East Africa (Multi Country Guide)

346 Pages·2006·9.23 MB·English

by  Mary Fitzpatrick

© Lonely Planet Publications
9
Contents
14
The Authors Eating 122
Drinking 123
Entertainment 123
16
Getting Started Shopping 124
Getting There & Away 124
21 Getting Around 126
Itineraries AROUND DAR
ES SALAAM 126
Southern Beaches 126
27
Snapshot Northern Beaches 127
Pugu Hills 128
Offshore Islands 128
28
History ZANZIBAR
ARCHIPELAGO 128
Zanzibar 130
33
The Culture Around Zanzibar 144
Pemba 151
NORTHEASTERN
TANZANIA 157
The Peoples of East
46 Bagamoyo 158
Africa
Saadani Game Reserve 160
Pangani 161
73 Tanga 162
Environment
Around Tanga 164
Muheza 165
83
Korogwe 165
Safaris
Usambara Mountains 165
Pare Mountains 168
57 NORTHERN TANZANIA 169
Wildlife Guide
Moshi 170
Marangu 174
97
Mountain Gorillas Trekking on Mt
Kilimanjaro 175
Arusha 178
103
Tanzania Around Arusha 186
Arusha National Park 188
Highlights 104 Trekking on Mt Meru 190
Climate & When to Go 104 Lake Manyara National
History 104 Park 191
The Culture 109 Tarangire National Park 192
Religion 110 Serengeti National Park 193
Arts 110 Ngorongoro
Conservation Area 197
Environment 112 LAKE VICTORIA 201
Food & Drink 114
Mwanza 202
DAR ES SALAAM 114
Around Mwanza 206
History 114
Rubondo Island
Orientation 115 National Park 206
Information 115 Bukoba 207
Dangers & Annoyances 118 Musoma 209
Sights & Activities 118 Bunda 210
Dar es Salaam for Children 120 Shinyanga 210
Sleeping 120 Singida 210
10 CONTENTS
WESTERN TANZANIA 211 Customs 251 Around Tsavo National
Tabora 211 Dangers & Annoyances 251 Park 307
Uvinza 214 Embassies & Voi 308
Kigoma 214 Consulates 252 THE COAST 309
Ujiji 216 Festivals & Events 253 History 309
Gombe Stream National Holidays 253 Mombasa 309
Park 216 Internet Resources 253 Shimba Hills National
Mahale Mountains Maps 253 Reserve 321
National Park 217 Money 253 Mwaluganje Elephant
Mpanda 218 Photography & Video 254 Sanctuary 322
Katavi National Park 218 Post 254 Tiwi Beach 322
Sumbawanga 219 Telephone 254 Diani Beach & Ukunda 323
KFaalslsa nga & Kalambo 219 Tourist Information 255 SIshlaimndo ni & Wasini 326
THE SOUTHERN Vaccination Certificates 255 Mombasa to Kilifi 327
HIGHLANDS 220 Visas 255 Kilifi 330
TRANSPORT IN
Dodoma 220 TANZANIA 255 Watamu 331
Morogoro 223 Arabuko Sokoke Forest
Mikumi National Park 225 Getting There & Away 255 Reserve 334
Getting Around 261
Mikumi 225 Gede Ruins 334
Udzungwa Mountains 266 Malindi & Around 336
National Park 226 Kenya Lamu 341
Iringa 227 Shela 355
Highlights 267
Around Iringa 229 Islands Around Lamu 356
Ruaha National Park 229 Climate & When to Go 267 THE RIFT VALLEY 356
History 267
Iringa to Makambako 230 Longonot National Park 357
The Culture 271
Mbeya 230 Naivasha 357
Sport 273
Around Mbeya 232 Lake Naivasha 358
Religion 273
Tukuyu 233 Hell’s Gate National Park 360
Arts 273
Kitulo Plateau 233 Nakuru 361
Environment 274
Lake Nyasa 234 Around Nakuru 363
Food & Drink 277
Njombe 235 NAIROBI 278 Lake Nakuru National
Songea 235 Park 364
Tunduru 236 History 278 Lake Bogoria National
SOUTHEASTERN Orientation 278 Reserve 366
TANZANIA 236 Information 279 Lake Baringo 368
Selous Game Reserve 236 Dangers & Annoyances 284 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS 369
Mafia Island 240 Sights 284 Nyeri 370
