Giraffe Manor, the Masai Mara & Mountain Gorillas

MASAI MARA
The Masai Mara delivers astounding wildlife-viewing all year round. However, if your main drawcard is the Great Migration, July to October sees the annual migration of 1,5 million-plus wildebeest from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, which includes dramatic crossings of the Mara and Talek rivers. As this time of year is relatively dry, there’s less vegetation, making game-viewing easier.

GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA
Gorilla trekking and chimp tracking take place all year round, although the dry seasons (December to end February and June to September) are more comfortable. In the rainy seasons (March to May and mid-September to the end of November), unpaved roads tend to become challenging to navigate, so unless you have loads of extra time, consider flying between destinations. The plus side of the rainy season, is gorillas sometimes move to lower altitudes and become easier to track.

Extend your safari with a stay at the tropical beaches in Mombasa, Diane, Watamu, Lamu or Zanzibar, or plan a few days at Lemala Wildwaters Lodge in Uganda on a small island surrounded by the rapids of the Nile River to rest and relax after the excitement of primate encounters.