Africa is much less daunting than most travellers tend to think, and there are myriad sights, sounds and experiences to draw you to this enormous, ancient continent. Often thought of by Western travellers as one great monolithic culture, most quickly discover that the opposite is true; Africa’s diversity – of landscape, language, tradition and way of life – can shock even the best-prepared traveller. The Arab hospitality in the north can be overwhelming, the wildlife and landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa are unmissable, the music of West Africa is infectious and inspiring, and you’ll be stunned by the continent’s dramatic southern coast. In other words, there’s a lot more to Africa than a bunch of wild animals stomping around outside your tent, although that can certainly be arranged.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
1 Bazaars of Fes and Marrakesh Morocco. You’ll find 10,000 alleys to explore, with spice and handicraft vendors adding to the confusion, in streetscapes as surreal as an Escher painting. Open spaces brim with acrobats, snake charmers, storytellers and, at every turn, more interesting characters parading by than a Hollywood studio could cast with a limitless budget.
2 Cape Town South Africa. You might expect something grand to happen where two oceans converge, and the tip of Africa does not disappoint. Cape Town is one of the most naturally stunning cities on the planet, with clouds regularly spilling over the kilometre-high Table Mountain like a candyfloss waterfall, white beaches strung along the rocky coast, and world-class vineyards maturing just a short bus ride away.
3 The Great Pyramids Egypt. They’re more than just the world’s largest tombstones. The precision of their construction represents the highest level of science and craftsmanship and a remarkable understanding of astronomy. And, what’s more, they’re really just a sample of what the ancient pharaohs left behind: a wealth of archeological treasures that stretch far down the banks of the Nile.
4 Maasai Mara Kenya. The northern sister park of Tanzania’s Serengeti, the Maasai Mara stretches for 3000 square kilometres and serves as the living room, kitchen and playground for elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes and other photogenic species. It’s also the home of the Maasai, a tall and striking warrior people who still hunt on the grassy plains, though more recently many have been pushed into selling handicrafts and performing for video cameras.
5 Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania. Kili, as it’s often called, is the storybook mountain silhouette you first learn to draw in primary school: the perfect heaven-scraping cone shape with a jagged snowline near the top. Whether you’re climbing to the 5895-metre-high “mountain that glitters” (as the name means in Swahili) or simply having a picnic in its shade, the peak is mesmerizing. It’s typically hiked in five or six days: good hiking gear, strong legs and pristine lungs make the task much easier. Not to mention at least £500/$780 for permits, guiding and food.
6 Victoria Falls Zimbabwe/Zambia. These days, Vic Falls has come to represent more than just a spectacular 1.7-kilometre-wide, 100-metre drop into the Zambezi River. It’s an entire action-adventure park, with bungee-jumping, whitewater rafting, ultralite flying and horseback safaris. Not surprisingly, this is the largest crossroads on the African backpacker circuit. Keep in mind that from March to May the floodwaters kick up so much spray you can hardly see the falls.
7 Zanzibar Tanzania. A former trading centre, once populated with Phoenicians, Sumerians, Persians, Indians, Arabs, Portuguese and English. Stone Town, the main port, is an intricate web of streets that are a delight to get lost in. And, if you time your visit to avoid the crush of tourists, you just might. The beaches around the island are a big draw.
SECURITY ISSUES
It’s always a good idea to check the current political conditions before visiting a country (see Chapter 15), but the following are worth a little extra research: Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Democratic Republic), Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia (basically out of bounds no matter how adventurous you are), Sudan, South Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
WHEN TO GO
The daytime temperature in most of Africa doesn’t vary more than ten
degrees throughout the year (although it’s not uncommon for it to drop
twenty degrees each night). Your bigger concern is rainfall. In eastern
Africa, there are “short” and “long” rains. The short ones (Oct–Nov) might
mean an afternoon thunderstorm that muddies the roads and keeps the roof
hatch closed on the safari van. The long rains (March–May) may make the
roads impassable. Most people prefer to travel to this eastern region in
June to October, often trying to coincide with the Great Migration of over
one million wildebeest, 300,000 gazelles and 150,000 zebras around
July/August. Madagascar cyclones typically occur from November to March, and
an eye should be kept on the weather reports if you do travel during that
period. In western Africa, those put off by heat should aim for
November/December. Otherwise, keep a lens cover ready for the dusty
harmattan winds (Dec–March) that roll in from the Sahara. In the north,
along the Mediterranean coast, the winter (Dec–Feb) can be wet and mildly
unpleasant. For ideal weather conditions at various African game parks go to
thesafaricompany.co.za/When_to_visit_Africa.htm.
