East Africa is more booming in wildlife safaris as far as tourism in Africa because of its transiting and gazetted destinations which are more equipped with different wildlife primates and species to experience.
Major countries with top destinations to visit in Eastern part of Africa include Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania which are nearly bordering each other in different directions.
Some of the wildlife primates and species in East Africa include the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Golden Monkeys, Wilde beast, Impala, Zebras, Giraffe, African Big Fives( African Elephant, Leopards, Lions, Cape Buffaloes and Rhinoceros), Black & White Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Vervets, L’Honest Monkeys, Red tailed Monkeys, Antelopes, Elands, Oribi, Topi, Hyenas, Bush babies, different bird species like rare shoe bill, crested crane, ostrich, African Jacana, Francolin, Blue Turaco, Reptiles like Black Cobra, Crocodiles, Python, Lizards, aquatic species like Hippopotamus and more. Below are your favourite destinations to go in East Africa for wildlife safaris.
Kidepo Valley National Park.
This is rich via wildlife primates and Species including Giraffe, Zebras, Chimpanzees but rarely seen.
African Big Fives ( African Elephant, leopards, Lions, Cape Buffaloes and Rhinoceros are only found in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary), Impala, Elands, Topi, Oribi, Antelopes, Bush babies, Monkeys (Black & White, Vervets, Blue, Red tailed and baboons), Hyenas, different bird species which include rare shoe bill in swampy areas, blue turaco, Francolin, Crested crane and more, Reptiles include Black cobra, python, Gabon vipers, Lizards and more, mammals include chameleon and more.
This popular destination is located in the North Eastern part of Uganda characterized with tropical rain forest, flat and hilly areas, Savannah grasslands and some parts covered with Swamps.
You can better reach this destination by use of road transport means via Kampala- Masindi – Gulu highway or arrange private charters from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip up to Apoka airstrip. The only way sighting these wildlife primates and species is by doing a game drive around the park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Popularly located in the South western part of Uganda is gazetted with Several Wildlife Primates and Species which include Chimpanzees found in Kyambura gorge side, Elephants, Leopards, Buffaloes, Tree climbing Lions in the Ishasha sector, Antelopes, kobs, Elands, Cheetahs, Aquatic species which include Hippopotamus, Crocodiles and different bird species.
This Park is characterized with tropical rain forest, Savannah grasslands, plus some parts covered with Swampy areas near the Kazinga Channel.
This Park is among the best destination to visit while on your safari in Uganda and it is ranked to be good sites for bird watching with different bird species sighted in its different sectors named Maramagambo forest, Kazinga Channel, Ishasha sector popularly known for the tree climbing lions and the Kyambura gorge where Chimps are mostly found but rarely seen during some seasons.
The only way of sighting these Primates and Species is being doing a game drive around the park, launch cruise for sighting of different aquatic species and for birders it advised that you either go in the morning or evening time.
Murchison Falls National Park.
When it comes to Uganda’s tourism this park “Murchison Falls National Park” has done a great role in putting Uganda on board as far as tourism in Africa with its fascinating Wildlife.
From Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards, Giraffe, Antelopes, Cheetah, Chimpanzees, aquatic species like Hippopotamus, Crocodiles, different bird species to the great Murchison Falls.
It is located in the North western part of Uganda inclusive of the Albertine Rift Valley; you can better access it via Kampala- Masindi- Gulu high way with a stopover in Nakitoma – Nakasongola for the White Rhinoceros in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
It is mostly characterized with tropical rain forest, Savannah grasslands and some parts covered with Swamps.
The popularly done activities in Murchison Falls National Park include game drive around the Park, launch trip to bottom of falls, hiking to top of falls, Sport fishing, White Water Rafting and bird watching.
Masai Mara National Reserve.
Hoping of Visiting Kenya for a discoverable wildlife safari, Masai Mara National Reserve is the right place and must go destination, it is strategically located in the South Western part of Kenya in Narok County in contiguous Mara region with Serengeti National Park.
This reserve was named in honor of the Maasai people which is an ethical tribe in Kenya. It is globally famous for its exceptional population of lions, leopards and cheetahs, and the annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and wildebeest to and from Serengeti National Park every year from July to October, known as the Great Migration.
Masai Mara National reserve was originally established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary and covered only 520 square kilometers of the current area, including the Mara Triangle.
This area was extended to the east in 1961 to cover 1,821 km2 and converted to a game reserve. Narok County Council took over management of the reserve at this time.
Part of the reserve was given National Reserve status in 1974, and the remaining area of 159 km2 was returned to local communities. Hippopotami and crocodiles are found in large groups in the Mara and Talek rivers.
Leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and bat-eared foxes can also be found in the reserve. You can better sight all of these Primates and Species while on a long game drive around flat and hilly areas of the Park.
Serengeti National Park.
Want to explore Tanzania’s Wildlife this is your popular destination to visit; it is famous for its annual migration of over 1.5 million white-bearded wildebeest and 250,000 zebra and for its numerous Nile crocodile and honey badger.
Maasai people were grazing their livestock in the open plains of eastern Mara Region, which they named “endless plains”, for around 200 years when the first European explorer, Austrian Oscar Baumann, visited the area in 1892.
The name “Serengeti” is an approximation of the word used by the Maasai to describe the area, siringet, which means “the place where the land runs on forever”.
This park covers 14,750 square kilometers of grassland plains, savanna, Riverine forest, and woodlands; it lies in northwestern Tanzania, bordered to the north by the Kenyan border, where it is continuous with the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
To the southeast of the park is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, to the southwest lies Maswa Game Reserve, to the west are the Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves, and to the northeast & east lies the Loliondo Game Control Area.
Together, these areas form the larger Serengeti ecosystem. 200,000 zebra, half a million Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, and tens of thousands of topi and Coke’s hartebeest.
Masai giraffe, water buck, impala, warthog and hippo are also abundant. Some rarely seen species of antelope are also present in Serengeti National Park, such as common eland, klipspringer, roan antelope, bush buck, lesser kudu, fringe-eared oryx, dik dik and the African Big Fives (Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes and Rhinoceros).
Serengeti National Park is rated to be one of the best birds watching sites in Africa with over 500 different bird species which include Masai ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustards, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground horn bill, crowned cranes, marabou storks, yellow-billed stork, lesser flamingo, martial eagles, lovebirds, oxpeckers, and many species of vultures.
Reptiles in Serengeti National Park include Nile crocodile, leopard tortoise, serrated hinged terrapin, rainbow agama, Nile monitor, chameleons, African python, black mamba, black-necked spitting cobra, puff adder.
The only way you can sight all these Wildlife Primates and Species is by doing a game drive around the park.
