Kenya & Tanzania

Kenya

Kenya has a coastline on the Indian Ocean, where it encompasses savannah, lakelands, the dramatic Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands (it’s also home to wildlife like lions, elephants and rhinos). From Nairobi, the capital, safaris visit the Maasai Mara Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, offering views of Tanzania’s 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro. Filling the country’s landscape, adding depth and resonance to Kenya’s age-old story, are some of Africa’s best-known peoples. The Maasai, the Samburu, the Turkana, the Swahili, the Kikuyu.

Places not to be missed:

• Nairobi National Park
• Mount Kenya
• Hell’s Gate National Park
• Lamu Island
• Tsavo National Park
• Lake Nakuru
• Masai Mara National Reserve

When: The best time to visit Kenya is during the dry season, from July to October. For safaris, the annual migrations happen during that time so wildlife spotting is at its best.

Stay: andBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, Angama Mara, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont the Norfolk, Giraffe Manor, Kenya Lemarti’s Camp, Sanctuary Olonana, Sweetwaters Tented Camp

Tanzania

Known for its vast wilderness areas, the Serengeti National Park is here, a safari mecca populated by the “big five” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), and Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa’s highest mountain. Offshore lie the tropical islands of Zanzibar, with Arabic influences, and Mafia, with a marine park home to whale sharks and coral reefs. Zanzibar, Serengeti, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, the Rift Valley, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Olduvai Gorge, are often referred to as “the Cradle of Humankind.”

Places not to be missed

• Going on a safari! There are many to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with the Arusha, Tarangire, or Ruaha safaris.
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area includes the massive Ngorongoro crater, formed by an extinct volcanic caldera. The wildlife preserve around the crater has lions, wildebeests, hippopotamuses, elephants, antelopes, zebras, and even endangered black rhinos.
• Visit Serengeti National Park, perhaps the most famous wildlife preserve in the world.
• Scale Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and one of the most rewarding hikes in the world.

When: FYI – There are two rainy seasons that you need to account for when making Tanzania Game Parks travel plans: between October and December, and between March and May.

Stay: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti (watch elephants at the watering hole from the back deck!), andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp, Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Sayari Camp, Utengule Coffee Lodge