Maleng Travel designs safaris across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania — four countries that share the East African plateau yet deliver four completely different journeys. All are on East Africa Time (UTC+3), all welcome USD alongside their local currencies, and all reward visitors in every month of the year.
Below is the practical knowledge we share with every guest — capitals and airports, currencies and languages, the best seasons, and what each country does better than anywhere else on earth. For anything not answered here, our team replies within one business day.
The Pearl of Africa
Uganda
Capital
Kampala
Main Gateway
Entebbe International (EBB)
Currency
Ugandan Shilling (UGX) · USD widely accepted
Languages
English, Swahili & 40+ local languages
Time Zone
East Africa Time (UTC+3)
Best Time to Visit
June–September & December–February (dry seasons); gorilla tracking is year-round
Climate
Equatorial, moderated by altitude — 21–25°C on the plateau, cooler in the gorilla highlands
Visa & Entry
Visa on arrival or e-visa (approx. USD 50). Yellow fever certificate required for entry.
Why Go
- Bwindi Impenetrable & Mgahinga Gorilla NP — mountain gorilla tracking
- Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth & Kidepo Valley National Parks
- Kibale Forest — chimpanzee capital of East Africa
- River Nile rafting, Lake Victoria cruises & Ssese Islands
Land of a Thousand Hills
Rwanda
Capital
Kigali
Main Gateway
Kigali International (KGL)
Currency
Rwandan Franc (RWF) · USD widely accepted
Languages
Kinyarwanda, English, French & Swahili
Time Zone
East Africa Time (UTC+3)
Best Time to Visit
June–September (long dry season) for trekking; December–February also good
Climate
Pleasant highland climate — 20–27°C days, cooler evenings in the Volcanoes region
Visa & Entry
Visa on arrival or e-visa for most nationalities (USD 50). East Africa Tourist Visa accepted.
Why Go
- Volcanoes NP — gorilla tracking & the Kwita Izina ceremony
- Akagera NP — Big Five savannah safaris by the lakes
- Nyungwe Forest — chimps, colobus monkeys & the canopy walk
- Kigali — one of Africa’s cleanest, safest capital cities
Magical Kenya
Kenya
Capital
Nairobi
Main Gateway
Jomo Kenyatta Intl (NBO) · Moi Intl, Mombasa (MBA)
Currency
Kenyan Shilling (KES) · USD widely accepted
Languages
English & Swahili
Time Zone
East Africa Time (UTC+3)
Best Time to Visit
July–October for the Great Migration in the Mara; January–March for warm, dry plains
Climate
Tropical on the coast, temperate on the plateau — coast 27–31°C, highlands 15–25°C
Visa & Entry
Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) required before travel. Yellow fever certificate may be required.
Why Go
- Maasai Mara — the Great Wildebeest Migration
- Amboseli — elephant herds beneath Kilimanjaro
- Lake Nakuru & the Rift Valley lakes
- Nairobi — Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick Trust & Karen Blixen
The Soul of Africa
Tanzania
Capital
Dodoma
Main Gateway
Julius Nyerere Intl, Dar es Salaam (DAR) · Kilimanjaro Intl (JRO) · Zanzibar (ZNZ)
Currency
Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) · USD widely accepted
Languages
Swahili & English
Time Zone
East Africa Time (UTC+3)
Best Time to Visit
June–October for the Serengeti & Ngorongoro; December–March calving season in the southern Serengeti
Climate
Coastal tropical heat; plateau and highlands mild — Serengeti 15–27°C
Visa & Entry
e-Visa in advance or visa on arrival for most nationalities (USD 50–100).
Why Go
- Serengeti NP — the greatest wildlife show on earth
- Ngorongoro Crater — a natural Big Five amphitheatre
- Tarangire & Lake Manyara — elephants, baobabs & tree-climbing lions
- Zanzibar — white-sand beaches & Stone Town
Practical Information
Getting There
We arrange meet-and-greet at Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports. Regional flights between the four countries make multi-country combos easy — most are under 90 minutes.
Money & Tipping
US dollars are accepted across all four countries (post-2009 notes, clean bills). ATMs and card payments are common in cities and lodges. Tipping guides USD 10–20 per day and porters USD 3–5 is customary.
Health & Safety
A yellow fever certificate is required for Uganda and Rwanda and recommended region-wide. Drink bottled or treated water, use reputable malaria prophylaxis, and carry comprehensive travel insurance — we can recommend cover that includes gorilla trekking.
What to Pack
Neutral-coloured layers, a warm fleece for cool highland mornings, rain jacket, hiking boots, hat, sunscreen and binoculars. Light formal-casual wear is fine for city hotels and lodges.
Weather Pattern
East Africa sits on the equator, so temperatures are mild year-round. Rain falls in the long season (March–May) and short season (October–November) — landscapes are lush and crowds are fewer, with lower rates.
East Africa Tourist Visa
One USD 100 visa covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya for 90 days of multiple entries — ideal for our cross-border combos. Tanzania issues its own visa. We’ll confirm current requirements for your nationality when you book.
Entry requirements change from time to time — the details above are a general guide, not immigration advice. Tell us your nationality when you enquire and we will confirm exactly what you need for your route.
Extended Destinations
For returning guests and the truly curious, we also arrange journeys deeper into the region — always with the same vetted ground partners and safety-first approach.
DR Congo
Virunga National Park — the continent’s oldest park, Nyiragongo’s lava lake and mountain gorillas.
Burundi
Lake Tanganyika shores, tea plantations and Rusizi National Park — our newest soft-adventure frontier.
South Sudan
Mundari cattle-camp culture and the White Nile — raw, immersive journeys for the intrepid traveller.
Let’s Plan It Together
Tell us how many days you have, what you’ve already seen, and what you dream of — we’ll match you to the right country, season and route. Most itineraries combine two or more of these destinations in a single seamless trip.