Africa Travel Information Blog

Information on African Safaris, Tourism and Travel

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

How to Travel to and in the Horn of Africa – Part 1

(This is the first part of three intended posts on how to travel in the horn of Africa. )

Basic information about the Horn of Africa

Map of the Horn of Africa

Map of the Horn of Africa

The “horn of Africa” is a region in the easternmost part of Africa, neighboring the Arabian Sea and the gulf of Aden. The countries found in this region are Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. Some authorities also include Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan as part of this region.

Generally, not many people travel to the horn of Africa (I am excluding Kenya, Sudan, and Ethiopia in my definition of this region). This is mostly because of high insecurity in this area region as a result of constant armed conflicts and political instability.

Compared to Somalia and Eritrea however, Djibouti is quite a safe destination. But some governments advice their nationals against traveling to some parts of Djibouti, the United Kingdom and the USA for example.

If you work for a humanitarian organization, or you have business interests in the horn of Africa region, or you are a really adventurous traveler seeking an off-the-beaten-track travel experience, you may one day want to travel to the horn of Africa. But before visiting, please make sure you understand the security risk involved. As much as possible, you should seek expert advice before your trip. Continue reading →

Learn More About The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – Where Prince William Popped the Question

As I write this post, the news of Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton is one of the trending topics in the world media, and of course in twitter. Not really surprising, considering our fascination with royalty, especially the British Royal family.

For African safari enthusiasts, you may cherish the fact that the prince proposed while on holiday in a private game reserve in Kenya – the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

About the Lewa Conservancy
This wildlife sanctuary is situated about 250 kilometers (by road) North of Nairobi, near Isiolo town. Its history goes back to the early 1980s when rampant poaching threatened to wipe out the population of black rhinos in northern Kenya. Continue reading →

Are You Looking for an Adventure Safari in Africa? Try This

Your holiday in Africa does not have to be all about wildlife and safaris. In fact, I think it is often most appropriate to combine your safari with some other activity like a beach holiday, a cultural tour, or an adventure outing.

In this blog post, I highlight some of the adventure activities you can undertake during your vacation in Africa. You can do some of these activities as an add-on to a typical vacation package. Others however need more time, meaning that you will have to take them as a stand-alone package.

• Swimming with Sharks
Forget about the movie with a similar title, I mean literally swimming with the sharks. Well…not so literally, at least you will be in a “protective” cage. Continue reading →

Ethiopia Travel: How to Get There, Where to Go, and What You Must See

Ethiopia may not be a typical African safari destination, but if you ever visit this country, you are sure of getting an unforgettable holiday experience that you cannot find in any other African country. Situated in Eastern Africa, Ethiopia is a landlocked country bordering Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Sudan. 

The country is home to some of the most amazing scenic sites in Africa. It also has one of the richest historical heritage in Africa, one that probably rivals that of ancient Egypt. Relics of this rich history are today some of Ethiopia’s main attractions.

Interesting Places and Events You Must See in Ethiopia

1. The Historical Sites
These are definitely the main tourist attractions in Ethiopia. I do not mention all of them in this post, but the ones below are particularly popular

Continue reading →

Kenya Commercial Bank Launches An Online Payment Solution for Tourism Sector

The Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has just announced their launch of an online payment solution specifically targeting the Kenya tourism industry. The bank announced the news during the East Africa E-Tourism Conference, which is taking place at the Nairobi Crowne Plaza hotel.

This is exciting news for hotel owners, tour operators, and other players in the Kenya travel industry. Kenya recently joined the world of true broadband, and many serious business want to exploit online opportunities through e-commerce.

Just a few months ago, most operators in the tourism sector found it very expensive to accept online payments. This is because no local bank offered e-commerce services. This possibly restricted tour operators and travel agents from maximizing on the existing potential.

Continue reading →

Kenya Travel Alert July 2010 – Is it Deserved?

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.

Continue reading →