Breakfast with Giraffes at Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor in Nairobi is the world’s most enchanting boutique hotel. Book the Marlon Room over a year in advance to secure your spot in this six-room 1930s manor. At dawn, giraffes wander onto private balconies and poke their heads through the front doors to join you for tea. Rates start around USD 2,400 per night, but that first sunrise breakfast with Daisy the giraffe is pure magic.

Climbing Kili takes a week, but you can admire its snow-capped crater in an hour. We boarded a Cessna Caravan in Arusha, strapped on oxygen masks and soared above 20,000 feet. As temperatures plunged below freezing, we watched climbers’ camps dot the slopes below. It’s one of only two places in Africa where the highest mountain meets the sky so directly—an unmissable splurge.

Scenic Flight over Mount Kilimanjaro

• Giraffe Manor, Kenya
Stay in a boutique conservation inn where giraffes join you for breakfast.
• Kilimanjaro Scenic Flight, Tanzania
Fly over Africa’s highest peak in an unpressurized plane for a unique summit view.
• Serengeti Safari, Tanzania
Sleep under the stars in a bush lodge and hunt the Big Five on guided game drives.
• Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Uganda
Hike into Bwindi’s misty forest to spend an hour with the world’s last wild silverbacks.

Trekking with Mountain Gorillas

Tracking silverbacks in Bwindi was our most humbling experience. After a year-long permit application, we joined seven other trekkers, a guide and armed guards for a ten-hour drive from Entebbe. Rising before dawn, we followed local trackers up steep trails until we were face to face with a family of twelve gorillas. Munching, playing and utterly unperturbed, they let us linger at six feet’ distance—masked and silent—for a full hour. The permit runs USD 700 per person for a three-day trek, and every moment feels priceless.

Top 4 East Africa Bucket-List Experiences

Things to Know

East Africa’s wildlife wonders demand careful planning—permits must often be secured a year in advance (gorilla and hot-air-balloon bookings fill up fast), flights between regional hubs like Nairobi, Arusha and Entebbe need coordination, and safari camps and guided treks sell out in peak season. Start by mapping your route and locking in hard-to-get experiences first: gorilla permits in Uganda, Giraffe Manor reservations in Nairobi, and multi-day Serengeti packages in Tanzania. Factor in regional “weather windows” for wildlife migrations or whale migrations, and build in buffer days for delays or cancellations. When it comes to packing, layers are your best friend—from pre-dawn chill on the savanna to midday equatorial sun—plus sturdy walking shoes, a lightweight rain shell, and insect repellent. Don’t forget travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and activity exclusions for peace of mind. Book early, choose reputable local operators, and prepare to stand silently just meters from some of the planet’s most magnificent creatures—moments you’ll carry with you for a lifetime.

No East Africa adventure is complete without a classic safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti. We spent three nights at a comfortable bush lodge tucked into the plains, waking before dawn for guided game drives at first light and again at golden hour. Our expert guides tracked prides of lions, herds of elephants, elusive leopards and even rhinos—checking off the Big Five over multiple outings. Each drive lasted about four hours, with picnic breakfasts overlooking kopjes and sundowner cocktails as the sun dipped below the horizon. Multi-day safari packages typically start around USD 400 per person per night, all-inclusive of accommodations, meals, park fees and twice-daily game drives. The immersive rhythm of the bush—dawn roars, midday siestas and star-filled nights—makes the Serengeti an absolute must for wildlife lovers.

Guided Safari in the Serengeti