The Bush Telegraph of East Africa Travel & Tourism Trends: 2025
06 November 2024
Staying attuned to current East Africa travel trends can significantly enhance your clients’ journeys, making them more fulfilling, personalised, and meaningful.
Bleisure Travel
The blending of business and leisure travel, known as “bleisure,” is on the rise. Professionals are extending work trips to explore new destinations, combining productivity with relaxation. Understanding this trend enables the expert team at African Safari Excellence to craft packages that meet both business needs and leisure desires.
Clients can also bring family or friends along, turning a work trip into a mini-holiday once the business aspects are complete.
Sustainable & Responsible Travel
Many of our partner lodges are pioneering eco-friendly initiatives. These range from harnessing solar energy to using locally sourced materials. This approach supports nearby artisans and reduces carbon footprints. These lodges also incorporate water-saving systems and strong waste reduction practices. Their goal is to create minimal impact on their stunning natural settings.
Electric safari vehicles are also becoming more common across Africa. They allow travellers to enjoy quiet wildlife encounters with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
Recommended lodges in Kenya that offer electric transportation:
Recommended lodges in Kenya that offer electric transportation:
- Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, Kenya
- Lewa Wilderness Lodge, Kenya
- Emboo River, Kenya
- Kicheche Mara Camp, Kenya
Enhanced convenience & comfort
We offer contactless payments, live availability on our industry-leading agent portal, secure transactions, and access to detailed pre-departure information. These innovations create a stress-free, seamless experience from start to finish, ensuring clients feel comfortable and in control.
By embracing these technologies, we provide clients with convenience, security, and an immersive travel experience, allowing them to focus on what matters most: the joy of exploration.
Safety & Health Awareness
Your clients’ safety and health are at the forefront of our service, especially as travellers seek greater peace of mind in today’s travel landscape. Recent global health events have underscored the importance of wellness, and we’re committed to providing comprehensive, up-to-date insights on destinations and activities that meet the highest standards. This empowers clients to make health-conscious choices while enjoying unforgettable experiences.
Cultural Immersions
One of the more prominent East Africa travel trends is the growing focus on authentic, immersive travel experiences. Travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful connections with local cultures and communities, moving away from traditional tourist activities in favour of deeper engagement and understanding. East Africa, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, offers numerous opportunities for such immersive experiences.
Recommended lodges in Kenya that offer electric transportation:
- Tawi Lodge, Amboseli
- Chuini Zanzibar Beach Lodge, Zanzibar
- Mwiba Lodge, Serengeti
- TAASA Lodge, Serengeti
- Baobab Tented Camp, Tarangire
- The Retreat, Kigali
Workcation
Workcations have emerged as an exciting solution for remote workers craving a balance between professional responsibilities and the urge to explore new places. With the flexibility to work from almost anywhere, people can now manage their tasks in inspiring, culturally rich environments, often finding that the change of scenery boosts both productivity and creativity. After years of working from home, many are seeking something different, and workcations offer the perfect blend—allowing your clients’ to discover unique settings without stepping away from their careers.
Kenya offers a digital nomad visa. Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda provide various other visa options that allow accommodation for remote work under certain conditions.
Skillcation
Skillcations are an enriching travel trend, offering clients the chance to return home with newfound skills and a deeper connection to the destinations they visit. Rather than purely relaxing or sightseeing, travelers on a skillcation actively engage in learning experiences, making their journey both enjoyable and growth-oriented. In the context of bush and beach holidays, skillcations can be a unique way for travellers to fully immerse themselves in the culture and craft of your client’s surroundings.
Examples of beach & beach itineraries:
- Tanzania & Zanzibar
- Tanzania & Pemba
- Masai Mara & Mombasa
- Masai Mara & Lamu
Phenomena Tourism
The trend of planning trips around rare natural events is transforming travel into a quest for life-defining moments. Experiences like witnessing the Great Wildebeest Migration (one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa) in the Serengeti and Masai Mara have become must-see events on many clients’ bucket lists, as they offer profound connections to nature’s rhythms and an unmatched sense of awe. These events capture the raw beauty of the natural world, creating memories that stay with travelers long after the journey ends. Planning around these phenomena adds a sense of purpose and anticipation to travel, making the journey itself as memorable as the destination.
Some other examples include:
- Laikipia Plateau, Kenya or Lake Turkana, Kenya: stargazing
- Lake Nakuru, Kenya and Lake Natron, Tanzania: flamingo migration
- Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: trekking (also a Seven Natural Wonders of Africa)
- Exploring Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania: the largest intact caldera on earth (another of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa)
- Rwanda and Uganda: visiting endangered mountain gorillas in the natural habitat
- Mafia Island: view the rare whale sharks
- Pemba Island: snorkelling at its pristine coral reefs
Contact African Safari Excellence to start planning your client’s trip in East Africa.
