Africa Travel Information Blog

Information on African Safaris, Tourism and Travel

Africa Travel Information Blog - Information on African Safaris, Tourism and Travel

50 Off-The-Beaten-Path Places to Visit and Things to do in Kenya

Sometime back, Mark Wiens of migrationology.com wrote a very comprehensive post on 101 things to do in Nairobi. It was a great post, and I thought I could write something similar, focusing on the less known yet interesting destinations to visit and things to do in Kenya. I hope you’ll find this post useful and informative.

Here goes…categorized into (with some unavoidable overlaps):

  • Historical Sites
  • Pre-Historical Sites
  • The Bizarre/Mythical/Mystical
  • Wildlife and Birding
  • Scenic Sites
  • Adventure Travel
  • Cultural Places/Events Continue reading →

Beyond Safaris, What Else Can You Travel To Kenya For?

In the previous post on this blog, I mentioned the need for Kenya to move beyond the traditional safaris and diversify its tourism product offering, or risk going stale. This may have created the impression that apart from wildlife safaris, there is nothing else for you to see and to do in Kenya. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. The country offers you plenty of holiday activities and other great reasons why you may want to travel to Kenya. Today’s post higlights a few of these opportunities.

1. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE)
Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is one of Africa’s most important commercial hubs. This also makes it a key destination for business meetings, conferences and other events. Fortunately, the city has plenty of world class hotels and venues to meet this demand. Continue reading →

Is the Kenya Safari Product On Its Death Bed?

A few weeks ago, the Daily Nation – a Kenyan daily newspaper – had a thought-provoking article about beach and safari tourism in Kenya. Citing recent events related to the tourism industry, the article warned that all is not well, and if remedial action is not taken quick enough, we might just as well kiss that sub-sector goodbye. Click here to read the full article.

Of course this wasn’t the first time someone was writing or saying something critical of Kenya’s tourism. In May 2010 for example, the World Bank conducted a study whose findings they published in a report titled “Kenya’s Tourism: Polishing the Jewel”.

The World Bank report identified several challenges facing the Kenya tourism industry, among them “a tired product offering in need of upgrade and diversification”. If you wish, you can download the full report (in pdf) here.

If you ask any honest industry insider or Kenya travel expert, they too will readily admit that several things need to be changed for Kenya to retain its position as one of Africa’s top destinations. Just last month for example, the MD for Abercrombie & Kent in Kenya was quoted in the Travel Weekly alluding to the fact that the traditional Kenya safari product is no longer enough to maintain its competitive edge over newer destinations like Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, and Botswana.

So, what is wrong really?
The World Bank report I mentioned above identified the key issues as: Continue reading →

Mysterious, Bizzare and Interesting Places in Africa That You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Many travel enthusiasts recognize Africa as a great destination for wildlife safaris, beach holidays, adventure travel, and other conventional forms of vacations. But not very many people are aware of the strange, weird, and unusual activities and destinations you can enjoy in Africa, especially if you are a lover of “off the beaten path” traveling.

Did you know for example that you can go on ghost hunting safaris in South Africa? You get to visit haunted places, see ghosts, and experience paranormal phenomena, among other things. You can find details about this and related tours at the mystery ghost bus tours website.

Below are what I consider to be the top five mysterious places in Africa. Of course this is one man’s opinion. If you know of other equally or more deserving places, let us know in the comments.
Continue reading →

Seven Cultural Festivals You Must See in Africa – Part 2

(This is the second of a 2-part series on Africa cultural festivals. Be sure to also read part 1)

5. Cape Town Jazz Festival – South Africa
I have argued here before that Cape Town is Africa’s greatest city. This can be attested to by the many awards and accolades the city keeps getting, the latest being the 2011 travellers choice for the top destination in the world.

Add to this a glamorous cultural event – the Cape Town International Jazz Festival – and the result is fireworks. Entering it’s 13th year in 2012, this event is the biggest of its kind in Africa, and on its way to being the greatest in the world too. Like in the past years, the line up this year is star-thudded, with many great artists from South Africa and the whole world. The 2012 event takes place on 30th and 31st March.

More details are available at the official website here.

 

6. Timkat 2012 – Lalibela and Gondar – Ethiopia 
This list would not be complete without an event from Ethiopia, a country I consider the cultural capital of Africa. With its rich historical and religious heritage, Ethiopia has several interesting cultural festivities throughout the year. Timkat is the most popular among these. Continue reading →

Seven Cultural And Religious Festivals That You Must See in Africa – Part 1

(This is the first of a two-part series. Read part two here)

The African culture is as diverse as the hundreds of ethnic groups (or tribes) and religions in the continent. Despite several misconceptions about Africa, no single culture can be identified as “the” true culture of Africa. Like in all other continents, the interaction between these different cultures has also led to the birth of newer cultures that transcend any particular tribe or religious group.

Many cultural festivals take place all over Africa all year round, but a few of them are more colorful and enjoyable than others. Today’s post highlights seven of what I consider the top must-see cultural events and festivities. If you know of a festival that ought to have made this list, please feel free to add your comments at the bottom of this page.

1. Annual Voodoo Festivals in Benin
Voodoo is a religion that many Westerners associate with secret practices and the occult, although its adherents say that this is a misconception. The religion is quite prevalent in West Africa, most notably in Benin. Continue reading →