The True Gems in Africa Travel

Maletsunyane falls near Semonkong in of Lesotho

In a previous post on Africa travel, I mentioned some of the most preferred Africa holiday destinations, among them Kenya, South Africa and Egypt. While these countries may be the favorite destinations among many travelers, their attractions are not necessarily superior to those in other less-traveled African countries. In fact, in my opinion, there are some countries that offer a more satisfying African safari experience, often with the added advantage of being less crowded. These include: Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique

Lesotho
This landlocked country is neighbored on all sides by South Africa. One of the things that make Lesotho a unique travel destination is its beautiful mountainous scenery. The entire country lies at over 1000 meters above sea level, and has arguably some of the best hiking trails in Africa. The traditional way of life of the Basotho is, to say the least, very fascinating. The best way to enjoy a holiday in this country is on horse back.

Madagascar
If you want to see some of the most weird wild animals in Africa, and indeed in the entire world, then Madagascar is the place to be. Experts estimate that up to 70% of the animal species found in this Island nation are found nowhere else in the world. These include the fossa, lemurs, and tenrecs among others. Add this unique wildlife to the mystical culture in most of Madagascar, and you get a most unique travel experience.

Malawi
Some people say that if you want to see the real Africa, then you should travel to Malawi. And there is a good reason for that. Malawi is endowed with such a beautiful landscape that you’ll simply love the country. From the huge Lake Malawi, to the peeks and escarpments of Mount Mulanje, you can not help but feel like you are on God’s paradise on earth. The Malawi people are among the most friendly in Africa, making traveling to Malawi an immensely enjoyable activity

Mozambique
With a coastline of over 2000 kilometers, Mozambique is a haven for lovers of luxury beach holidays, and water sports. Dune boarding, windsurfing, snorkeling, and water-skiing are some activities you can engage in while there. The Quirimbas and Bazaruto Archipelagos are just some of the paradisaical places you can go for the perfect honeymoon on the beach. And when you get bored with the beach and the sea, you can take off for a unique wildlife safari in the Gorongosa national park.

1. Wildlife safaris

An African lion: One of the most popular wild animal in Africa

If you have time for only one safari activity, then wildlife safaris are the obvious choice, especially if the closest you have ever come to an African wild animal is in a zoo. Among all African animals, the big five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard) are the most popular, and perhaps most fascinating to observe. The experience of seeing them and other animals in their natural habitat is indeed very amazing. No wonder the word “African safari” is almost synonymous with wildlife safaris.

There are so many places in Africa that give you a rewarding wildlife experience, top on the list being Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya, South Africa’s Kruger national park, and Serengeti national park in Tanzania. You can also have an equally (or even more) satisfying safari experience in other less known wildlife destinations like Etosha national park in Namibia, South Luangwa national park in Zambia, and Chobe national park in Botswana .

For a first-time visit to Africa, I would recommend starting with any of the parks mentioned above. However, during subsequent travels, you can choose wildlife destinations that meet your unique tastes. If for example you are interested in the gorillas, chimpanzees and other apes, you should visit the game reserves in Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC eg. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda.

2. Sightseeing tours:
Apart from just the animals, you will find a lot more to see in Africa, from awe-inspiring natural land features and beautiful landscapes, to many historical man-made structures. Egypt in North Africa is without doubt the favourite destination for sightseeing. All of Egypt’s great sites reflect the country’s rich history dating back to the days of the Pharaohs. The Egyptian pyramids, the Sphinx at Giza, the valley of the kings, the temples at Abu Simbel, the Karnak temple complex, and the valley of the queens, are some of the best-known sites.

It is not just in Egypt that you find pyramids from ancient days. In fact, some reports estimate that there twice as many pyramids in the Nubian region of Sudan (where the ancient Meroe kingdom was situated) than there are in Egypt. There are also many other interesting historical sites worthy seeing in Ethiopia including the Lalibela monolithic churches, the obelisks in Axum, the medieval castles in Gondar, and the walled Gondar city.  In Mali in West Africa, the ancient city of Djenne is an equally fascinating site. The city is home to the world’s largest mud brick building, the great mosque of Djenne.

