Game Drives

Game Drives in East Africa

A game drive is one of the best ways to experience Africa’s incredible wildlife. Whether you’re exploring the rolling savannas of Kenya, the diverse national parks of Uganda, the wetlands of Rwanda, or the untouched wilderness of the Democratic Republic of Congo, every destination offers something different. The landscapes change from one country to another, but the excitement of spotting wild animals in their natural habitat is always the same.

Game Drives in Uganda

Uganda is best known for gorilla trekking, but its wildlife safaris are equally rewarding. Each national park has its own character, giving visitors a different safari experience.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, the wide-open Kasenyi Plains are famous for lions, Uganda kob, buffalo, elephants, and large numbers of antelope. Early morning drives offer the best chance of spotting predators before the day warms up. In the park’s southern Ishasha Sector, visitors come in search of the famous tree-climbing lions, often seen resting in large fig trees—a rare sight found in only a few places in Africa.

Further north, Murchison Falls National Park offers game drives across the Buligi tracks on the northern bank of the Nile River. This is one of Uganda’s richest wildlife areas, where it’s common to encounter Rothschild’s giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, lions, hartebeest, and oribi, all against the backdrop of sweeping savanna and the mighty Nile.

For travelers seeking a more remote adventure, Kidepo Valley National Park delivers one of Africa’s most authentic safari experiences. The Narus Valley attracts wildlife throughout the year, making it an excellent place to see elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, and large prides of lions with very few other vehicles around.

Game Drives in Kenya

Kenya is the birthplace of the classic African safari. Its endless grasslands, abundant wildlife, and dramatic scenery have made it one of the world’s top safari destinations.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is the country’s most famous park and offers exceptional game viewing throughout the year. It’s especially well known for the Great Migration, when millions of wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River while predators wait nearby. Even outside the migration season, visitors have an excellent chance of seeing lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, and large herds of plains game.
In Amboseli National Park, game drives take place across open plains and seasonal wetlands where enormous elephant herds roam freely beneath the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s one of the best places in Africa for elephant photography.

Tsavo National Park, divided into Tsavo East and Tsavo West, offers a completely different experience. From vast red-earth plains to volcanic hills, lava flows, and natural springs, the park’s varied landscapes support elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and countless other wildlife species.

Game Drives in Rwanda

While Rwanda is famous for gorilla trekking, Akagera National Park has become one of East Africa’s most impressive conservation success stories. Once heavily affected by conflict, the park is now home to the Big Five after successful wildlife reintroduction programs.

Game drives begin in the park’s rolling hills before opening into wide grasslands, woodlands, lakes, and wetlands. Visitors can expect to see elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelope, hippos, crocodiles, and, with a little luck, lions, leopards, and rhinos. Because Akagera receives far fewer visitors than many other safari destinations, wildlife sightings often feel peaceful and exclusive.

Game Drives in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo offers safari experiences for adventurous travelers looking to explore places that remain largely untouched by mass tourism.

In Garamba National Park, one of Africa’s oldest protected areas, game drives reveal vast savannas where visitors may encounter elephants, buffaloes, antelope, and the rare Kordofan giraffe. The park’s remote location means wildlife viewing takes place in an incredibly wild and uncrowded setting.

If you’re visiting Virunga National Park for gorilla trekking, you can also explore the park’s Lulimbi Sector, a beautiful stretch of savanna along the Ishasha River. Seasonal game drives here offer opportunities to see hippos, elephants, topis, waterbucks, and an impressive variety of birdlife, adding another dimension to a Virunga safari.