Safari Journal | Field Guides, Wildlife & Travel Advice | Kingse Safaris
Safari Journal - field guides from East Africa

From the Field

Safari Journal

Field guides, wildlife insights and practical planning advice, written from experience.

Wildebeest crossing the Mara River Wildlife
February 2026 · 8 min read Editor's Pick

The Serengeti Great Migration: A Month-by-Month Field Guide

Two million animals, one endless circuit. Where the herds are moving each month, when to position yourself at the Mara River crossings, and which camps put you in the right place at the right time.

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Red dunes at sunrise, Sossusvlei, Namibia Self-Drive
June 2026 · 12 min read

Namibia Self-Drive: The Complete Route Guide

An interactive, leg-by-leg drive from Windhoek to the Sossusvlei dunes, the coast, the desert elephants of Damaraland and Etosha. What the road is really like, and how we plan it.

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Wildebeest crossing the Mara River during the Great Migration, Serengeti, Tanzania Destinations
May 2026 · 10 min read

The Complete Tanzania Safari

Tarangire's elephants, the Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti plains and the Great Migration, in one classic loop. How a Tanzania trip fits together, and where to go deeper.

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A Kingse Safaris guest with two pupils outside the community school in Karatu, Tanzania Conservation
May 2026 · 7 min read

The School in Karatu: The Nanyaro Foundation

Between the crater and the Serengeti there's a small community school. It's the heart of our community project, and the part of a Kingse trip guests remember most.

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Hot-air balloons over the Serengeti plains, Tanzania Destinations
May 2026 · 10 min read

Serengeti National Park: A Complete Guide

More than the migration: the four regions, the best big-cat viewing in Africa, when to go, the balloon safari, and how the park fits a Tanzania trip.

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Elephant herds along the Tarangire River, Tanzania Destinations
May 2026 · 8 min read

Tarangire National Park: A Complete Guide

Tanzania's land of giants: the biggest elephant herds on the Northern Circuit, ancient baobabs, and a river that pulls in the wildlife. The route's most underrated park.

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Mountain gorilla in Uganda Destinations
May 2026 · 9 min read

The Complete Uganda Safari

Gorillas, chimps, tree-climbing lions, the Nile and the only rhinos in the country, in one compact loop. How a Uganda trip fits together, and where to go deeper.

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Mountain gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, southern Uganda Wildlife
May 2026 · 8 min read

Four Hours With the Gorillas: The Habituation Experience

Up to four hours with a wild gorilla family instead of one, in the only country that offers it. The scarcest gorilla permit in East Africa, and who it's really for.

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Murchison Falls on the Victoria Nile, Uganda Destinations
May 2026 · 9 min read

Murchison Falls: the Nile at Its Most Powerful

Uganda's largest park, where the whole Nile is forced through a seven-metre gorge. The boat cruise, Rothschild's giraffe, and the rhinos of Ziwa on the way in.

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Tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda Destinations
May 2026 · 9 min read

Queen Elizabeth: Tree-Climbing Lions & the Kazinga Channel

Uganda's most varied park: lions in fig trees at Ishasha, one of Africa's great boat cruises, and chimps in a hidden gorge, on the road to the gorillas.

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Chimpanzee in Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda Wildlife
May 2026 · 8 min read

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest

The best chimp trekking in East Africa: 13 primate species, around 90% sighting success, and the full-day habituation experience for the keen.

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Wildebeest on the Serengeti plains Costs & Planning
May 2026 · 8 min read

How Many Days Do You Actually Need on Safari?

Why too few nights is a false economy, the sweet spots by region, fly-in vs drive, and how to size a trip that's worth the flight from Australia.

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Safari guests watching an elephant from the vehicle Costs & Planning
May 2026 · 9 min read

The Honest Guide to Safari With Kids

Is it safe, what age is too young, will the kids be bored, and what it actually costs. The straight answers Australian parents are looking for.

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Elephants in Amboseli with Kilimanjaro behind, Kenya Costs & Planning 🇦🇺 For Australians
May 2026 · 8 min read

How Much Does a Kenya Safari Cost? (An Australian's Guide)

Real AUD costs for the Masai Mara, Amboseli and Samburu, what the conservancies add, and how Kenya compares to Tanzania on price.

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Mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda Costs & Planning
May 2026 · 8 min read

How Much Does Uganda Gorilla Trekking Cost? (vs Rwanda)

The July 2026 permit rise, what a full Uganda gorilla trip costs in AUD, and the honest maths on whether it still beats Rwanda on price.

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First-time safari guests on a game drive in Tanzania Costs & Planning
May 2026 · 11 min read

Best Safari for First-Timers: An Honest Guide

Which country to pick for your first safari, how many days, fly-in or drive, private or group, and the mistakes worth avoiding.

