, Tanzania Overview Nothing can compare to encountering the legendary wildlife of the Serengeti and Masai Mara in the flesh. That’s why we’ve dedicated 12 full days to exploring this iconic safari circuit. Traverse incredible national parks where golden grasslands stretch onto the ends of the earth, watch wildebeest kick up the rich African dust as they migrate in their millions, and venture off track to isolated regions to meet local tribes world apart. The road is as diverse as it is unpredictable, so be prepared for adventure. Your tour requires participation from all group members. This entails assisting with the food preparation, washing of dishes, keeping the truck clean and the setting up the camp. Please keep in mind that flexibility and an open mind is needed on the trip. All guides are registered with the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). Price from
R58,560
This is not to say that Southern Africa is the wrong choice, because it most certainly isn’t – it’s just not as ‘rough’ as East Africa. Some might prefer home comforts or a little bit of luxury, no matter how small, on their tours, whereas others would rather embark on a more authentic experience of Africa –which is where the East African tours come into play.
As beautiful and fascinating as Southern Africa is, some travellers would, instead of coming across an ATM at a National Park, opt for journeying on bumpy gravel roads, waving at the friendly locals, exploring local markets, and ‘roughing it’ in terms of camping. What makes East Africa really great though, is that you’ll still be able to end off your days with fantastic game viewing and gorgeous sunsets, because no matter where you travel in Africa, its beauty will always follow you.
The game viewing through East Africa is exquisite, and perfectly combines Africa’s top three national parks:Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Masai Mara National Reserve. From August through to September, the Masai Mara boasts the incredible wildebeest migration, and will be the busiest in regards to the amount of wildlife and game viewing action. The migration is simply phenomenal, consisting of almost 1.5 million wildebeest that traverse the landscapes along with thousands of zebra, antelope and big cats. Some travellers have even been lucky enough to spot both lion and cheetah kills on their first day in the park!
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Though the Mara will be the busiest, the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater lie adjacent to each other and are both wonderful year-round game-viewing destinations. The Ngorongoro was once an active volcano, but is now a caldera with its own unique eco-system. It contains a diverse range of plant life on the crater floor and rim, which attracts a variety of wildlife and bird species. On the crater floor you’ll find changes in scenery from dense forest to more arid savannahs, which draw in lion, zebra, antelope and other big cats. In the middle of the crater, there are small lakes surrounded by lush marshlands that are home to a wide diversity of birdlife, as well as hippo!
Visit East Africa for the safari of a lifetime:
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Tour Length 57 days Group Size Max 20 Starts & Ends Starts: Nairobi Ends: Cape Town Countries South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda Overview From open top safaris in the Masai Mara, to camping in the Serengeti, and gorilla trekking in Uganda, this is a wildlife odyssey like no other. Throw in a paradise island, dramatic canyons, and intimate village tours, and you’ve found yourself in a story book expedition that will change your life. Fifty-five days, nine countries, seven national parks, one continent. This is how you travel Africa. Price from
R174,300
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Tour Length 13 days Group Size Max 16 Starts & Ends Starts: Entebbe Ends: Entebbe Countries Uganda Overview Africa's tallest mountain range, the continent's largest lake, the world's longest river, the biggest living primates, and of course, the iconic Big Five - Uganda is home to colossal natural wonders. This 13-day expedition sees you hiking in misty forests to spot wild gorillas and the lesser-known sights of tree-climbing lions, exploring verdant waterways teeming with pods of hippo, and discovering a world apart as you encounter the region’s colourful cultures. 10% discount for departures in December 2024. For more information, please speak to your travel agent.
Price from
R50,480
Camping in East Africa is much more basic than in Southern Africa, adding to the authentic ‘rough’ experience. Though all campsites are well situated and have flushing toilets, there might be some places you visit that will be experiencing difficulties with their boilers or have a lot of tour groups at the same site, meaning that a long hot shower may not be available for you at the end of each day. If you still want that hot shower, though, advice is to shower upon arrival at the site, or the next morning – avoiding the peak hours of 7-9. In the end, roughing it through East Africa is a far better way to gain a more ‘hands on’ African experience with a group of like-minded travellers.
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