LOWEST DAILY BUDGET
Expensive (£45/$70):
Botswana, South Africa, Namibia
Mid-range (£30–35/$47–55):
Djibouti, Liberia, Libya, Rwanda, Zambia
Budget (£10–25/$15–40):
Everywhere else
GETTING AROUND BY AIR
This isn’t the cheapest way to get around, but then flying rarely is. It can, however, help bridge gaps so you spend more time covering the ground you want to cover. The basic guidelines for air travel take on more importance in Africa, particularly when you’re not using major international carriers. This means you really ought to:
- Confirm your flight a couple of times (including on the day of the flight).
- Arrive early. You may end up winning a seat on an overbooked flight, even if you had a ticket and didn’t think the seat would require any winning. Plus, many flights have open seating, so you might even get a seat with some legroom.
- Some baggage inspectors may take their time rifling through your things, either out of curiosity or hope of financial payoff. If a bribe or “gift” is requested, and your belongings are in order, politely stand your ground. In a pinch, try handing over something that isn’t hugely important to you.
- In South Africa, the budget airline Kulula ( kulula.com) can also help
arrange hotels and transport.
AIR PASSES
- Visit Africa oneworld.com/flights/single-continent-fares. Allows
access to a total of nine cities in Namibia, South Africa,
Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mauritius. There’s a minimum purchase of
two flights. Prices are based on five zones and are about 35
percent cheaper than standard fares.
- Star Alliance Africa Airpass
staralliance.com/en/fares/africa-airpass. Connects
thirty destinations in 23 countries on South African Airways,
Ethiopian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and EgyptAir flights.
Choose three to ten coupons, with fares based on the distance
you fly, shaving about thirty percent off single tickets between
the same cities.
SAMPLE RETURN AIRFARES
Cairo to:
- Cape Town £550/$860
- Marrakesh £400/$625
- Nairobi £300/$470
Johannesburg to:
- Dar es Salaam £240/$375
- Marrakesh £550/$860
- Windhoek £170/$265
OVERLAND ROUTES
The continent may stretch 7000km from north to south, but Africa’s limited infrastructure has created surprisingly well-trodden overland routes. The most common is from Cape Town to Nairobi, which passes through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania (often with a side trip to Zanzibar), then into Kenya. Most travellers now fly between Nairobi and Egypt due to the fighting in Sudan, in South Sudan and near the Ethiopian/Eritrean border, but depending on political conditions, you may be able to make it all the way overland or catch a flight in Addis Ababa instead. Check with nearby embassies and other travellers for the most recent information.
The other primary route passes down the west coast between Tangier, Morocco and Yaounde in Cameroon. From the north, it makes the tricky crossing of the western Sahara (tricky due to the long-standing political volatility of this part of the world and unreliable transport), heads onto Mauritania and Senegal, then turns inland and traverses Mali. In Burkina Faso, the route either goes south to Accra on the coast or passes through Niger and Benin. The trails meet again in Nigeria and press on to Cameroon. From there, it’s common to fly to Nairobi or Windhoek and continue south overland.
You can get nearly everywhere in Africa without your own transport – a combination of buses, trains and boats is going to be your best option, and your thumb may come in handy as well. You may not get to your destination exactly when you want to, but of course that’s all part of the adventure. Because some of the routes are so poorly maintained, you’ll probably have quite an adventure in your own vehicle as well. So long as you’re armed with plenty of patience, you’ll be fine.
RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
- Routine boosters for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) and polio (especially for Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Ghana)
- Influenza
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Meningococcal meningitis (across central Africa from Gambia to central Ethiopia)
- Rabies (optional, but good for rural travel among animals)
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever (required in more than thirty countries, especially if travelling from a risk country/area, but not in far north or far south)
BUSES
Top-end buses, typically in South Africa and Namibia, are comfortable and will generally leave on schedule and adhere to the one-person-per-seat rule, but some drivers are a little overzealous with the air conditioning and, with a high-tech stereo system under their command, may simply bad-music you into a coma. Otherwise, buses depart when full or at the driver’s whim, stop constantly, are driven wildly and cram up to five times the maximum allowable number of passengers on board.
In South Africa, there are a number of alternatives. There’s the Baz
Bus ( bazbus.com), a hop-on
hop-off minivan for travellers that moves along the main travel circuit.
Intercape ( intercape.co.za), Greyhound ( greyhound.co.za) and
Translux ( translux.co.za)
all run luxury bus services along the main routes and offer a direct
trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town; Greyhound and Interscape both offer
bus passes. Interscape’s is a bit confusing, with separate tickets still
required for each trip, but Greyhound’s is good for thirty days of
unlimited travel. Granted, this isn’t much of a bargain. Buses run
between Johannesburg and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. From there, you can
connect to a train and arrive in Vic Falls 24 hours after leaving
Jo’burg, assuming you don’t get delayed at the border.
TRAINS
There will be ample opportunities to ride a train, but there’s not
enough track around Africa to make rail travel your sole mode of
transport. Aside from South Africa’s plush and outrageously priced Blue
Train ( bluetrain.co.za),
spanning the scenic gap between Pretoria and Cape Town (less expensive
trains on this route can be booked weeks in advance in June–July and
Dec–Jan), there are the Mombasa–Nairobi, Cairo–Aswan and the
Dakar–Bamako lines (though the last one is out of service at the
moment). These all offer a reasonably priced second-class service, some
fitted with sleeper cars and uber-cheap third-class compartments.
CARS
For years travellers have been driving around Africa, setting their own schedules and venturing off the main routes at the change of a breeze. For drivers, the overland route between Nairobi and Egypt is only sporadically open due to fighting in Sudan and near the Ethiopian/Eritrean border. Also, land mines litter the border region, so don’t even think of crossing outside official border points. The only way to slip through safely is on the ferry from Wadi Halfa to Aswan. Check current conditions before heading that way. And South Sudan has a current chokehold on overland passage as well. But there’s still plenty of driving to be had. There are four basic options: renting a car, renting a car and a driver, buying a car locally or shipping/driving a car from home. If you’re travelling in countries that require an international driving permit, pick one up before you leave. The Carnet de Passage is a must for most countries except Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Zambia, which issue temporary import permits for free upon entry or don’t require one. But to pull off anything more than a rental, you’ll need to do some homework. Try these books for starters: Sahara Overland by Chris Scott, Africa by Road by Bob Swain and Paula Snyder or Men of Salt by Michael Benanav.
RENTAL
Of the four options, the least practical and economical for a
cross-continent road trip is likely to be renting a car. The rental
companies (such as aroundaboutcars.com) know the conditions of the roads and
the toll they take on vehicles and will charge you accordingly. Many
will not even allow you to drive across borders, or will limit you
to Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. However, in these
countries you’ll find quite decent roads – long highways that are
actually easy to navigate – and you may find a two-wheel-drive
rental is the best way to go. Be sure to get recent information on
carjacking so you know where to take precautions, and always take
appropriate gear when heading off-road (extra water, petrol, sand
ladders, exhaust-powered air jacks and so on). If you plan to rent
with a major company like Hertz or Avis (to take advantage of
frequent-flyer points or a business discount), you may be able to
avoid distance limits by renting before you leave home.
