West Kilimanjaro

This region, home of the Maasai people, has a quiet and mesmerizing wilderness feel. You will arrive to vast, open, rugged stretches of the savanna with wild bush, acacia trees, and dazzling salt pans. Though first impressions can give a sense of barrenness, there is a remarkable variety of wildlife hidden here. Keep your eye out for the lesser-known kudu, gerenuk, bat-eared fox and striped hyena along with birdlife such as ostrich, kori bustards, and tawny eagles. There is also the chance to see large bull elephants, as this area serves as a vital seasonal migration route between Kilimanjaro National Park and Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Because you are in a Wildlife Management Area (community owned land), there is freedom to get outside and, with your local Maasai guide, explore the plains in depth while likely seeing game such as giraffes and zebras a mere hundred yards away.

Best time to go: The drier months between June and October, as well as the months of January and February as roads are easier to traverse.