Kilwa Kivinje 242 Festivals & Events 286 Aberdare National Park 373
Kilwa Masoko 242 Sleeping 286 Nyahururu &
Kilwa Kisiwani 243 Eating 288 Thomson’s Falls 375
Songo Mnara 244 Drinking 290 Mt Kenya National Park 376
Lindi 244 Entertainment 291 Naro Moru 382
Mtwara 245 Shopping 292 Nanyuki 383
Mikindani 247 Getting There & Away 292 Around Nanyuki 385
Msangamkuu Peninsula Getting Around 293 Meru 386
& Mnazi Bay–Ruvuma AROUND NAIROBI 294 Meru National Park 387
Estuary Marine Park 247 Nairobi’s Southern Chogoria 389
Makonde Plateau & Outskirts 294 Embu 389
Around 248
TANZANIA DIRECTORY 248 Lake Magadi 299 Ol Donyo Sabuk National
NAIROBI TO THE COAST 299 Park 390
Accommodation 248 Amboseli National Park 300 Thika 390
Activities 249 WESTERN KENYA 391
Around Amboseli
Books 251 National Park 302 Narok 391
Business Hours 251 Chyulu Hills National Masai Mara National
Children 251 Park 303 Reserve 393
Courses 251 Tsavo National Park 303 Lake Victoria 396
CONTENTS 11
Kisumu 397 Women Travellers 447 Fort Portal 508
Around Lake Victoria 401 Work 447 Around Fort Portal 511
Western Highlands 402 TRANSPORT IN KENYA 447 Kasese 515
Kisii 402 Getting There & Away 447 Rwenzori Mountains
Kericho 403 Getting Around 451 National Park 516
Kakamega 405 Queen Elizabeth
457 National Park 520
Kakamega Forest Reserve 406 Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable
Eldoret 407 National Park 523
Lake Kamnarok & Kerio Highlights 458 Kabale 525
Valley National Reserves 410 Climate & When to Go 458
Around Kabale 528
Cherangani Hills 410 History 458
Kisoro 530
Kitale 411 The Culture 465 Lake Mutanda 531
SPaairwk a Swamp National 412 Sport 466 Mgahinga Gorilla
Religion 466 National Park 531
Mt Elgon National Park 413
NORTHERN KENYA 415 Arts 466 Mbarara 533
Environment 467 Lake Mburo National
Isiolo to Ethiopia 415 Food & Drink 470 Park 535
Samburu, Buffalo KAMPALA 470 Masaka 535
Springs & Shaba National
Reserves 419 History 470 Around Masaka 536
Matthews Range 422 Orientation 472 Ssese Islands 537
NORTHWESTERN
Ndoto Mountains 422 Information 472 UGANDA 538
Marsabit 422 Dangers &
Marsabit National Park 423 Annoyances 474 Masindi 539
Moyale 424 Sights & Activities 475 Hoima 540
Maralal to Turkana’s Kampala for Children 476 MPaurkrc hison Falls National 541
Eastern Shore 424 Sleeping 476
Budongo Central Forest
Marich to Turkana’s Eating 479 Reserve 545
Western Shore 429
Drinking 482 Lake Albert 545
Lokichoggio 433
Entertainment 483 Gulu 546
KENYA DIRECTORY 433
Shopping 484 Arua 546
Accommodation 433 Getting There & Away 485 UGANDA DIRECTORY 546
Activities 435
Getting Around 486 Accommodation 547
Business Hours 438 AROUND KAMPALA 487 Activities 547
Children 438
Kabaka’s Trail 487 Books 549
Climate 438
Entebbe 487 Business Hours 550
Courses 438
Lake Victoria 489 Children 550
Customs 439
Mabira Forest Reserve 490 Dangers & Annoyances 550
Dangers & Annoyances 439
Mpanga Forest Discount Cards 551
Disabled Travellers 440 Reserve 490 Embassies &
Embassies & Consulates 440 The Equator 490 Consulates 551
Festivals & Events 441 EASTERN UGANDA 491 Holidays 551
Food 441 Jinja 491 Internet Access 551
Gay & Lesbian Around Jinja 498 Internet Resources 551
Travellers 441 Tororo 499 Maps 552
Holidays 442 Mbale 500 Money 552
Internet Access 442 Mt Elgon National Photography & Video 553
