Yes, it is possible to road trip through Africa, but depending on your preferred level of adventure certain areas of Africa are more suitable for beginners and safer than others. The main tourist regions include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. East Africa is incredibly scenic with its tall mountain peaks, freshwater lakes, savannah, tropical beaches, and the Great Rift Valley.

Part of sub-Saharan Africa, the climate varies in East Africa but is surprisingly cool and dry with the exception of two distinct wet seasons. Temperatures in the summer reach an average high of 28 degrees Celsius and in the winter months of July and August, daytime temperatures reach mid- 20’s and drop below 10 degrees in the evenings.

The long rains are usually expected in late April, May and through early June, whilst the short rains arrive for a few weeks between November and mid-December. There are 128 languages spoken in East Africa but the most widely spoken languages include Bantu Swahili and English.

Kenya

One of the many treacherous river crossings during the Great Migration – a must see spectacle. Kenya – Great Migration, while renting a self-drive in Nairobi to in Masai Mara where the BBC’s Big Cat Diaries were filmed, and unsurprisingly it ranks as one of the finest reserves anywhere in Africa for big cat sightings.

Pink flamingos at Lake Nakuru, one of the best places in East Africa to see flamingos, which sometimes occur in mind boggling numbers – well over a million isn’t unheard of. As well as blushing pink birds, the park is a hot spot for rhinos, both black and white.

Safaris in Amboseli National Park, Amboseli is the park where Kenya’s biggest tuskers roam against the stunning backdrop of Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest freestanding mountain. Safaris in Tsavo East National Park, Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Manor, and hot air balloon safaris among others.

Tanzania

The Serengeti National Park, with its natural splendor and greatest concentration of game you are ever likely to see, the Serengeti is faultless as a safari destination. The vast ecosystem features rolling golden plains, intricate river systems, the Big Five, and the annual wildebeest migration is the largest single movement of wildlife on earth

Mt Kilimanjaro, for many visitors to Africa, climbing Mt Kilimanjaro is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. The climb takes in muddy rain forests, unique high-altitude plants and alpine meadows before finally arriving at the glacier-coated summit. Standing tall above the Savannah of East Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m/19,340ft) is an icon of Africa.

Nyerere (Selous) Game Reserve, a walking safari here is a must, even if only for a morning. The thrill of getting near elephants or giraffe on foot is incredible, and without the noise and smell of a car, you’ll spot the smaller often-overlooked birds, insects and mammals that you’d miss in a vehicle.

Arusha National Park, small it may be, but this gem of a park on Arusha doorstep contains Mount Meru (4,565 metres), Tanzania’s second highest mountain after Kilimanjaro. High in the forests are the Momella Lakes, whose sheltered waters attract flamingos and huge flocks of migrating waterfowl. The scenery is stunning – especially looking down from the rim of Ngurdoto – a miniature Ngorongoro with a crater floor measuring three kms across.

Tarangire National Park should be on any itinerary of northern Tanzania in the Dry season. At this time the Tarangire River, the lifeline of the park, acts as a magnet for big herds of thirsty animals, such as zebra, eland, wildebeest and giraffe. Most notable though are the elephants. Massive herds move around the park, and in the heat of the day, they all descend to the waterways. Predators tend to follow this migration and the park is literally teeming with wildlife from July to October.

Uganda

Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga for mountain gorillas, visitors wishing to track these magnificent animals can do so in either Uganda or Rwanda.  Both destinations offer an excellent opportunity to see the gorillas. Kibale Forest for chimpanzee trekking tours, Murchison Falls National Park for game and boat safaris.

Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorillas. Tracking is in Volcanoes National Park which is an easy three hour drive from the international airport in the capital Kigali. If you are short of time, this is probably the better destination. Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee trekking, and canopy walks.

These land cruisers with open tops for easy game viewing and photographic opportunities are standard on East African safaris. In Southern Africa, game drives are conducted in open Land Cruisers in order to ensure an intimate safari experience. National Parks require all vehicles to self drive in Kigali and along marked roads but in privately owned game reserves lodges are permitted to drive off-road – this is a huge advantage when looking for animals.

Reserves keep strict control of the number of vehicles at each sighting. The guides communicate over two-way radio to ensure that these rules are adhered too. In East Africa, the vast landscape often means that you travel longer distances so vehicles aren’t always open-sided as they are in the South. Although not as exposed to nature, visibility isn’t at all compromised in closed vehicles.

Many lodges operate game drives in pop-top land cruisers, allowing you to photograph at ease. In the Eastern National Parks, there is no limit to the number of vehicles permitted at sightings, so it’s possible to see over a dozen vehicles during peak season, particularly during the Great Migration.

In East Africa, they don’t believe in fences, so animals move freely between the reserves. For lodges, this means that migratory animals are only present at certain times of the year. In an attempt to see these animals all year rounds, East Africa developed mobile camping safaris which move every couple of months to areas where wildlife is abundant. Destinations such as Masai Mara and the Serengeti offers fantastic game viewing all year-round.

Wildlife: Cheetahs often climb up onto anthills when the grass is long in order to gain a better vantage point of their surroundings. There are over 1,100 different species of mammals and over 2,600 species of birds found in Africa. Four of the five fastest land animals live in Africa – the fastest being the cheetah, running at a top speed of 70 mph. Both Southern and East Africa have their own unique collection of fauna and flora, and each offers incredible wildlife sightings, with the Big Five present in both regions. You can view all of Africa’s incredible species in the East and South, but the East has a much higher density of animals.

Flamingos gather in a lake in Kenya during the lesser-known flamingo migration that happens annually around April. The best time to experience Southern Africa may not be ideal for visiting certain places in East Africa. Many events such as the Great Migration, calving, bird migrations, newborn babies are seasonal.

My recommendation to travelers looking to experience both southern and east Africa is to consult with an expert who can customize your trip to include destinations that suit your time frame and interests. If your vacation time is limited then it is recommended to visit the two regions on two separate occasions in order to get the best experience.