RENTAL WITH CHAUFFEUR
This is an informal arrangement with a taxi driver or, preferably, the owner of a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It will probably cost you less than a rental (£15–30/$23–47 per day), depending on the car, length of journey and your bargaining skills. Just make sure you negotiate a daily or weekly rate for the driver’s services and pay the petrol separately. If the driver is paying for the petrol, they may do what they can to save it, even if it means driving very slowly, turning off the air-con and headlights (if they exist) and trying to refuse suggested detours. If there are any car problems, they’re the driver’s responsibility. Give yourself the option to bail out if the delays look serious and, in the first instance, try to sign up with a driver whose car looks roadworthy.
BUYING A CAR
Here’s the classic decision: Land Cruiser or Range Rover. As more than one African overland aficionado will explain, Land Cruisers are reliable, but the spare parts aren’t that easy to come by, while with a Range Rover, you can find the spare parts more easily, but you’re going to need them. It’s not a cheap option, but you should get your money back when you sell the car, if it’s in reasonable shape. South Africa is a good place to pick up a vehicle. If you’re buying secondhand, take the car to a mechanic for an independent inspection. If you’re just driving on the well-surfaced roads around South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, you can skirt the 4x4 issue and pick up a cheaper travel-friendly VW minibus or sport wagon instead. Have your documents well organized and ready for presentation at each border. Keep your cool with the border guards and act like you’re not in a hurry. In fact, just don’t be in a hurry. That makes it even easier. For more tips, see the section on buying vehicles in “How to get around the world”.
BRINGING YOUR OWN CAR
Typically, travellers take cars on the short ferry journey from Spain to Morocco. The cost for shipping a vehicle from Europe to sub-Saharan Africa is £485–1580/$760–2470, depending on the destination. Just be sure to lock down or remove anything that can be taken off with a screwdriver or it may not be there when your vehicle arrives. Again, you’ll need a carnet, and all the necessary permits and documents. If you plan to sell the vehicle in Africa, that should be prearranged when you get your carnet, so your deposit can be easily refunded. But you’ll still have to pay the import duties in the country you’re selling it in, so find out what that figure is beforehand.
BIKES
Pedalling is a fine way to see Africa. Rental cycles are available in most places you would want to ride a bike. And when they aren’t, don’t be afraid to ask ordinary people about renting their bikes, or go to a bike repair shop and make the same request. You’ll find people quite flexible in this regard. For serious touring, bring a bike from home and make sure it can handle potholes and gravel with ease. Even if you stick to the main routes, you’ll undoubtedly be stopping in places that most travellers speed by and leave choking in a cloud of dust. Of course, on a bike, you’ll be eating a good deal of dust yourself, and you may want to bring a face mask. Also remember to plan your food and water carefully over long stretches; cycle early in the morning and in the late afternoon and rest in the shade during the heat of midday; try to coordinate your trip with the coolest months; get permission from villagers when camping near their settlements; and don’t be afraid to use public transport. You can almost always toss your bike on a bus at a pinch. One more thing: you don’t have the right of way on a bike… ever. Practise your emergency swerve.
HITCHING
Hitching is part of the African way of life. In some towns you can actually hitch rides downtown. With an array of several modes of transport to choose from, it may still be your best choice. Other times, it may be your only choice. As a foreigner, you’re a bit of an oddity on the side of the road and have a good chance of catching a quick ride, but you will invariably be expected to pay something. However, don’t stand too close to large groups of hitchers, as the person who stops for you may not want to try to squeeze an entire group into the vehicle. Make sure you’re clued up on hitching safety.
BOATS
You may decide to float down the Nile on a felucca, starting in Aswan and ending just short of Luxor; cross Lake Victoria by ferry; or sail among the islands off the coast of Lamu. If you don’t mind crocs, hippos and elephants within a paddle’s length of your canoe, you might consider a trip down the Zambezi well below Victoria Falls or along Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Few of these boats get you somewhere you couldn’t otherwise access, but they do greatly enhance the “getting there”.