Legal Matters 442 Park 502
Post 553
Maps 442 Sipi Falls 504
Telephone 553
Money 443 Soroti 505
Tourist Information 553
Photography & Video 444 Moroto 506
Visas 553
Post 444 Moroto to Kidepo
Valley National Park 506 Volunteering 554
Telephone 445 TRANSPORT IN
Time 445 KNiadteiopnoa Vl aPlalerky 507 UGANDA 554
Tourist Information 446 SOUTHWESTERN Getting There & Away 554
Visas 446 UGANDA 508 Getting Around 556
12 CONTENTS
Detour: Democratic RWANDA DIRECTORY 595 Dangers & Annoyances 613
Republic of the 559 Accommodation 595 Embassies & Consulates 613
Congo Activities 595 Holidays 614
Books 596 Internet Access 614
History 560 Business Hours 596 Internet Resources 614
Information 560 Dangers & Annoyances 596 Maps 614
Goma 560 Embassies & Money 614
Parc National des Consulates 597 Post 614
Virungas 561 Holidays 597 Telephone 614
Nyiragongo Volcano 563 Internet Access 597 Visas 614
TRANSPORT 563 Internet Resources 597 TRANSPORT IN
564 Maps 597 BURUNDI 615
Rwanda Money 597 Getting There & Away 615
Photography & Video 598 Getting Around 616
Highlights 565 Post 598
CHliismtoartye & When to Go 556655 TTeoluerpishto Innefo rmation 559988 East Africa 617
The Culture 569 Visas 598 Directory
Sport 571 Women Travellers 599 Accommodation 617
Religion 571 Work 599 Activities 618
Arts 571 TRANSPORT IN Business Hours 621
Environment 571 RWANDA 599 Children 621
Food & Drink 572 Getting There & Climate Charts 621
KIGALI 572 Away 599
Dangers & Annoyances 622
History 573 Getting Around 601 Disabled Travellers 623
Orientation 573 603 Discount Cards 624
Information 573 Burundi Embassies &
Activities 575 Consulates 624
Tours 575 Highlights 604 Gay & Lesbian
Kigali for Children 576 Climate & When to Go 604 Travellers 624
Sleeping 576 History 604 Holidays 624
Eating 578 The Culture 606 Insurance 625
Drinking 579 Arts 607 Internet Access 625
Entertainment 580 Environment 607 Legal Matters 625
Shopping 580 Food & Drink 607 Maps 625
Getting There & Away 580 BUJUMBURA 607 Money 625
Getting Around 581 Orientation 608 Photography & Video 627
AROUND KIGALI 581 Information 608 Senior Travellers 627
Nyamata & Ntarama Dangers & Annoyances 608 Solo Travellers 628
Genocide Memorials 581 Sights & Activities 608 Telephone 628
NORTHWESTERN Sleeping 609 Time 628
RWANDA 581
Eating 610 Toilets 628
Ruhengeri 581 Drinking & Tourist Information 629
Parc National des Entertainment 611 Visas 629
Volcans 583
Shopping 611 Women Travellers 629
Gisenyi 586
SOUTHWESTERN Getting There & Away 612 Work 630
RWANDA 589 Getting Around 612
AROUND BUJUMBURA 612
Butare 589 Transport in East 631
Gikongoro 591 Beaches 612 Africa
Parc National Nyungwe La Pierre de Livingstone
Forest 591 et Stanley 612 GETTING THERE &
Cyangugu 592 Source du Nil 612 AWAY 631
Kibuye 593 Gitega 612 Air 631
EASTERN RWANDA 594 BURUNDI DIRECTORY 613 Lake 634
Parc National de Accommodation 613 Land 634
l’Akagera 594 Business Hours 613 Sea 635
© Lonely Planet Publications
CONTENTS 13
649
Tours 635 Recommended
Language
GETTING AROUND 636 Vaccinations 641
Air 636 Medical Checklist 641
655
Bicycle 636 Internet Resources 641 Glossary
Boat 636 Further Reading 641
IN TRANSIT 642
Bus 637 657
Car & Motorcycle 637 Deep Vein Behind the Scenes
Thrombosis (DVT) 642
Hitching 638
Jet Lag & Motion
