Africa Travel Information

The US State Department has done it again: issuing a travel alert for Kenya. They cite two main security concerns: the terrorist threat posed by Al-Shabaab, and the possibility of a repeat of violence after the August 4th constitutional referendum. You can see the travel alert here.

The concern over al-Shabaab is largely because of the Uganda bombings which I previously wrote about. The terrorist group acknowledged responsibility for the bombings. Since then, Kenya has been on a high security alert, considering that the country’s border with Somalia is very porous. Kenya has reinforced its security troops along the border. In the past one week or so, we have heard reports of some skirmishes between al-Shabaab militants and the Kenya police. But these are not very uncommon.

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Egypt Holiday Booking
This post offers general information about Nile cruises and why they are a popular way of exploring Egypt. If you just want to book a Nile Cruise holiday or other form of Egypt vacation, I recommend that you see some of the Egypt holiday packages offered through the Africa Guide website, one of the most credible Africa travel portals.

Enjoy Your Egypt Holiday in Style

As a holiday destination, Egypt stands head and shoulders above other African countries. So much that probably everyone in the world knows about the Egyptian pyramids and the other relics of ancient Egypt civilizations. You should read my previous post on the top-five must-see sites in Egypt if you need an introduction to some of the country’s attractions. Read the rest of this entry »

Map of Somalia: The country is quickly becoming a breeding ground for terrorism in Africa

I know, this is meant to be purely a travel blog, but the terrorist bombings in Uganda deserve a comment. In case you haven’t heard about it yet, you can read the news in Yahoo , BBC , CNN , and several other websites.

If truly it is the Somali Al Shabaab militia that carried out the attack, there’s real need for the entire African continent, and indeed the whole world, to move with greater speed to rectify the situation in Somalia. I know, we already have an African Union peace keeping mission on the ground, but obviously it is not achieving the desired results. The transitional national government is still very weak, while Al-shabaab and other similar radical groups seem to be gaining strength every day. By expanding their tentacles beyond Somalia, they are sending a strong signal that they want to remain a force to reckon with.

I am a travel blogger, and my knowledge of security matters is minimal, but I know one thing for sure: if Al Shabab or any other terror group gets rooted in the Eastern Africa region, it will adversely affect our travel industry, among other things. The 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, plus the 2002 Kikambala bombings in the Kenyan coast taught us quite as much. Tourism is an important part of the economy of at least four countries in Eastern Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Read the rest of this entry »