Kenya

Kenya's Masai Mara sits on the northern edge of the same ecosystem as the Serengeti. There isn't a hard border for the wildlife. The herds move freely through the Mara-Serengeti system, following the rains. During July to October, the wildebeest cross the Mara River into Kenya, and the crossings are genuinely among the most dramatic things in wildlife watching. Hundreds of animals at a time, crocodiles waiting, dust and noise and chaos. Outside the migration season, the Mara still holds extraordinary resident wildlife. Lions are numerous and relaxed around vehicles. Cheetah are spotted more reliably here than in most parts of Africa. Elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo in the rivers. A three-day Mara safari works well year-round, not just in the migration window. January to February is also excellent and tends to be quieter. Combining Kenya with Zanzibar is easy. Direct and connecting flights link Nairobi's Wilson or JKIA airports with Zanzibar, and the routing works in both directions. Starting from Zanzibar, a common structure is a few days on the beach, then fly Nairobi, overnight, next morning into the Mara. Or do the safari first and end on the coast. Either way, the total travel time between them is a few hours. Nairobi itself rewards a day. It's a proper city with good restaurants, the Giraffe Centre for an hour with Rothschild giraffes, and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for elephant orphans. Not every transit has to be a rush to the departure gate. Kenya requires an electronic travel authorisation from all visitors, applied for online before arrival. It's straightforward and takes a day or two to process. Anti-malarials are recommended for safari regions, and yellow fever certification may be required depending on where you're travelling from.