Local Transport 639 Sickness 642 660
Tours 639 IN EAST AFRICA 642 Index
Train 639 Availability & Cost of
Health Care 642 670
640 World Time Zones
Infectious Diseases 642
Health
Travellers’ Diarrhoea 646
BEFORE YOU GO 640 Environmental Hazards 647 672
Map Legend
Insurance 640 Traditional Medicine 648
Regional Map Contents
UGANDA
p459
KENYA
p268
RWANDA
p566
BURUNDI
p605
TANZANIA
pp106-7
© Lonely Planet Publications
16 www.lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED •(cid:127) Costs & Money 17
You can buy, download and
print individual chapters from
Getting Started this guidebook.
Get East Africa chapters CUTTING COSTS
Whatever your budget, the following are some tips if you’re trying to cut costs while travelling
in East Africa.
East Africa has a wide selection of hotels and restaurants in tourist areas (cid:1) Travel in the low season.
and major towns, plus some of Africa’s most elite safari lodges and luxury
(cid:1) Always ask about children’s discounts.
tented camps. If you’re on a midrange or top-end budget, travel here is
Africa made easy, with just enough adventure to keep things satisfying. (cid:1) Travel in a group (four is ideal) for organised treks and safaris.
If you’re travelling on a shoestring, things get more rugged. Expect to (cid:1) Keep your schedule flexible to take advantage of last minute deals.
stay in basic guesthouses, and to put in time bumping over rough roads
(cid:1) Carry a tent, and camp whenever possible.
on crowded buses. The rewards: getting into the pulse of East Africa, and
seeing how most locals live. (cid:1) Focus on easily accessed parks and reserves to minimise transportation costs.
Whatever your style, there’s plenty to keep you busy – mountain (cid:1) Use public transport.
trekking, wildlife safaris, up-close encounters with our primate relatives,
(cid:1) Eat local food.
moss-covered ruins, palm-fringed beaches and much more. Costs range
from high, for people staying in upscale safari lodges (especially in Tan- (cid:1) Stock up on food and drink in major towns to avoid expensive hotel fare and pricey shops in
tourist areas and national parks.
zania, which is generally the most expensive destination in the region),
to modest, for those living local style. (cid:1) Offer to pay in cash – sometimes this may result in a discount if you ask.
If you don’t have time pressures it’s quite easy to set your itinerary
as you go, but, especially for safaris and treks, you’ll get better quality
and prices by doing some advance planning. When charting your route, passable, secondary roads are often closed, especially in parts of Uganda
remember that East Africa is large; it’s much better to concentrate on and Tanzania. You can expect to get drenched for at least a few hours
one or two areas, than to try and cover too much distance in one visit. each day, and it will be too muddy in many areas for hiking, but every-
Major destinations are connected by reasonably good air connections and thing will be beautifully green.
reliable (albeit often gruelling) bus routes, but you’ll need plenty of time Particularly in Kenya and Tanzania, watch out for peak-season hotel
to cover the often long distances. prices around the Christmas-New Year holidays, and during the July–
August high season.
