The East Africa
Circuit

Nairobi is vibrant and surprisingly cosmopolitan. Start at the David Sheldrick Elephant Trust (KSh 1,500 — orphaned baby elephants being rehabilitated, visit at 11am daily). The Giraffe Centre (KSh 1,500) lets you feed Rothschild's giraffes at eye level. Nairobi National Park (KSh 4,315 — lions, rhinos, and buffalo with the city skyline behind them) is unique globally. Eat nyama choma (grilled meat) at Carnivore restaurant for a splurge, or street ugali and sukuma wiki for KSh 100–200. The Maasai Market rotates locations — check for handicrafts.

Join a budget group safari from Nairobi to the Masai Mara ($250–400 for 3 days/2 nights including transport, accommodation, meals, and game drives). The Mara is the best place in Africa to see the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. During the Great Migration (July–October), over 1.5 million wildebeest cross the Mara River — the river crossings are heart-stopping. Budget safaris use camps just outside the reserve (conservancy fees KSh 1,000 vs park fees KSh 5,700). Add Lake Nakuru (1 day, often combined) for flamingos and rhinos.

Fly from Nairobi to Mombasa (KSh 3,000–7,000 on Jambojet/Kenya Airways) or overnight train (Madaraka Express KSh 1,000–3,000, 5 hrs). Diani Beach is Kenya's best — white sand, warm Indian Ocean, and budget-friendly. Snorkelling at Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park ($15 boat trip) for dolphins and sea turtles. Explore Mombasa Old Town and Fort Jesus (KSh 1,200). Eat fresh seafood at beach shacks — grilled lobster for KSh 1,000–1,500 ($7–10). Budget guesthouses and Airbnbs: KSh 2,000–4,000/night.

Cross from Kenya at Namanga border or fly to Arusha ($80–150). Arusha is the safari capital — budget group safaris to the Northern Circuit run $150–250/day for 3–5 day trips covering Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire. The Serengeti in dry season is like watching a wildlife documentary in person — vast golden plains dotted with lions, cheetahs, and herds of everything. The Ngorongoro Crater is a natural amphitheatre with the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa. Budget camping safaris are the cheapest option — you sleep in tents at campsites inside the parks.

If Kilimanjaro is on your list, the Marangu ("Coca-Cola") route is the cheapest — 5 days/4 nights from $1,200–1,800 including park fees, guide, porters, and meals. The Machame route (6–7 days) has better acclimatisation and scenery but costs $1,500–2,200. You don't need technical climbing skills, but you need fitness and altitude tolerance. The summit night (starting at midnight, reaching Uhuru Peak at 5,895m by dawn) is brutal but standing on the roof of Africa as the sun rises over the clouds is worth every step. Pack layers — it's tropical at the base and -15°C at the summit.

Ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (TSh 35,000–80,000/$13–30, 2 hrs). Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage labyrinth of narrow alleys, carved wooden doors, and the incredible Forodhani Night Market — Zanzibari pizza (it's a stuffed crepe, TSh 3,000–5,000), seafood skewers, and sugar cane juice. Spice tour ($20–25) to smell and taste cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla fresh from the plant. Head to Nungwi (north) or Paje (east) for postcard beaches. Jozani Forest (TSh 25,000) has endemic red colobus monkeys. Snorkelling day trips: $25–35. Budget guesthouses: $15–25/night.

Fly or overland from Tanzania/Kenya to Kampala. Uganda's capital is bustling and friendly. Visit the Kasubi Tombs (being restored), the Uganda Museum (USh 15,000), and the vibrant Owino Market. Eat a Rolex — Uganda's iconic street food (a rolled-up chapati with eggs and vegetables, USh 2,000–3,000). Matatu to Jinja (USh 10,000–15,000, 2 hrs) — the source of the Nile. White-water rafting on the Nile is world-class ($125–150 for a full day, Grade 5 rapids). Bungee jump over the Nile ($115). More chill: sunset boat cruise to the source ($15–20).

The journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest takes 8–10 hours from Kampala by road (hire a driver $100–150 or budget bus/matatu). A gorilla trekking permit costs $800 (Uganda — cheaper than Rwanda's $1,500). It's the most expensive single activity on any backpacker trip, and it's worth every cent. You trek through dense rainforest for 1–6 hours until you find a habituated gorilla family — then you get one hour sitting metres from these incredible, gentle giants. Maximum 8 visitors per group per day. Book permits at least 3 months ahead via UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority).

From Bwindi, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park (3–4 hrs). The Kazinga Channel boat cruise ($30, 2 hrs) is one of the best wildlife-viewing experiences in Africa — hippos, elephants, buffalo, and hundreds of bird species from the boat. Game drives ($30 + $40 park entry) through the Ishasha sector for tree-climbing lions — a behaviour unique to this region. Continue to Lake Bunyonyi (2 hrs) — the "Switzerland of Africa" with terraced hills around a deep lake dotted with 29 islands. Canoe between islands (USh 10,000–20,000), swim (bilharzia-free), and stay at backpacker camps on the islands (USh 40,000–80,000/night).