East Africa is home to stunning locations where tourists can enjoy the scenic views or partake in bucket list experiences. Here are 10 such attractions in East Africa.
- Mount Kilimanjaro
Standing tall at 5895m, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in East Africa, and one of the tallest free-standing volcanic mountains in the world. A must-see spot for adventure lovers and thrill seekers, it is excellent for hiking, trekking, and camping. Travelers can enjoy the aerial views or the scenic sights of the unique ecosystems of the region.
- The Serengeti
Serengeti National Park is one of the famous and spectacular safari locations in East Africa. It is excellent for game viewing and wildlife watching as its inhabitants include leopards, lions, wildebeests, zebras, antelopes, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, giraffes, wild dogs, cheetahs, elands, kudus, and spotted hyenas, and over 500 bird species! Here, one can enjoy camping, walking tours, safaris, hot air balloon rides, and game drives.
- Zanzibar
The stunning Zanzibar archipelago is a must-see place for nature lovers as it is known for its unique and breathtaking greenery and biodiversity. The beaches are pristine and offer the opportunity to enjoy exciting activities such as kitesurfing, kayaking, waterboarding, parasailing, jet skiing, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and sailing. Tourists can enjoy spa treatments, quad bike rides, beachfront dinners, picnics, and full moon parties here.
- Maasai Mara
The amazing Maasai Mara is a bucket-list safari park in Kenya. This National Reserve is home to lions, leopards, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, cheetahs, zebras, elephants, rhinos, bushbucks, hartebeests, aardvarks, antelopes, and wildebeests. This is an ideal spot to watch the Great Migration as tourists can see the herds cross the Mara River
- Pemba Island
Pemba Island is a heavenly location with lush green vegetation and stunning biodiversity. Tourists can find corals, manta rays, sea turtles, pigeons, crowned hornbills, owls, palm nut vultures, malachite kingfishers, Pemba vervet monkeys, the Pemba Flying Fox (a fruit bat), red colobus monkeys, miniature antelopes, and violet breasted sunbirds. Travelers can go to the 13th and 14th century Ras Mkumbuu ruins where they can visit the old chief’s house, and find several elaborate graves. Vumawimbi Beach is an untouched stretch of white sand, where tourists can enjoy the privacy of this extraordinary and isolated beach.
- Virunga Mountains
In Rwanda, Virunga Mountains are an ideal location for hiking and trekking. Travel lovers can go on a mountain gorilla trek or a Nyiragongo Volcano Trek. Nyiragongo is a stunning volcano which is home to the world’s largest lava lake. The volcano’s lower forested slopes are home to amazing animals such as chimpanzees, monkeys, chameleons, and bushbucks!
- Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Tanzania. The park is home to stunning exotic birds, such as kingfishers, palm-thrushes, hornbills, doves, spurfowl, geese, and oxpeckers, as well as wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, buffaloes, hippos, zebras, wild dogs, cheetahs, impalas, antelopes, and bushbucks!
- Lamu Island
Kenya’s Lamu Island is a bucket list attraction where tourists can explore the winding streets of the historic town, relax on the sandy beach, or enjoy the mouth watering cuisine. Travelers can go to the historic Lamu Fort, which was built in 1830, and the Ruined City of Takwa, where one can find the coral stone ruins from the 17th century. Tourists can also visit Shela, a nearby fishing village where they can enjoy the scenic view of the ocean!
- Bwindi Forest
In southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a bucket list attraction for travel lovers. Home to over 400 plant species, and around half of the world’s gorilla population, it is excellent for gorilla trekking, a unique experience where tourists trek up the slopes with expert guides and observe gorillas and primates in their natural habitat!
- Malindi
The gorgeous town of Malindi offers the best beach vacation in East Africa. Tourists can enjoy the scenic views, go on a glass bottomed boat ride to witness a unique view of the sea, and relax in the serenity and tranquility. At Malindi Marine National Park, they can enjoy scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling, and can spot animals such as Mako sharks, whale sharks, and green turtles! They can also go to the Crocodile Farm and Snake Park to see different species of crocodiles and snakes and interact with the vicious animals!