Africa’s natural land features you should see include the mighty Victoria falls (Mosi oa Tunya) at the Zambia – Zimbabwe border, the giant sand dunes of Sossusvlei in Namibia, the Okavango delta in Botswana, and Fish river canyon in Namibia.

3. Cultural safaris
It is indisputable that the African culture is rich and very diverse. Among the thousands of African ethnic groups however, there are a few that stand out because of their unique way of life and traditions, the Masai tribe being the top-most. There is arguably no better way to appreciate the Masai culture than visiting a Masai village and possibly spending some nights there. This is not for the faint-hearted though. An easier alternative would be to visit a Masai village during your safari in Kenya.

Other African ethnic groups with interesting cultures and that you may want to visit include the Samburu and Turkana of Kenya, and the Swahili found along the coast of East Africa.

4. Beach luxury vacation
While several African countries have beautiful and clean beaches suited for a luxury holiday, the Seychelles Islands, Mauritius Island, and Zanzibar are perhaps the most renowned and most popular beach destinations. No wonder these three islands, more so the islands of Seychelles, are most  favoured  by honeymooners. Apart from these three Islands however, you can have an equally enjoyable beach vacation in other places like Kenya’s south coast (Diani, Chale Island etc.), north coast (Malindi, Mtwapa, Lamu Island etc), Mozambique (Bazaruto, Quirimbas etc.), the Comoros Island, among many others.

5. Mountaineering, and adventure expeditions

Mount Kenya: Africa's second highest mountain after Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro

For quite obvious reasons,  Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania ranks high among Africa’s adventure destinations. Though it is the highest mountain in Africa, it is also the most accessible. You do not need any special mountaineering equipment to get to Uhuru peak, the highest peak. Any reasonably healthy person can make it to the top especially if they climb slowly. This is unlike the more rugged Mt Kenya, where the highest you can get without mountain climbing gear is Point Lenana, at 4985 meters above sea level.  Only accomplished mountaineers attempt to get to the higher peaks of Batian and Nelion.

Mt Meru in Tanzania, the Rwenzori mountain range and the Virunga mountains in Uganda and neighboring countries are some of the other African mountains suitable for climbing or trekking expeditions.

There are lots of other activities for an adventure safari in Africa. You can fly over the Victoria falls on a microlight helicopter, go for gorilla tracking expeditions in the great Lakes region, canoeing, white water rafting, and kayaking (e.g in Sagana and Nanyuki in Kenya), skydiving (e.g in the annual Diani boogie in Kenya), snorkeling and white shark diving in South Africa, overlanding from Cairo Egypt to Cape Town in South Africa, etc.

The Maasai Tribe: Africa's most celebrated tribe. Image by JaviC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/javic/

The African people and the impressive amalgam of African cultures is perhaps what makes Africa a truly interesting continent. Africa has such a diverse culture, from the very traditional lifestyle of the Masai and Samburu of Kenya, and the San of Southern Africa, to the unique Swahili culture in the Coast of Eastern Africa, the Arab culture of Northern Africa countries like Egypt, Libya, Northern Sudan, Morocco,  and Tunisis, to the more westernized cultures in most big African cities.

Apart from just being the world’s poorest continent, there are many facts about Africa that you may find amazing, some positive and some not so positive.

The African Continent in General

• Africa is the world’s second largest continent after Asia.
• Historians and archaeologists believe the continent was the original home of all mankind. Some of the oldest fossils of man’s prehistoric ancestors have been found in Eastern and Southern Africa.
• With 53 independent nations, it is the continent with the highest number of countries
• It is the only continent crossed by the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. In addition, the Greenwhich Prime Meridian also passes through the continent.
• The population of Africa is the second highest among all the continents

Man-made structures

• Africa is the home of the world’s biggest hospital – the Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto South Africa
• Lalibela region in Ethiopia is home to 11 monolithic churches (churches hewn from a single block of stone) constructed way back in the 12th century. Arguably no other site in the world rivals this.
• The Grand Mosque of Djenne in Mali is the world’s largest mud structure.
• Africa is home of the world’s largest reservoir (artificial lake) i.e Lake Volta in Ghana. The lake formed after construction of the Akosombo dam on the Black Volta and White Volta rivers.
• One of the world’s most notable relocation of structures took place in Africa in the late 1960′s when the rock temples of Abu Simbel were moved to a new location to save them from being submerged in the Lake that formed after the Aswan High Dam was built.