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Couple on a Zanzibar beach at the end of a honeymoon safari Destinations
May 2026 · 8 min read

Honeymoon Safari: Where to Go and What It Costs

The best safari and beach combinations for a honeymoon, the romantic lodge styles worth it, when to go, and a real budget range.

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Okavango Delta in flood, Botswana Best Time to Visit
May 2026 · 8 min read

Best Time to Visit Botswana (and the Okavango Delta)

How the Delta flood, dry season and green season change the safari, month by month, across the Okavango, Moremi, Chobe and Kalahari.

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Dead Vlei at sunrise, Namibia Best Time to Visit
May 2026 · 8 min read

Best Time to Visit Namibia

Dry winter for Etosha's waterholes or summer for dramatic Sossusvlei skies. What each season delivers across Namibia.

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Elephants in Amboseli with Kilimanjaro behind, Kenya Destinations
May 2026 · 11 min read

Kenya vs Tanzania Safari: Which Should You Choose?

Two giants of the safari world, side by side. Game density, the migration by month, conservancies vs national parks, cost and which suits your trip.

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Mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda Costs & Planning 🇦🇺 For Australians
May 2026 · 8 min read

How Much Does Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Cost? (An Australian's Guide)

The real AUD numbers: the $1,500 permit, what a 5-night trip actually costs, how Rwanda compares to Uganda, and flights from Australia.

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Aerial view of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Destinations
May 2026 · 9 min read

Victoria Falls: Zambia or Zimbabwe Side?

Which side of the Falls to base yourself, how the view changes month by month with water levels, and the activities each side does best.

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Safari guests viewing an elephant at close range from a vehicle Costs & Planning
May 2026 · 9 min read

Is Safari Safe? An Honest Australian Guide to Safari Safety

Wildlife, health, malaria, political stability country by country, and solo and family travel. A straight answer to the question everyone asks.

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Okavango Delta from the air, Botswana Destinations
May 2026 · 9 min read

Botswana vs Tanzania: Which Safari Country is Right For You?

A ten-row honest comparison: safari type, game density, vehicles, cost, flights, kids, weather. Plus how to combine both in one trip.

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Sossusvlei red dunes at sunrise, Namibia Costs & Planning 🇦🇺 For Australians
May 2026 · 9 min read

How Much Does a Namibia Safari Cost? (An Australian's Real Guide)

Real AUD price tiers for Etosha, Sossusvlei and the Skeleton Coast. Self-drive vs guided 4WD vs fly-in, plus a worked 10-night example from Sydney.

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Private safari vehicle in Tanzania Costs & Planning 🇦🇺 For Australians
May 2026 · 8 min read

How Much Does a Tanzania Safari Cost? (An Australian's Real Guide)

Real AUD price ranges for a private Tanzania safari, what's included vs not, and why Australians often overpay by booking through US or UK operators.

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Serengeti plains at golden hour Planning
March 2026 · 7 min read

The Best Time to Visit Tanzania on Safari

Dry season, calving, short rains, an honest breakdown of what each window offers and which suits your priorities.

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Ngorongoro Crater from the rim Destinations
March 2026 · 6 min read

Ngorongoro Crater: Everything You Need to Know

Black rhino, lion prides, flamingo-lined lakes, inside the world's largest intact caldera, with practical advice on timing and access.

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Mountain gorilla silverback in Bwindi Destinations
January 2026 · 7 min read

Rwanda vs Uganda: Which Country for Gorilla Trekking?

Rwanda's $1,500 permits vs Uganda's $800 (rising to $1,000 from July 2026). The honest breakdown: terrain, lodges, permit availability, and which makes more sense for your trip.

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Guests on safari game drive Planning
February 2026 · 6 min read

The Tanzania Safari Packing List: What to Bring and What to Leave

Soft-sided bags only, 20kg light aircraft limit, neutral colours. The practical list from guides who've seen what works in the field.

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Maasai Mara plains, Kenya Planning
March 2026 · 9 min read

Best Time to Visit Kenya for a Safari

Month-by-month across the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Samburu, when to go for the Migration crossings, and when the Mara is at its quietest.

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Zanzibar coastline from the air Destinations
March 2026 · 8 min read

Zanzibar: When to Go and What to Know Before You Book

The north and east coasts operate on different weather patterns, and most visitors pick the wrong one. A clear guide to Zanzibar's seasons, winds, and which months to avoid.

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Elephant herd at Ruaha National Park Destinations
May 2026 · 10 min read

Selous vs Ruaha: Tanzania’s Southern Circuit Explained

Africa's largest wilderness areas and almost no one in them. Which of Tanzania's southern parks belongs on your itinerary, and when it's worth combining both.

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Wildebeest crossing the Mara River Wildlife
July 2026 · 11 min read

Masai Mara vs Serengeti: Which Side Should You Choose?

Same ecosystem, very different experience. The honest breakdown of when to be where, and whether combining both sides of the Migration makes sense for your trip.

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