Road notes from East Africa
Permits, park fees, seasons and road conditions for driving yourself through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
Uganda Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Volcanoes, Gorillas and Golden Monkeys
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda's smallest national park — just 33.7 sq km on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes in southwestern Uganda, sharing the…
Kenya Chyulu Hills and Tsavo West: The Volcanic Wilderness Safari
The Chyulu Hills in southern Kenya — a range of 2,188m volcanic cones less than 500 years old, still geologically active, and porous enough to generate the…
Tanzania Ngorongoro Crater: Practical Tips for Getting the Best Experience
The Ngorongoro Crater receives approximately 400,000 visitors annually — one of Africa's most visited wildlife destinations. Despite the visitor numbers, the…
Kenya Samburu Special Five: Complete Wildlife Guide to Northern Kenya
Kenya's Samburu Special Five are five wildlife species found in northern Kenya's semi-arid zone but absent from the country's southern safari parks. These…
Rwanda vs Kenya Gorilla Trekking: Detailed Comparison
The gorilla trekking comparison between Rwanda and Uganda is East Africa safari's most frequently asked question, and one with genuinely important practical…
Tanzania Self-Drive: Arusha to Moshi and Kilimanjaro National Park Day Trip
The 90 km drive from Arusha to Moshi on the A23 highway, with a detour into the Kilimanjaro National Park forest at Marangu gate, makes an excellent…
Uganda Fort Portal: Gateway to Kibale, Rwenzori Mountains and Crater Lakes
Fort Portal in western Uganda is one of East Africa's most beautifully positioned towns — a colonial-era administrative centre at 1,540m altitude on a ridge…
Masai Mara Private Conservancies: Olare Motorogi, Mara North and Off-Road Driving
The private conservancies surrounding the Masai Mara National Reserve offer a qualitatively different safari experience from the main reserve — off-road…
Practical Money Guide for East Africa Safari: Currency, ATMs and Tipping
Managing money across a multi-country East Africa self-drive safari requires understanding four different currencies, variable ATM availability in remote…
Tanzania Selous Game Reserve: Africa's Largest Wildlife Reserve by Boat Safari
The Selous Game Reserve (now partially reclassified as Nyerere National Park) in southern Tanzania is the largest wildlife reserve in Africa — 54,600 sq km of…