WHEN TO GO
COSTS & MONEY
The main tourist seasons are the hotter, drier months of mid-December
through January, and the cool, dry months from June to August, although Travel in East Africa is considerably more expensive than in Asia or India
See p622 for climate the region can be visited at any time of year. For more information on and you’ll need to work to stick to a shoestring budget. That said, it’s
charts climate in the region see p621, and check individual country chapters for quite possible to get by on limited funds, and in so doing you’ll be able
more detailed Climate and When to Go sections. to immerse yourself more fully into local life. At the other end of the
During the long rains (roughly March through May), things are much spectrum, East Africa has some of the most expensive lodges and hotels
quieter: there are few tourists, accommodation prices come down, and to be found anywhere, with all the corresponding comforts. Tanzania is
some places close completely. While main routes in most areas remain the most expensive country in the region for travel, followed by Rwanda,
Kenya and Uganda. Burundi’s delicate political situation gives it a special
status, and accommodation is generally expensive, thanks in part to the
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT... large UN presence in the country.
You can buy almost anything you’ll need in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala, except specialist At the budget level throughout the region, plan on spending from
trekking and sporting equipment, and certain toiletries such as contact lens solution. However, es- about US$20 to US$25 per day – that’s staying at budget guesthouses,
pecially outside of Nairobi, choice is limited and prices high. Some things to bring from home: eating mostly local food, travelling primarily with local transport and
(cid:1) binoculars for wildlife watching excluding safaris and other organised activities. For midrange hotels,
Western-style meals and more travel comfort, a realistic budget would
(cid:1) torch (flashlight) start at around US$60 per day, excluding ‘extras’ such as park entrance
(cid:1) mosquito repellent and net (p 644) fees, visa fees, the price of vehicle rentals or safaris, plus any airfares.
(cid:1) zoom lens for wildlife shots (p 627) Top-end luxury lodge travel costs anywhere from US$150 to US$400 or
more per person per day, with prices at the upper end of this spectrum
(cid:1) light, rubber-soled shoes for beach walking usually for all-inclusive safari packages.
(cid:1) sleeping bag and waterproof gear for trekking For more money issues, including how to access and carry it, see p 625.
(cid:1) sturdy water bottle READING UP
(cid:1) travel insurance (p 625) Books
(cid:1) wind- and waterproof jacket, especially for highland areas. Peter Matthiessen’s The Tree Where Man Was Born offers a timeless por-
trayal of life on the East African plains.
18 GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Must-See Movies www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Responsible Travel 19
The classic Out of Africa by Karen Blixen is one European’s nostalgic
perspective on life in colonial-era Kenya. For a more recent and realistic CONDUCT IN EAST AFRICA
take, look for David Bennun’s Tick Bite Fever. East Africa comfortably mixes a generally conservative outlook on life with a great deal of toler-
Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway and Death in the Long Grass ance and openness towards foreigners, and meeting locals is one of the highlights of regional
by Peter Hathaway Capstick chronicle the days of African big game hunting. travel. The following are a few tips to smooth the way.
Another title by Hemingway – The Snows of Kilimanjaro – deals with (cid:1) While most East Africans will probably be too polite to tell you so directly, they’ll be privately
some of the larger questions of life in an East African setting. shaking their head about travellers doing things like not wearing enough clothing or sporting
Among the many beautiful coffee table books that will whet your appetite tatty clothes. Especially along the Muslim coast, cover up the shoulders and legs, and avoid
for travels in the region are Africa Adorned by Angela Fisher and Africa’s plunging necklines, skin-tight fits and the like.
Great Rift Valley by Nigel Pavitt.
(cid:1) Pleasantries count! Even if you’re just asking for directions, take time to greet the other per-
The Ukimwi Road: From Kenya to Zimbabwe by inimitable Dervla
son. Handshake etiquette is also worth learning, and best picked up by observation. In many
Murphy is a sobering though highly readable chronicle of the author’s
areas, East Africans often continue holding hands for several minutes after meeting, or even
bicycle journey through the ever-present reality of AIDS in East and
throughout an entire conversation.
southern Africa.
(cid:1) Don’t eat or pass things with the left hand.
