Road notes from East Africa
Permits, park fees, seasons and road conditions for driving yourself through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
Tanzania Zanzibar Mafia Island: Whale Shark, Pristine Reef and No Crowds
Mafia Island — 520 sq km, 130 km south of Dar es Salaam in the Indian Ocean, the most southern of Tanzania's main islands (Zanzibar-Pemba-Mafia) — is the…
Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park Katwe Salt Lake and Crater Drive
The Katwe area of Queen Elizabeth National Park — the northwestern section of the park centred on Lake Katwe (an explosion crater lake famous for its salt…
East Africa Luxury Safari Under USD 500 per Night: What Is Possible
The East Africa luxury safari market has a significant tier of properties priced between USD $250–500/night per person full-board (all meals, game drives, and…
Uganda and Rwanda Visa Guide: eVisa, East Africa Tourist Visa and Border Entry
Navigating the visa requirements for an East Africa safari — a trip that may cover Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania in a single itinerary — requires…
Kenya Maasai Mara River Crossing: Photography Guide to the Great Migration
The wildebeest river crossing — 1.5 million wildebeest attempting to cross the Mara River from Tanzania's Serengeti into Kenya's Masai Mara (and returning…
Tanzania Ndutu Area: Calving Season, Cheetah and the Short Grass Plains
The Ndutu area — the southeastern Serengeti plains adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area boundary, centred on the Ndutu Soda Lake and the adjacent…
Uganda Jinja: Source of the Nile, White Water Rafting and Adventure Capital
Jinja — a town of 300,000 on the northern shore of Lake Victoria at the point where the Victoria Nile begins its 6,700 km journey to the Mediterranean Sea —…
Kenya Masai Mara North Conservancy: Exclusive Safari Beyond the Reserve
The Mara North Conservancy — 75,000 acres of Maasai-leased private land immediately north of the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of the first Masai Mara…
Tanzania Tarangire National Park Elephant Concentration: Dry Season Guide
Tarangire National Park — 2,850 sq km of mixed ecosystem in northern Tanzania between Arusha and Lake Manyara, centred on the Tarangire River — reaches its…
East Africa Packing List: What to Bring for a 14-Day Safari
A 14-day East Africa safari packing list must account for: the wide temperature range (from 40°C at Murchison Falls at noon to 5°C on a Bwindi gorilla trek…