East Africa is one of the most diverse and majestic regions of Africa. We travel to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia. Scroll down to learn more about each country's unique offerings. For longer trips, we love to combine the various countries. And nothing ends a safari quite like a trip to the beaches of Zanzibar, Lamu, Mozambique or the Seychelles.
Kenya
What We Love
• This is our home base in Africa, so we're rather partial. It offers everything you'd ever want from an African safari: animals a-plenty, ancient tribes, diverse country-side, and a range of accommodations to meet different budgets.
• We have 50 years of history with our ground operators, which is to say we can offer insider access par excellence to get you up close and personal with the peoples and animals of this truly magical land.
Things To Do
• See the "Big 5" Game Animals: Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino.
• Visit calves at the elephant orphanage.
• Enjoy a traditional sundowner on "Pride Rock"
• Hot air balloon over the Maasai Mara
• Take day trip to the Chalbi Desert
• Fish and play on Lake Victoria
• Learn ancient hunting techniques from the Maasai.
• Learn or volunteer with a conservation, education, or development project. Read more about the Anne K. Taylor Fund here.
Types of Safaris
Mobile Tented Camp: There are many ways to see Kenya, and one of the finest ways is by traveling in a classic mobile-tented camp, like the explorers of old, to a variety of Kenya’s nature reserves and private ranches.
Private Luxury Bush Home: Experience Kenya using a private home as base. These homes offer the finest in service and accommodations to be found in Africa. They are all creatively built with with local materials and fit in wonderfully with the surrounding environment. Many of these places are owner run and managed and are situated on or near tribal lands allowing one to experience the local African people in their everyday lives. They are also located close to local game preserves and parks and often have horses, camels and guided walks into the unique countryside.
Walking, Horseback, and Camel Safaris: Our specialists can arrange walking, horseback or camel treks which give a more immersive experience in the bush. You don't cover as much ground or see as much game as you would in a normal game drive, but when you do, the experience will last a lifetime.
While You're in the Neighborhood
• Visit one or several of the nearby countries: Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Egypt.
• Add some beach time on the coast at Lamu or visit the stunning islands of Zanzibar, Seychelles or Mozambique.
Tanzania
What We Love
A very old elephant
• Tanzania is a wilderness-lover's paradise with some of the world's last great intact ecosystems.
• Front row seats to the wildebeest migration, the famous tree-climbing lions and the view over the Ngorongoro Crater.
• The various preserves cover so much territory, one would need at least three weeks to see them all.
Things To Do
Hadza bushmen starting a fire
• We enjoy the less-visited parks like Ruaha and Selous, home to the last packs of wild dog in Africa as well as numerous other animals and bird species.
• Camp at a research site where troops of chimpanzees can be seen at close range. (This camp is extremely remote)
• Visit the Hadza Bushmen. The Hadza are probably the most traditional and "primitive" tribe in all of Africa. Join them on a hunting expedition, or tag alone as they follow the Honeyguide Bird in search of honey.
• Climb Mount Kilimanjaro. While not technical, at 19,430 feet (5,896 meters) weather and altitude can pose dangerous conditions. You only want to go with the very best guides. (We also know the less traveled route up the mountain to avoid crowds.)
Types of Safaris
Mobile Tented Camp: Perhaps the finest way to travel in Tanzania is with a mobile-tented camp and private guide. This works very well for families or multiple family groups and allows one to visit very remote, untouched areas.
Flying Safari: For smaller private groups, a flying safari between small camps in different parks is the best way to travel, as the distances in Tanzania are vast.
Walking Safari: For the more adventurous or veteran traveler to Africa, a walking safari with a professional guide in the Selous or Ruaha is a rare experience. The Selous Game Reserve lies in the southeastern region of Tanzania and covers almost 54,000 square kilometers. There are a limited number of guides that still offer this type of trip where one has a chance to learn animal signs and bird calls.
The walking safari puts you directly in the bush. You tend to see less game than from a vehicle, but when you do, it will be an experience you will never forget.
While You're in the Neighborhood
• Zanzibar is off the coast of Tanzania. We recommend adding this to the end of the trip. Zanzibar once had a major part in the spice trade and is still the world's top producer of cloves with over 3 million clove trees on the island. Wrap up your Tanzanian travels with a few days lounging on white sand beaches, exploring the ancient streets and enjoying some very fresh seafood.
Uganda
What We Love
• Tracking gorillas in the Bwindi impenetrable forest
• Identifying hundreds of species of rare birds.
• In addition to lush tropical-forested vegetation, there are also beautiful open grasslands such as Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Experience nature virtually untouched by humans.
What To Do
• The forests of Uganda are one of the few places in Africa where one can track and see chimpanzees in the wild, and if lucky, 8 other species of primates, making this one of the most diverse primate destinations in the world.
• Float the Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls.
Types of Safaris
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A good guide is of utmost importance to point out the birds, primates and other small special forest creatures. We can help one choose a suitable itinerary and arrange for a professional guide to escort the trip.
Forest Islands of Gondar
What We Love
• While Ethiopia doesn't conjure particularly positive images in the Western mind, it actually has some of the most unique and breathtaking country we've ever seen.
• From the Rift Valley up to the UNESCO designated World Heritage Site in the Ethiopian highlands, there are numerous historical sites to be visited as well as an incredible diversity of cultures along the Blue Nile and Omo Rivers.
• Numerous endemic species of mammals such as the Simien wolf and Walia ibex and 29 species of endemic birds found nowhere else in Africa.
• The people of Ethiopia are incredibly diverse from the devout Orthodox Christians that still read ancient manuscripts in 12th century churches to the Mursi who adorn themselves with enormous clay lip plates and the nomadic Karo who paint their bodies with clay.
What To Do
• The Omo River valley is a spectacular area to undertake river expeditions of varying lengths to visit the people from the Dorze, Konso, Tsemaye, Mursi, Bure, Karo and other tribes with different languages and customs.
• Trekking into the highlands to visit some of the earliest Christian sites like the 12th Century Orthodox churches hewn from rock at Lalibela.
• Visit the obelisks of the Axumite Kingdom and the forested island monasteries of Gondar.
• The Omo River, which drains into Lake Turkana in Kenya, contains hidden falls, hot springs, side valleys, hippos and other wildlife.
While You're in the Neighborhood
A trip to Ethiopia combines well with the historical sites along the lower stretches of the Nile River in Egypt. Many people will choose to create a combined trip to Kenya to see the plentiful plains game and beautiful Maasai people of the Masai Mara. A trip to Kenya should also include a few days at the coast to see the interesting Swahili culture and architecture and to unwind and relax on beautiful beaches. For a complete contrast to Ethiopia, a trip to Uganda will reveal lush plains and deep green tropical forests with primates and gorillas.