Road notes from East Africa
Permits, park fees, seasons and road conditions for driving yourself through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
Uganda Kidepo Valley National Park: Africa's Most Remote Wild Safari
Kidepo Valley National Park — 1,442 sq km of arid savanna, volcanic hillscape, and semi-desert in Uganda's extreme northeast, 700 km from Kampala on the South…
Tanzania Mount Kilimanjaro Gear Guide: What to Pack for Each Route
The right gear for a Kilimanjaro climb is the single most important variable in summit success — underprepared trekkers fail the summit attempt from cold and…
East Africa Conservation Success Stories: What Is Working
Against a global backdrop of biodiversity loss and wildlife population decline, East Africa has produced a notable set of genuine conservation success stories…
Kenya Nairobi National Park: Rhino, Lion and City Skyline in One Drive
Nairobi National Park — 117 sq km of open acacia grassland, riverine forest, and rocky gorge within 10 minutes' drive of Nairobi's city centre — is the…
Uganda Queen Elizabeth Park Kazinga Channel: The Best Boat Safari in East Africa
The Kazinga Channel — the 40 km natural waterway connecting Lake George (east) and Lake Edward (west) through the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park — is…
Rwanda Nyungwe Forest: Chimpanzee Trekking and the Canopy Walkway
Rwanda's Nyungwe Forest National Park — 1,019 sq km of ancient montane forest in southwest Rwanda, one of the oldest and most diverse tropical forests in…
Tanzania Selous Game Reserve: Boat Safari and Walking in Africa's Largest Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve — renamed Nyerere National Park in the northern sector (10,000 sq km) in 2019 while the southern section retains the Selous Game…
Kenya Lamu Island: Swahili Architecture, Dhow Sailing and the Old Town
Lamu Island — 70 km north of Malindi on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2001), and one of the best-preserved Swahili settlements in…
Uganda Rwenzori Mountains Trek Guide: Margherita Peak and Circuit Routes
The Rwenzori Mountains of western Uganda — the "Mountains of the Moon" described by Ptolemy in 150 AD as the source of the Nile, the third-highest mountain in…
Kenya Amboseli Self-Drive Guide: Gates, Routes and Kilimanjaro Photography
Amboseli National Park — 392 sq km at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in southern Kenya — offers a self-drive experience that is straightforward to navigate and…