Africa countries facts

• The biggest country in the continent is Sudan
• The Seychelles Islands are the smallest country
• Nigeria in West Africa is the country with the highest population in Africa
• Zimbabwe in Southern Central Africa has the world’s highest inflation rate of over 100,000,000 per cent.
• Liberia, in West Africa, is the continent’s oldest independent country, having been formed around 1822 to settle freed slaves from America. In 1847, Liberia proclaimed independence from America and became a republic.
• Somalia is the only country in which the entire population speaks one language – the Somali language.
• The youngest African country is Eritrea, which seceded from Ethiopia in 1993. Since then, these two countries in the horn of Africa have engaged in hostilities, and the border between them has always been volatile. Currently, there is an ongoing United Nations peace mission to maintain the ceasefire agreed between the two countries.
• Namibia was the last country to attain independence from colonialism, have been colonized by South Africa upto 1990.
• Contrary to popular belief, South Africa did not get independence in 1990. In fact, South Africa attained independence from Britain in 1910. South African Boers then introduced the apartheid system, an official oppressive racial segregation system. The apartheid era in South Africa ended in 1990, the year when Nelson Mandela was released from prison, after having served 27 years of life sentence in Robben Islands. South Africa held it’s first democratic elections in 1994, with Mandela being elected president.

Natural land features

• There are three snow capped or glaciated mountains right near the equator in Africa i.e Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya, and the Ruwenzori mountains.
• The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru peak, standing at 5895 metres above sea level. Mt Kilimanjaro is also the highest free standing mountain in the world.
• Lake Assal in the Afar depression in Djibouti is the lowest land point in Africa.
• River nile is the longest river in Africa and also in the world. The nile river valley is a source of livelihood for Egypt.
• Lake Victoria in East Africa is the largest lake in Africa and also the second largest freshwater lake in the entire world. Lake Victoria is shared among Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania
• Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania is the deepest in Africa, and the second deepest freshwater lake in the world, after lake Baikal.

African Animals

• The African elephant is the largest land animal in the world. An adult male of an African elephant can weigh as much as 6 tonnes.
• The African lion is the biggest of the african big cats. Tigers, the largest cats in the world are not found  in any natural habitat in Africa
• The african cheetah is the fastest animal on land, capable of attaining a speed of 70 miles per hour. Since cheetahs hunt during the day, it is interesting to see them overcome their prey by sheer speed.

Namibia's fish river canyon: great trekking destination

Among all popular travel destinations in the world, Africa is most renowned for the “safari” concept. The idea of an African safari is almost inseparable from game (wildlife) viewing and birdwatching. This is undoubtedly the reason why Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania are favored by most people wishing to travel to Africa. Outside these wildlife safari destinations, the other top places in Africa travel are Egypt – because of its many historical sites, and the Seychelles and Mauritius Islands – being ideally suited for luxury vacations in their exotic beaches.

What many people do not know is that there are many other African countries that offer travelers a safari experience as good as (and in some cases even better than) that in the countries mentioned above. Travelers seeking the ideal African wildlife safari, cultural or historical tour, adventure travel, and luxury beach holiday will find perfect alternatives in countries like Namibia, Ethiopia, and Mozambique among others.

1. Namibia: African Wildlife Safaris and Adventure travel at their best

Situated in Africa’s southwest, the scarcely populated Namibia offers you a nice blend of wildlife safari and adventure travel opportunities. The Etosha national park ranks among the greatest game reserves in Africa, and is the star attraction in Namibia travel. African animal species found in Etosha include elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes, leopards (i.e all the big five), giraffes, wildebeests, and many many more. The springbok are particularly abundant here, alongside other Southern Africa antelopes like the black faced impala, and the Damara dik dik. See these pictures from Etosha National Park at boncherry.com blog

Antelope in Etosha national park

Etosha has an amazingly good road network, making it easy for travelers seeking self-drive safaris in Nambia. The park also has good accommodation facilities ranging from budget camping resorts to more upmarket resorts and lodges. Okaukuejo and Namutoni are the oldest camps in Etosha.