Websites
(cid:1) Respect authority; losing your patience or undermining an official’s authority will get you no-
Afrol.com (www.afrol.com) African news and current affairs. where, while deference and a good-natured demeanour will see you through most situations.
ArtMatters (www.artmatters.info) Focuses on Kenyan arts, but also has excellent regional (cid:1) Avoid criticising the government of your host country, and avoid offending locals with public
cultural links. nudity, open anger and displays of affection (between people of the same or opposite sex).
East Africa Living Encyclopedia (www.africa.upenn.edu/NEH/neh.html) Part of the University
(cid:1) When visiting a rural area, seek out the chief or local elders to announce your presence, and ask
of Pennsylvania’s African Studies Center, with country information and lots of links.
permission before setting up a tent or wandering through a village – it will rarely be refused.
Integrated Regional Information Network (www.irinnews.org) Regional news and
humanitarian issues. (cid:1) Receive gifts with both hands, or with the right hand while touching the left hand to your
Kamusi Project (www.yale.edu/swahili/) A ‘living’ online Swahili dictionary, plus East Africa links. right elbow. When giving a gift, don’t be surprised if the appreciation isn’t expressed verbally.
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Travel tips, the Thorn Tree bulletin board and helpful
links to other sites.
Pambazuka (www.pambazuka.org) Articles on regional and continent-wide social and humani- Showcasing magnificent footage of the cycle of life on the Serengeti
tarian issues. plains, Africa – The Serengeti (1994) features the annual wildebeest
migration.
MUST-SEE MOVIES
Kilimanjaro: To the Roof of Africa (2002) is a gripping preview of what
East Africa’s stunning panoramas and turbulent human history have fea- is to come if you’re contemplating climbing the mountain ( p175) , and a
tured in many films. There are quite a few to look for before setting off. good armchair adventure if you’re not.
Hotel Rwanda (2004) is the real-life story of a Rwandan Hutu who The film version of Karen Blixen’s classic book (see p 17 ), Out of Africa
sheltered hundreds of refugees in his four-star hotel during the outbreak (1985) is notable primarily for its evocative locational footage of Kenya.
of the Rwandan genocide; see p 571 for more about this film. Another classic, Born Free (1966), is a family-friendly film, set in Kenya and
focused around hand-rearing a lion cub, that still forms many Westerners’
first ideas about East Africa.
FAVOURITE FESTIVALS & EVENTS Nowhere in Africa (2002) is the absorbing tale of a Jewish family who
The best festivals and events are often the unannounced ones, such as a small-town wedding, a flee Nazi Germany to settle in colonial-era Kenya and Keepers of Memory
rite of passage celebration, or local market day. Larger-scale happenings include the following. (2004) is a moving look at the Rwandan genocide through the eyes of
(cid:1) The Serengeti–Masai Mara wildebeest migration – one of Earth’s greatest natural spectacles survivors; see p567 for more on this subject.
Maasai: The Rain Warriors (2005) is a somewhat contrived but intri-
(see p 193) .
guing look at a group of Maasai as they walk across Kenya to track down
(cid:1) Z anzibar International Film Festival – taking place in Zanzibar around July, and part of the
a legendary lion and thus break a drought.
Festival of the Dhow Countries, this is East Africa’s major cultural gathering (see p 253) .
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
(cid:1) S auti za Busara Swahili Music Festival – a celebration of all things Swahili, held around Febru-
ary in Zanzibar, and featuring artists from throughout East Africa (see p 253) . Tourism is big business in East Africa, especially in Tanzania and Kenya.
(cid:1) M aulid – marking the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, best seen on Lamu in Kenya (see The following are a few guidelines for minimising strain on the local en-
p353 ). vironment. For tips on etiquette, see a bove, and for more on deforestation
and other environmental problems where tourist behaviour can have an
(cid:1) E id al-Fitr – the end of Ramadan fasting, and especially colourful on Zanzibar and elsewhere
impact, see p80.
along the coast (see p 624) .
(cid:1) Support local enterprise.
(cid:1) K enya Music Festival – Kenya’s longest-running music festival, held in Nairobi over 10 days in (cid:1) Buy souvenirs directly from those who make them.
