Not sure where to start? Choose by what matters most: the migration, gorillas, a beach, budget or a first African trip. Here is how.
Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions team, based in Uganda, to help you decide which East Africa destination first fits your priorities.
Choose your first destination by what matters most to you. None of these are wrong choices. They are simply best for different priorities, and naming yours at the start saves time.
See Tanzania vs Kenya, Uganda vs Rwanda and our complete Uganda guide.
If you have more than about two weeks, a multi-country trip is possible. Read whether three countries is realistic and the multi-country safari guide.
Tell us your priority, dates and group, and we will recommend where to start. See first-time safari planning.
Once you know where to start, two guides help with the order inside the trip: gorillas first or last, and the Rwanda Kenya Tanzania safari guide for trips that begin in Kigali.
Official park fees are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Kenya Wildlife Service, TANAPA and the Rwanda Development Board. We confirm the current fees for your dates in every quote.
Comparing countries? Our Uganda vs Kenya safari guide sets the two side by side.
Choosing a whole region first? See East Africa vs Southern Africa.
Late July to September is the best time for a four country safari across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. See the month by month table, the second window and the 2026/27 rain caveat.
Read the guide →Trek gorillas in both countries on one trip: what two permits cost, which Bwindi sector links to Rwanda, which direction to travel and how to protect a rest day between treks.
Read the guide →The East Africa tourist visa covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda for USD 100 and 90 days, but not Tanzania. Fees, first-entry rule, Kenya eTA question and the Tanzania eVisa, dated.
Read the guide →The fixed part of a four country safari cost: permits, park fees, visas and Tanzania insurance, added up for six routes, plus the ten lines to compare in any quote.
Read the guide →Should gorilla trekking come at the start or end of a long safari? Both sides, the tie-breakers, buffer nights and what to do if a trek is cancelled, with a five-step method to choose.
Read the guide →How to combine gorillas and the Great Migration in one trip: the months that overlap, Uganda or Rwanda, the Mara or Serengeti, and the nine nights you need.
Read the guide →Work out how many days a Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania safari needs: a nights-per-stop ledger, the transfer days you cannot skip, and what 10 to 21 days really give you.
Read the guide →East Africa safari prices per person per day, official park and permit fees in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, three worked budgets and what quotes leave out.
Read the guide →The Kenya eTA for safari guests: official USD 30 fee, about three working days to process, 90 days validity, who is exempt, transit rules and the open question for regional visa holders.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda Kenya Tanzania safari that starts in Kigali: route order, flights, the Mara to Serengeti link, entry rules and the gorilla permit.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda and Kenya safari: start in Kigali, trek once, fly to Nairobi, then the Mara. Flights, how to split your days and the entry rules for both countries.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Rwanda and Tanzania safari: one gorilla trek, RwandAir's three-day-a-week flight, the Serengeti by air or road, and Tanzania's eVisa and insurance rules.
Read the guide →How flights really work between safari countries: international routes, bush flights, the 15 kg baggage limit, the Mara to Serengeti link, overland times and a realistic transit day.
Read the guide →Safari luggage weight limits by carrier: the 15 kg soft bag rule, who allows 20 kg, excess and freight seat prices, storing luggage at the gateway and packing for the multi-country trap.
Read the guide →Tanzania now requires foreign visitors to hold government inbound travel insurance. See what is verified, reported and unknown: cost, exemptions, Zanzibar, buying and enforcement.
Read the guide →The route we recommend for a Uganda Kenya Tanzania safari: the best order, how many days it needs, the best months, how you move between countries and what to check before you book.
Read the guide →Two land posts link Rwanda and Uganda for gorilla trips. Learn which suits your sector, what to carry, how long to allow and why hours differ, checked 11 October 2026.
Read the guide →A Uganda Rwanda Kenya safari on one East Africa Tourist Visa: the order of the three countries, the Nairobi flights, the Mara, yellow fever rules and the open Kenya eTA question.
Read the guide →How to plan a Uganda Rwanda Kenya Tanzania safari: the four route directions compared, the flight chain, how the East Africa Tourist Visa interacts with the order, and what to check.
Read the guide →A planner's guide to a Uganda Rwanda Tanzania safari: Entebbe or Kigali start, the border or flight between the forests, Kilimanjaro flights, visas and Tanzania's insurance.
Read the guide →Visa rules for Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zanzibar and the Seychelles change often. Here is how to check them properly and what to prepare before you travel.
Read the guide →Uganda dropped its yellow fever entry certificate on 2 October 2026, but Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania still ask. Journey table, 12 hour transit rule and border outcomes, dated.
Read the guide →Tell us your dates and interests — a destination specialist replies within 24 hours.
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