Bucket list experiences in East Africa

I have dreamed of visiting Kenya and Tanzania since I was a very young child. Wild places like the Masai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater have been at the top of my list for more years than I care to remember – and despite working in the luxury safari industry for nearly thirty years, I have somehow yet to experience the Serengeti or a crater! So, when I finally booked the flights, I set about arranging some additional experiences that I had been told not to miss, just in case it would be another 30 years until I came back!

Embracing Maasai history and culture

In addition to the obvious wildlife highlights of the Masai Mara, what can make a trip truly memorable is immersing yourself in the regional culture and meeting the locals. At Mara Bushtops, you’ll know you’re in Kenya the minute your ALS flight lands at the Siana airstrip, where your Maasai guide and spotter/tracker welcome you in full traditional dress including bright red shukas decorated with beautiful beads!

Maasai guide Daniel and spotter Frederick guided us throughout our stay, spotting game effortlessly, having lived and gone on safaris in the area for decades. They also took us to visit the local Nkoilale School supported by Bushtops to see how tourism helps fund education in the area and a beading project that creates income for local Maasai women.

We spent a particularly memorable day hiking the Isaaten Bushtops Reserve to an ancient cave, which to this day is still part of the daily life of the Maasai tribe. This cultural site is known as Kakia Cave, meaning place of eating and drinking, but was historically used for ancestor worship and initiation ceremonies. It is still used by the Maasai communities that own the reserve for rituals and the preparation of traditional medicines.

When you arrive at the cave, the Maasai teach you how to make a fire without matches, which lights a space decorated with red ocher drawings of wild animals and warriors, reflecting hunting as a rite of passage. Today, conservation has replaced hunting, but the cave paintings have inspired generations of Maasai – and even the identity and iconography of the Bushtops. Guests can also visit the indigenous Maasai Manyata (village) and enjoy a welcome jumping dance from Adumu.

Meeting real Maasai warriors and hearing their customs and life stories while on safari was a huge privilege and will stay with me forever.

Mufasa rock sunset

What could be better, after a day exploring the Northern Serengeti in the absolute luxury of a Bushtops Beest 6×6 (possibly the most luxurious car in the world!) than to end up at a surprising location, a massive rocky outcrop very reminiscent of the Lion King’s Pride Rock, to enjoy stunning sunset views in absolute style?

We arrived at Mufasa Rock just as the sun was starting to set, all beautifully appointed with a rug, dependable cushions and a full bar! We sat and enjoyed our drinks (G&T for Emma and Amarula for me!) and some delicious snacks and watched the sun slowly set over the rolling grasslands below, before returning to nearby Roving Bushtops Camp for a delicious dinner.

Please note that this activity is strictly subject to availability and local lions always have first refusal. They also seem to appreciate this magical lookout site – hence the name!

Hot air balloon over Serengeti

Since I was little, my dream has always been to one day float over the Serengeti in a hot air balloon. At 50 years old, and after working in the safari industry for over half my life, I’ve finally ticked that bucket list item off in style! Staying at the ultra-exclusive Warangi Ridge Lodge in the middle of the Serengeti, which was only launched in July by The Wilderness Collection, I finally had my golden opportunity.

It was a very early wake up call at 03:30 but well worth it! We gathered in excited, nervous anticipation in the pitch black at the Serengeti Balloon Safari launch site, sipping hot ginger coffee and balloon-shaped cookies as they began releasing the balloons. After the safety briefing, we all climb into our designated slots in the basket which begins by laying it on its side. After a few bursts of flame and before we knew it, we were off and enjoying the most exciting ride, spotting the wildlife of the plains below.

For me, the sunrise, the other balloons following us, and the tranquility were the highlights. After a very smooth landing, we enjoyed a delicious hot breakfast with champagne cooked in the wild and received a certificate saying we did it! With nearly 35 years of experience in the industry, I would highly recommend Serengeti Balloon Safaris. Our pilot was very experienced and great at first! They also do a lot for the local community and conservation/anti-poaching as a company committed to responsible tourism, so you know your money is well spent.

Explore the pit floor and the art of beading

The Ngorongoro Crater had been a huge tick on my travel bucket list – and it definitely ticked it off. At one point in our walk through the game, we felt that no matter which direction we looked, there was an abundance of wildlife. It was so beautiful and lush and I can’t blame the wildlife for congregating in this beautiful, mineral-rich hole!

Thanks to the location of Craters Edge Lodge, right on the access road to Lemala Gate, we were probably one of the first vehicles to arrive at the crater and had the whole place, including the beautiful picnic spot where we enjoyed a delicious hot breakfast with our guide Peter, almost to ourselves for the first couple of hours, which was bliss.