Perhaps the most astounding sights in Namibia are the Sossusvlei sand dunes deep in the Namib desert. Some of these giant sand hills stand at heights above 300 meters, the highest in the world. On the rare occasions that it rains in the Sossusvlei, a turquoise lake forms in the clay pan (vlei) and remains for quite some time because of the low infiltration rate. Getting to Sossusvlei is an adventure worth taking, and so is the experience of climbing up the sand dunes barefoot.

The Fish River Canyon, one other key attraction, is very popular for adventure travel in Namibia. Hiking expeditions in the canyon is however a preserve for the physically fit, and is only possible during the winter months (May through September). Some reports dispute the claim that Fish River Canyon is the second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon in the US. Still, it is undeniably one of the top adventure travel destinations in Africa.

There are several other attractions in Namibia including the Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, and Naukluft park. You can find more information about Namibia travel on the Namibia online travel guide.

2. Ethiopia: Cultural Tours and Safaris
Apart from Egypt, arguably, no other country in Africa can rival Ethiopia’s rich historical and cultural heritage. According to the Ancient Web site Ethiopia “…can lay claim to having the oldest continuos Kingdom in the world, starting over four thousand years ago with the Kingdom of Axum..”

One of the Monolithic Churches in Lalibela Ethiopia

Relics of this rich past are the main highlights of Ethiopian cultural tours. The historical monuments in the city of Axum and Lalibela include the Queen of Sheba’s palace ruins, the 11 monolithic churches in Lalibela, and the Obelisk at Axum. Gondar and Harar cities are the other sites of cultural significance. Gondar is home to several medieval castles from the 1600′s AD, when it was the capital city of Ethiopia. The walled city of Harar is sacred for Muslims, and is also very fascinating to visit.

The ancient Meroe Pyramids in Sudan were built during the kingdom of Kush, which extended from Northern Ethiopia into Sudan and beyond. They are therefore an extension of Ethiopia’s cultural heritage. You may find it interesting that there are more pyramids in Meroe Sudan (actually twice as many) than there are in Egypt.

There is more to Ethiopia than cultural safaris. The Simien mountains and other Ethiopian highlands are excellent destinations for trekking, adventure travel and mountain climbing expeditions. You can also see wildlife in Ethiopia national parks like Awash National Park and Bale Mountains National Park.

3. Mozambique: Romantic Beach Vacations
With a coastline stretching more than 1000km, Mozambique on the southeastern coast of Africa is an alternative travel destination for romantic beach vacations, and sea sports travel. Mozambique’s pristine and untouched white sand beaches offer the exclusivity and seclusion ideal for high-end travelers, especially at the Quirimbas archipelago. A beach holiday in the Islands off the coast of Mozambique rivals any luxury beach vacation in Africa.

Tofo beach on the Southern coast is a marvelous destination for scuba diving, surfing, swimming, and deep sea fishing among other sea sports. Tofo is a haven for backpackers and other budget travelers.

African elephants

Africa, the world’s second largest continent, is home to some of the top holiday destinations on the planet. Africa attractions range from its scenic landscapes and natural features, to beautiful islands and coastal beaches, the rich African culture, important historic/archaeological sites, and many wildlife game reserves.

The continent comprises of over 50 independent countries, each with its own unique safari attractions. From Egypt in the North, to the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, and South Africa and Botswana in the south, Africa has a lot to offer for the safari enthusiast. You can access more information on all African countries in our Africa map section.

To many people, an African Safari implies game viewing. Indeed Africa wildlife safaris are undisputably the most popular amongst tourists. The African big five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo) are particularly spectacular to see in their wild natural habitat. There a host of many other African animals that are equally interesting to see. However, you can enjoy much more than just wildlife viewing during your safari in Africa.

This website seeks to be your most comprehensive source of information on all Africa holiday destinations. Whatever your interest on Africa safaris, we believe you will get all that you need here. Find information on African culture, tours and safaris, africa vacation packages, flights and travel etc. We invite your feedback and suggestions on how to improve this site.