Uganda is a landlocked country situated in East Africa. It’s one of the priority tourism destinations that any tourist should look up for. It’s bordered by D.R Congo – West, South Sudan – North, Kenya – East, Tanzania and Rwanda – South. Uganda has a population of about 44 million people and these are scattered in the many ethnic groups such as the Buganda, Bunyoro, Langi, Acholi, Iteso, Bakiga, Busoga, Samia, Karamojong, among many others.
These different tribal groups have distinct beautiful traditions and cultures that often spark excitement in tourists. Uganda’s capital city is Kampala, and the country also has other cities equally scattered across the different regions. Uganda is blessed to be crossed by the equator which factor has significant effects on the country’s climate.
Uganda generally has temperate equatorial conditions with the Northeast facing semi-arid conditions. It has the game wildlife such as the elephants, antelopes, buffalos, lions, zebras, giraffes, bushbuck, among others. There’s also hundreds of bird species such as the Ruwenzori batis, blue turaco, tropical boubou, eagles, herons, shoebills, among others, and some endemic species such as the Fox’s Weaver that can only be found in Uganda.
The fauna and flora which is composed of thousands of plant species are situated in Murchison Falls National Park – a home of Murchison Falls, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – known for the mountain gorillas, Queen Elizabeth National Park – known for the tree climbing lions, Mt. Elgon National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, among others. Uganda has Africa’s largest fresh water lake, Lake Victoria, also the source of the World’s longest river, River Nile.
Other major lakes include lakes Albert, Bunyonyi, Opeta, Wamala, Kyoga, George and Edward, among others. The river system is equally great with numerous of these joining the various lakes within the country. The major highlands include Mt. Rwenzori – snowcapped, and Uganda’s highest point, Mt. Elgon, Mt. Napak, Mt. Mufumbiro, among others. Uganda therefore, is a generally diverse tourism destination.
Tanzania is equally in the Africa Great Lakes region. The bordering countries are Uganda – North, Malawi and Mozambique – South, D.R Congo, Burundi, Rwanda – West, Indian ocean – East. Tanzania is majorly known for Mountain Kilimanjaro. Tanzania has a population 64 million citizens which makes it the largest populated country in the region. Tanzania’s vegetation is mainly made up of woodlands in the inland areas with large expanses of savannah. The coastal areas have coral reefs with their dominant coastal vegetation.
The country has over 100 tribes with the notable ones being Sukuma, Nyamwezi, Chaga, Ha, Bena, Gogo, Haya, Dholuo, Makonde, Nyaturu, Maasai, Jita, and Pare. These demographics therefore provide tourists with a large stock of culture to explore. Tanzania is the 13’th largest country in Africa and has two of Africa’s known largest lakes i.e., Lake Victoria, which is also Africa’s largest fresh water lake, and Lake Tanganyika, which is the deepest lake in Africa. There are equally more lakes in Tanzania namely Lakes Nyasa, Burigi, Rukwa, Natron, Manyara, Eyasi, Chala, Ambussel, Babati, Jipe, and Balangida. The major rivers open to tourism are rivers Rufiji, Pangani, Malagarasi, Wami, Ruaha, Zambezi, and Ruvuma.
Tanzania’s large mammal species makes up 20% of Africa’s total such species population. These are spread over in game reserves, marine parks, national park, and conservation areas such as Katavi National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Kitulo National Park, Serengeti National Park, Mkomazi National Park, Arusha National Park, Gombe Stream National Park, Mikumi National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Saanane Island National Park, Mahale Mountains National Park, Ruaha National Park, Saadani National Park, Rubondo Island National Park, among others.
The fauna here include African bush elephant, Burchell’s zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, hartebeest, woodland dormouse, kipunji, Thomas’s bushbaby, Prince Demidoff’s bushbaby, gerenuk, common warthog, pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel, mbarapi, wildebeests, North African crested porcupine, lions, jackals, spotted hyenas, leopards, baboons, monkeys, and many more.
The Republic is Kenya is one of the best tourist destinations in Africa. It’s situated on a land covering 224,081 square miles. It has an estimation of over 48 million citizens and has a fast-growing population. The country’s capital city is Nairobi. The country’s climate ranges from a semi-arid region in the Northern parts, to temperate inland, while the coastal areas are tropical because of the rainfall totals.
Maasai Mara is the best-known area for most tourists in Kenya. The wildebeests and many other bovid that are known for their migratory tendencies. The Mara River always sees migration of the wildebeests in millions of numbers and over 200,000 zebras. The Big Five animals of the African continent are in steady presence. Elephants, Leopards, Lions, Rhinos, and Buffalos are all available in the Maasai Mara.