READING LIST
- Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart
- Karen Blixen Out of Africa
- Shirley Deane Talking Drums
- Aminatta Forna The Memory of Love
- Dian Fossey Gorillas in the Mist
- Kuki Gallman I Dreamed of Africa
- Ernest Hemingway The Snows of Kilimanjaro
- Tendai Huchu The Hairdresser of Harare
- Barbara Kingsolver The Poisonwood Bible
- Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom
- Rian Malan My Traitor’s Heart
- V.S. Naipaul A Bend in the River
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Half of a Yellow Sun
- Ben Okri The Famished Road
- Noo Saro-Wiwa Looking for Transwonderland
- Oona Strathern (ed.) The Traveller’s Literary Companion – Africa
- Ngugi wa Thiong’o A Grain of Wheat
VISAS
Many African countries require yellow fever and cholera immunizations, though these aren’t the only immunizations you should have, or even the most important. But without them, you could be turned away at the border, even with a visa. Enforcement of this varies from rigid to nonexistent, and often only applies to people coming from an infected area. Check with an embassy or the country’s website for up-to-the-minute info.
“Onward travel” means officials want to see that you’ve got a ticket back home or on to someplace else and, thus, do not have aspirations to stay permanently. Again, this is rarely enforced, especially if you can demonstrate sufficient funds (around £350/$550 per month or major credit card) and show your intended overland route. Country-by-country requirements vary (see Visa and vaccination requirements for Africa).
VISA AND VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AFRICA
Algeria Visa required (90 days). If your passport has stamps from Israel you may have difficulties entering.
Angola Visa required (90 days). Proof of vaccination against yellow fever required. Sufficient funds (only the new US dollars are accepted) and copy of return ticket.
Benin Visa required (30 days). Vaccination against yellow fever required. Proof of sufficient funds and onward travel.
Botswana No visa (90 days). Proof of sufficient funds and onward travel required.
Burkina Faso Visa required (180 or 365 days). Vaccination against yellow fever required.
Burundi Visa required (30 or 60 days). Vaccination against yellow fever required, as is proof of a hotel reservation and return/onward ticket.
Cabo Verde (formerly Cape Verde) Visa required for stays up to 30 days, available in advance or at international airports on arrival.
Cameroon Visa required (30 days). Vaccination against yellow fever required. Stays of more than four weeks may require proof of polio vaccination. Proof of sufficient funds and onward ticket.
Central African Republic Visa required (90 days). Proof of onward travel and yellow fever vaccination.
Chad Visa required (30 days).
Comoros Visa required for stays up to 90 days, available on arrival. Proof of onward/return ticket needed.
Congo (Democratic Republic of) Visa required (30, 60, 90 or 180 days). Invitation from host and proof of yellow fever vaccination.
Congo (Republic of) Visa required (90 days). Proof of onward travel and yellow fever vaccination necessary.
Côte d’Ivoire Visa required (90 days). Proof of onward travel, hotel reservation and vaccination against yellow fever.
Djibouti Visa required (3, 30 or 365 days). Available at airport on arrival. Copy of return ticket required.
Egypt Tourist visas available at airport on arrival (30 days). Travellers entering from Israel at Taba can also apply for a free 14-day visa good only for Sinai.
Equatorial Guinea No visa required for US citizens. All others must arrange visas before arrival (90 days). Proof of funds and records of smallpox and cholera vaccination required for all.
Eritrea Visa required (90 days: maximum stay 30 days). Proof of sufficient funds.
Ethiopia Visa required (30 days). Available on arrival at Bole airport in Addis Ababa. Proof of onward travel required. Polio vaccination recommended. Meningococcal meningitis vaccination required.
Gabon Visa required (90 days from day of issue). Vaccination against yellow fever, return ticket and hotel reservation required.
Gambia Visa required for citizens of the US, France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Estonia (90 days). No visa required for nationals of the Commonwealth, the rest of EU and Norway, nor the African ECOWAS group. Meningococcal meningitis vaccination required.
