Traveling in East Africa? Welcome. Karibu. Bienvenue. Savour the beauty. Meet wonderful people. Sample tasty cuisines. Traveling in the East Africa region is such fun you never want to go home.
The East African Community (five partner states?) is “collectively promoting and marketing the Community as a Single Tourist Destination while conserving and ensuring sustainable utilization of wildlife and other tourist sites”.
How many countries are there in East Africa?
“East Africa comprises ten countries: Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya.” East Africa – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Africa
Travel Documents you need for travelling in East Africa
- Passport – varied
- Visa (for non EAC citizens)
- Alternative travel documents for East Africans
- Other requirements for East Africans (Certificate of Identity / Inter-state Pass)
Getting There
Air
The world connects into the East African Community by a network of international airports. These are located in or adjacent to the major cities in the region. Smaller airports and airstrips exist in most major towns in different partner states.
Road
Bus services connect all East African capitals and major cities. You can today cross East African Community borders in private cars for seven (7) day visits.
A US$ 20 per month is payable as a temporary road licence after the seven-day grace period has elapsed.
A valid driver’s licence is required.
A valid insurance sticker displayed on your vehicle is proof of insurance (seek advice from your insurer on the available insurance options). Ensure that your car is insured before you travel, with . Also make sure you carry an original copy of your car Log Book or at the very least, a photocopy.
There are border entry points for road transport only at:
- Kenya – Uganda border: Busia and Malaba
- Kenya – Tanzania border: Namanga and Holili
- Tanzania – Uganda border: Mutukula
- Tanzania – Burundi border: Kigoma
- Tanzania – Rwanda border: Rusumo
- Rwanda – Burundi border: Akanyaru
- Rwanda – Uganda border: Gatuna / Katuna
Sea
The region’s principle seaports on Indian Ocean include:
Mombasa in Kenya
Dar es Salaam, Mtwara and Tanga in Tanzania.
Best travel to time – When to go
The best times to travel to East Africa depend on the weather, time zones and public holidays
Weather
Climate varies from tropical to temperate in lowlands to highlands.
There are two common rain seasons:
- the long rains – late March to early May
- the short rains – late October to early December.
Time zones:
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are in the East Africa Time zone. Three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+3).
Rwanda and Burundi belong to the Central Africa Time zone. Two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).