You do not have to work out an East African trip alone from another continent. We are a Uganda-based team: we check availability, plan the airports and transfers around your journey, and send one quote for the whole route.
The short answerA safari from the USA often means one connection on the way to Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi or Kilimanjaro, followed by a private route on the ground. East Africa is seven to eight hours ahead of US Eastern Time, so allow for jet lag and plan at least a week on the ground. Depending on the country, a US passport needs a visa or an online authorisation arranged before you travel, or a visa on arrival, and the rules change, so we confirm what applies when you book. Many travellers choose July to October for the Great Migration, which fits the US summer holidays.
The journey is the part to plan first. Flights from US cities to East Africa often involve at least one connection, and with the time difference you often arrive the following day. We suggest a rest day at the start of your route and at least a week on the ground, so the safari is not spent recovering from the flight.
Entebbe is the gateway for Uganda, Kigali for Rwanda, Nairobi for the Masai Mara, and Kilimanjaro or Arusha for the northern Serengeti, with Zanzibar and the Seychelles a short flight after. Tell us which US city you fly from and when, and we build the first and last days around your arrival and departure.
At the time of writing, a US passport holder arranges a visa or an online travel authorisation for most of the countries we cover, before travel or on arrival depending on the country. Fees and rules change and some countries use separate systems, so we confirm what applies to your passport before you book. Our Visa and Travel Documents page links to the official application sites, and the East Africa tourist visa guide explains the one visa that covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda and why Tanzania is separate.
Before any trip, read the US State Department travel advice for each country and consider enrolling in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Advice can change, so check it again shortly before you fly.
See a travel clinic or your doctor four to six weeks before you leave, as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises. Malaria is present in most safari areas, and the yellow fever certificate rules depend on the country and on where you have travelled from. Read malaria, yellow fever and vaccinations for what to ask.
Take travel insurance that includes medical evacuation. Tanzania has introduced mandatory insurance for visitors, and our guide explains the current position: see Tanzania's mandatory travel insurance and why medical evacuation cover matters.
Permit fees are set by the park authorities in US dollars. A gorilla permit for foreign non-residents is USD 800 in Uganda and USD 1,500 in Rwanda at the time of writing, and the authorities can change those prices. See gorilla permits for how booking works, and tipping on safari for what is usual in each country.
The Mara River crossings are usually from July to October, which suits families travelling in the US summer holidays. The camps for those months sell out early, so ask us nine to twelve months ahead if you can. Calving season in the southern Serengeti is about late January to March. Crossing and calving dates change every year and cannot be guaranteed.
The December and January school break falls in the dry season in Uganda and Kenya. Bwindi Lodge, for example, lists 15 December to 28 February and 1 June to 30 September as its high season. For the rainfall and temperatures month by month, read safari weather.
Short on time? Our 10-day gorilla and migration route fits one gorilla trek and a Masai Mara stay around the journey. See all our itineraries, and for the full range of countries and routes see East Africa safaris and tours. For the top end, see luxury East Africa safari.
Ready-made routes you can book as they are or change to suit you. Every one is private and can be adjusted to your dates and interests.
A ten-day Uganda and Kenya safari: a night at Entebbe, two nights in Bwindi for one gorilla trek, a Nairobi connection night, four nights in the Maasai Mara for the Great Migration and a final Nairobi night.
The essential Uganda experience: a single, focused permit trek to a habituated mountain gorilla family in Bwindi.
Two countries, two gorilla treks: Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) and Bwindi's Rushaga sector (Uganda), crossing the Cyanika border. From $7,047pp.
The two countries that define the Great Migration, combined into one comprehensive 12-day circuit.
The essential Tanzania introduction: central Serengeti's big cats and a full-day Ngorongoro Crater descent.
Twelve days across three countries: a gorilla trek in Uganda and another in Rwanda, then Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and three nights in the Serengeti.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro's wildlife, followed by a genuine week unwinding on Zanzibar's northern beaches.
Send us your dates and group size. We check availability first, tell you exactly what is open, and only then ask you to commit. A specialist answers within 24 hours.