We returned for a delicious lunch at the lodge, just as the park was starting to feel crowded with other vehicles and really enjoyed relaxing in our rooms and guest areas, taking in the views for the rest of the day. Emma and I also chose to spend some quality time in the Masai Artifacts Tent that was built opposite the main entrance of the lodge. We spent an hour or so with some very nice Maasai ladies who came down from their village every day to do beadwork and warmly invited guests to join them. Although there were some language barriers (thankfully Emma had cleverly taught herself to speak basic Swahili before our trip!)

Beading is an integral part of their culture, language, traditions and history – an amazing skill passed down through generations. Let me tell you, it’s harder than it looks! All the beads have different meanings, depicting the Maasai’s age, marital status, social standing and even family origin. It is also one of the only ways these women can earn a living in this region – while also preserving and sharing part of their culture. Each guest who decorates also pays $20, which is paid to them each month, on top of their antique store sales.

One lady taught Emma how to bead a very intricate looking square of white beads which she later turned into a beautiful beaded necklace. They obviously took one look at me and decided that stringing beads on wire was as complicated a job as I could handle – but I was delighted with the blue beaded bracelet I made at the end of the job! Despite the language barrier, we laughed together, communicated with hand gestures, I even shared photos of my kids with them, and they immediately received three extra bracelets as gifts for them to take home. Very humbled by their generosity. We then had the opportunity to tour their store, because we knew that the money we spent would support their community in a sustainable and respectful way. This encounter was a highlight of our stay, and I will always cherish my bracelet, with pride and a good story!

Giant tortoises and yellow submarines off the coast of Zanzibar

Stone Town is a wonderful and stunning historical place to explore and we loved our guided tour organized for us by Zanzibar Serena. A maze of streets with beautiful carved wooden doors, markets, historic buildings, a monument to the slave trade – and of course the house where Queens rock band Freddie Mercury lived.

We also enjoyed an interesting visit to Prison Island, also known as Chango Island or Turtle Island. Interestingly, it was never actually used as a proper prison, and the tortoises are actually giant red tortoises, many of which are over 150 years old and weigh around 200kg! The island is popular with tourists for diving and visiting turtles, as the ruins of the old quarantine hospital have been converted in recent years into a museum about the history of the archipelago, shops (beautiful tanzanite!) and a restaurant. The island is currently under development, with The Cocoon Collection set to improve the living areas for the turtles that call it home, which will launch a brand new resort on the island in late 2026/early 2027.

On our final day, we decided to try the “Zanzibar Submarine” tour offered by Miracle Adventures which takes you about 90 minutes from the starting point at Forodani Gardens on a bright yellow semi-submarine, which never goes completely underwater, which was a relief for me.

Personally I’m not much of a diving fan, but I’ve been suffering from FOMO at not being able to see marine life – so for me this was the perfect opportunity to catch a glimpse of the coral reefs of The Cocoon Collection’s stunning Bawe Island where we were so lucky to have stayed the previous two nights – without the need for air tanks and fins! The Changuu-Bawe Marine Conservation Area was declared a protected area just this year, and it has been beautiful to see how the coral and marine life is already recovering. These tours provide a dry underwater viewing experience approximately 6 feet below the water’s surface. I loved being up there in the cool ocean breeze as well as in the cabin below (which sleeps 8) and our captain and guide were very entertaining. The guide actually gets into the water in full diving gear near the end which provides some fun photo opportunities. Great fun and I would highly recommend this as a trip!

There really is a lot to do in East Africa, beyond the typical safaris. We also absolutely loved traveling in the shoulder season which meant we were lucky enough to catch the “tail end” (excuse the pun) of the famous migration, but without the crowds. After some social media shots showing large amounts of vehicles at sights and river crossings, I was really worried that this might spoil the safari we had been dreaming of, but during most of our time in the Mara, Serengeti and Crater, we only saw a few vehicles at a time. I think at most we had 5 vehicles lined up as we were following a pride of lions down the road one morning and spotted a leopard in a tree, but it didn’t detract from the lighting and everyone was very respectful of the wildlife.

September and October are also a great time to visit Zanzibar, as it welcomes the end of the dry season with warm, sunny days with an average temperature of 28 to 32 degrees, perfect for the beach.

Please share with me in the comments below what bucket list items I may have missed, to add to my bucket list for my next trip. I can’t wait to go back!

Claire Rodley

Claire Rodley is a founder Omlengo. Umlingo promotes authentic, sustainable hotels and eco-safari lodges throughout Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. If you would like to be a guest blogger on a luxury travel blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.