Ghana Visa required (30 days). Proof of onward travel and sufficient funds required.
Guinea Visa required (30 days). International Vaccination Record (WHO card), proof of vaccination against yellow fever and letter of invitation required.
Guinea-Bissau Visa required (30 days). Proof of onward travel, sufficient funds and yellow fever immunization required.
Kenya Visa required (90 days) for nationals of the US, Australia and all European countries except Cyprus. South Africans only need visas if staying more than 30 days. Proof of onward travel and sufficient funds required. Proof of vaccination against yellow fever may be required.
Lesotho Visa not required for stays of up to 180 days. Proof of onward travel required.
Liberia Visa required (90 days). Proof of sufficient funds and yellow fever vaccination.
Libya Visa required (45 days from issue or 30 days on arrival). Travellers with stamps from Israel will be denied entry.
Malawi No visa required for stays less than 30 days.
Mali Visa required (90, 180 or 365 days). Proof of onward travel and yellow fever immunization required.
Mauritania Visa required (60 days). Proof of onward travel and sufficient funds required.
Mauritius No visa required (90 days) for visitors from the EU, English-speaking countries, Russia, southern Africa and much of Asia and South America. Visa on arrival (60 days) for most others. Sufficient funds, hotel reservation and onward/return ticket required.
Morocco No visa required for stays up to 90 days.
Mozambique Visa required (60 or 90 days). Maximum stay 30 days. Proof of hotel reservation and onward ticket required.
Namibia No visa for up to 90 days’ stay. Preferably six blank pages in passport. Proof of onward travel required.
Niger Visa required (30 days). Onward travel, proof of sufficient funds and yellow fever vaccination required.
Nigeria Visa required (90 days). Letter of invitation or confirmed hotel reservation required, plus proof of sufficient funds and onward travel. Proof of yellow fever vaccination recommended.
Rwanda Visa required (30 days). Tourist visa available at Kigali airport, paid with Visa card or cash (only post-2006 US dollar bills). Yellow fever certificate of immunization required.
São Tomé and Principé Visa required (30 days). No airport visas. Approximate itinerary and hotel reservation required.
Senegal Visa not required (90 days). Vaccinations may be available upon entry at Dakar airport if required (see Lowest daily budget).
Seychelles No visa required for stays up to 30 days.
Sierra Leone Visa required (30 days). Onward travel, sufficient funds and yellow fever vaccination required.
Somalia Travel really only possible in Somaliland ( visitsomaliland.com), which has a consular system of its
own. Visas are required for all visitors. Validity periods, fees and
detalied requirements are hazy.
South Africa Visa not required for stays up to 90 days. Onward travel ticket and sufficient funds required. Since 2015, travellers with children need an Unabridged Birth Certificate (UBC), or equivalent, for each child. Plus a Parental Consent Affidavit from the non-travelling parent if only one parent is accompanying the children.
South Sudan Visa required (30 days). No entry with Israeli stamps in passport. Register with Aliens Department at the Ministry of Interior in Juba within three days of arrival.
Sudan Visa required (8–30 days). Letter of invitation, proof of onward travel, sufficient funds. Yellow fever vaccination certificate required. No visa will be issued for passports showing Israeli stamps.
Swaziland No visa required for stays of up to 30 days.
Tanzania Visas required (90 days). Proof of onward travel and sufficient funds required.
Togo Visa required (90 days). Extendable seven-day visas can be issued on arrival. Proof of onward travel and yellow fever vaccination required.
Tunisia Visa required for Australians and New Zealanders. No visa required for US and EU citizens staying up to 90 days, though proof of onward travel required.
Uganda Visa required, available at major borders and airports (14–90 days). Must show proof of polio vaccination for children under 5 years.
Zambia Visa required (90 days). One-day visas available at border for tourists to Victoria Falls on day-trips from Zimbabwe. Proof of onward travel required.
Zimbabwe Visa required (30 days), issued in advance or on arrival at airports and borders. Must show proof of onward travel and sufficient funds.