Months of June to September are the major months in which the animals migrate annually from the Serengeti of Tanzania. The migration attracts hundreds of tourists to engage in the game experience. Some of Kenya’s top tourist destinations include Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba National Reserves, Tsavo National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery, Lamu Island, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru National Park, Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Hell’s Gate National Park, Mount Kenya National Park, and coastal towns of Mombasa, Malindi, and Kenya’s capital city Nairobi.
Rwanda, just like Burundi, is one of Africa’s smallest countries. The country has an expanse of rolling hills which led the country into being regarded as the “land of a thousand hills.” Rwanda is majorly made of the Tutsi, Twa, and Hutu. This cultural diversity is so unique for tourists, ranging from the language, tradition, and physical attachments of all form. It’s bordered by Uganda – North, D.R Congo – West, Tanzania – East, and Burundi – South. There are over 13 million people living in Rwanda which makes it one of the fast growing populations in Africa. Rwanda’s vegetation is composed of tropical forest cover on the Western frontier, and alpine vegetation across the country.
Rwanda is blessed to have the greatest number of the Virunga volcanoes. Of the 8 volcanoes, Rwanda has 5 volcanoes, a fact that makes it a top priority tourism destination. Tourists get to view and hike mountains Gahinga, Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Muhabura, and Karisimbi. Rwanda is one of the main destinations in Africa of the gorilla trekking done in the Volcanoes National Park. It also has the game wildlife species in its Akagera National Park to which tourists also get to enjoy the hot air balloon safaris.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is well known for the many primate species such as the golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, and chimpanzees. There’s also much to explore within the country such as the many centers scattered across the country established to commemorate the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Rwanda isn’t short of bird species too which are in hundreds of their numbers. The drainage system in Rwanda is rich and tourists for example get to enjoy some boat cruises on Lakes Kivu, Burera, Ruhondo, among others.
It’s landlocked and found in East Africa. It’s equally part of the Great Lakes region and has a fair touch with the Great East Africa rift valley. It has neighbors for Rwanda – North, Tanzania – East, Democratic Republic of the Congo – West, and Lake Tanganyika – Southern part. Bujumbura is its capital city.
The country is mainly composed of the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa people. It covers 10,747 square miles and is one of the smallest countries in Africa. The country’s population is estimated at 12 million people. Burundi is blessed with a rich vegetation cover since it’s situated within the Albertine Rift montane forests.
The country also has a touch of the Central Zambezian miombo woodlands and also the Victoria basin eco-region. Burundi. The country’s major lakes are Rwihinda, Cohoha, Rweru, Tanganyika, Katshamirinda, Kanzigiri, and Tshohoha. Burundi has some rivers to such as Akanyaru, Ruzizi, Ruvubu, Ruvyironza, and Kagera. The country has destinations that any tourist is advised to visit while in the country such as Mount Heha, Ruvubu National Park, Livingstone – Stanley Monument, Kibira National Park, Rusizi National Park, Muyinga, Gitega, Bururi, and Burundi’s capital Bujumbura.
It was formerly known as Zaire, and is located in Central Africa. It’s bordered by Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda – East, Zambia – Southeast, South Sudan – Northeast, Angola – Southwest, Central African Republic – North, South Atlantic Ocean – West, and Congo Republic – Northwest. The country is the 2’nd largest on the African continent. Kinshasa is the country’s capital city. D.R Congo has a population of over 109 million people and for the combined East Africa tours, it has the largest population.
D.R Congo has much of its 905,567 square miles covered with thick Equatorial rainforests. Tourists should never miss the two subspecies of the gorillas that can only be situated in the Virunga region. They are situated in Congo too i.e. Eastern lowland gorillas, and the mountain gorillas.
These gorillas, and fauna such as bonobos, chimpanzees, the Okapi, African forest elephants, among others can be found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Garumba National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Virunga National Park, and Salonga National Park. The country’s biodiversity is so rich, and equally balanced compared to many of the African countries. The flora is also composed of many species’ numbers in thousands inclusive of the hard wood trees, and the ferns.
D.R Congo has mountains such as the active volcano Mt. Nyiragongo, and other extinct ones such as Mountains Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Mikeno, Nyamuragira, and Karisimbi. The drainage system in D.R Congo is also fascinating especially the great River Congo.
Besides the drainage and vegetation, Democratic Republic of the Congo has a diverse cultural presence. Tourists are able to explore cultures of over 200 ethnic groups such as the Mongo, Mangbetu-Azonde, Tshiluba, Kikongo, Luba, Lingala, and Kongo.
Some of these countries are crossed by the equator (such as Kenya, Uganda, and D.R Congo), or close to the equator (such as Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi). This has an effect on climate of the region. The best travel time for all these countries is the dry seasons which are majorly twice in a year i.e., June to September, and another in December to February.
We have proper understanding of the local context of Safaris in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC and Burundi which helps us secure pleasant, safe, and memorable experiences for our clients from the time they arrive into the country, to the time they depart.