August (see p 286) . (cid:1) Choose safari and trekking operators that treat local communities as
equal partners, and that are committed to protecting local ecosystems.
20 GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Responsible Travel www.lonelyplanet.com
(cid:1) For cultural attractions, try to pay fees directly to the locals involved,
rather than to tour company guides or other middlemen.
‘Always ask (cid:1) Always ask permission before photographing people.
permission (cid:1) Avoid indiscriminate gift giving; donations to recognised projects are
more sustainable and have a better chance of reaching those who need
before photo-
them most.
graphing (cid:1) Don’t buy items made from ivory, skin, shells, etc.
people‘ (cid:1) Save natural resources, especially water and wood, and don’t take hot
showers if the water is heated by firewood. To wash yourself or your
clothing, fill a container with water and carry it elsewhere to avoid pol-
luting the source.
(cid:1) Respect local culture and customs.
(cid:1) Don’t litter! On treks, in parks or when camping, carry out all your litter,
and leave trails, parks and campsites cleaner than you found them.
(cid:1) A major danger in parks, especially in Kenya, is land degradation result-
ing from too many vehicles crisscrossing the countryside. Keep to the
tracks when on safari (or encourage your driver to do so).
21
Itineraries
CLASSIC ROUTES
BEACH & BUSH
Two to Three Weeks
This classic beach and bush combination mixes wildlife watching par
excellence with postcard-perfect beaches and the allure of Swahili culture,
plus the chance for detours in between. You can squeeze in the essential
destinations in as little as a week (albeit very pressed), but two to three
weeks will allow you to explore at a more leisurely pace and to include some
detours. Fly into Nairobi ( p278) , from where you can head off for a safari in
either the Masai Mara National Reserve ( p393 ) or Amboseli National Park ( p300 ).
Alternatively, make your way overland from Nairobi to Arusha ( p178 ) for a
safari in Serengeti National Park ( p193 ) and Ngorongoro Crater ( p199 ).
After getting a taste of the wildlife, head eastwards to the coast. In Kenya,
not-to-miss destinations include Lamu (p 341 ) and the ruins at Gede ( p334 ).
In Tanzania, the Zanzibar Archipelago ( p128) is the highlight, and an ideal base
for diving, snorkelling and relaxing, plus taking in the charm and historical
attractions of Zanzibar’s old Stone Town ( p133 ). When your time is up, fly out
of Dar es Salaam (p 114) , Nairobi or Zanzibar, whichever is most convenient.
With extra time in either Kenya or Tanzania, it’s possible to take in a few
more highlights en route between bush and beach, including hiking in Tan-
zania’s cool, green Usambara Mountains around Lushoto ( p166 ), trekking on
Mt Kilimanjaro ( p175) or – with a bit more detouring – visiting some of Ken-
ya’s Rift Valley lakes. Highlights here include Lake Nakuru ( p364 ), Lake Bogoria
( p366 ), Lake Baringo (p 368) and the starkly beautiful and otherworldly Lake
Turkana ( p427) , though you’ll need several extra days for this.
Wildlife and beaches
have long been East
Lake Africa’s top draws.
Turkana
This classic itinerary
U G A N D A V a l l e yR i f t K E N Y A coof mbobtihn,e sa nthde c abne sbte
Lake Baringo easily trimmed or
Lake Bogoria
Lake Nakuru extended, depend-
ing on the time at
Masai Mara NAIROBI
National Rerserve hand. Distance cov-
R W A N D A NaStieorneanlg Petairk Mt K(i5li8m96amnj)aro NaAtimonbaols Pelairk Lamu ered by this route
B U R U N D I NgoCrroantegroro Arusha Gede is about 700km at a
Mombasa minimum, though
I N D I A N
T A N Z A N I A Lushoto Pemba O C E A N it could be consider-
Zanzibar ably lengthened to
Archipelago
StoZnaen Tzoibwanr take advantage of
Dar es Salaam all that’s on offer.
Classic routes: Beach & Bush