We have opened up this section of the website for other travellers who are also travelling to or have already travelled Africa to share their stories, experiences and tips. We hope this forum will allow travellers from all over the world to see what it’s really like in the hope that others will take up the challenge and trek through Africa.
Also, we’re won’t lie – we’re going to need as much help as possible to make it around Africa and back so we’re not too proud to ask, so if you have some advice please post it here.
Click on comments below to read the stories posted by travellers!
March 5th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Hey guys,
I’ve been working in Togo for 1 month now in the Public Relations department for a wonderful humanitarian organization called Mercy Ships. I will be with them for 2+ years more in countries which include South Africa, Sierra Leon, & more. I also have a pretty extensive travelling past that mainly covers Latin America. So far in my stay here in Togo, I have found it like other places in the world where you can travel fun & safe as long as you have a good head on your shoulders. I came here with more experience than many other adventurous types when it comes to 3rd world countries, & I feel pretty safe here. But I wouldn’t recommend this part of West Africa to the new traveller without 3rd world travelling experience. If you’ve done a bit of the 3rd world & ventured out a bit off the beaten path, than sure, you can probably get by okay here. Just don’t get in the habit of putting your guard down here & doing anything stupid. Fallow your lonely planet & don’t listen to the moron that thinks it’s safe to walk down a dark alley just because he’s not dead yet. Only travel in day, only official taxies, try to be in at least a group of 2, & know that every country in West Africa is different & that just because it was safe to do something in one country, it doesn’t mean its safe to do something in the next.
March 14th, 2010 at 2:12 am
hey Mitch,
Good luck to you and your friend. You guys will love Africa esp Zambia (Geez, i’m so bias towards my country). Let me know if you guys are still looking for places to volunteer…i might be able to hook yous up with something.
Have loads of fun!!!
Cheers
March 14th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
I am a Kenyan(and a tour guide by profession) and have travelled in East African countries-Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. These of course are few compared the 52 countries we have in Africa. I say, read your lonely planets but do not be disappointed if you find that something you read about in the book is not available where the book says it was-this applies to hotels and restaurants. Do not trust just anyone, although many local people will try to help you, some, just some of them might play tricks on you.
If you have friends who have travelled to Africa before, please get some contacts from them-i find this very helpful especially when you get stuck in a place where noone helps. Learning few words in the local language of the country that you are visiting makes the local people appreciate you more, because they believe this is a show of appreciation of culture.
If you are soccer fans, there are local groups or kids that may play just for fun-if you can, always ask if you can take part..and dont leave your stuff unattended, even for a second. If you go to the bar, always watch your drinks, sometimes they get spiked and this doesnt happen to tourists only, it happens even to the citizens.
Have fun and dont worry too much about the things that might go wrong, be set to have fun and you will have a great time. I wish you all best of luck.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
http://www.burnerswithoutborders.org/motomoto-circus
Hey,
If you happen to be In Mombasa, get in touch with these guys. Amazing projects and people. Let me know If you need more info.
Good luck!
Mile
March 17th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
heya
nice idea of youse – I travelled with my friend in Rwanda,TZ and Uganda via public transport- which was just so – eh – chaotic but fun!! I envy u guys.
I checked your route and saw that u wanna do Serengeti NT.
A very good route can be from TZ to Rwanda:
Starting in Arusha, but finishing in Mwanza- and taking the ‘Cruise Ship’ from Mwanza to Bukoba on Victoria Lake over Night. From Bukoba, it’s very closed to Rwanda as well as to Uganda. Cheap Fare and nice trip.
If you need some infos (we were there 6 months ago), email me.
Best of luck to you guys and – with no doubt- this is gonna be one of the best time of your life.
March 20th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Am based in Uganda and hope to see you when you come to Uganda.I need meanwhile to know your interests.what you want to see though theer are many worth of seeing,Good journey
March 20th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Ok so here are a few things that i really REALLY think you guys should do…
1. At vic falls there is a restaurant called ‘The Boma’ (i think thats how you spell it) and it is pretty much a buffet, where they welcome you with traditional clothing and face painting, there are bongo lessons, fortune telling and you have to eat a mopani worm there.
2. In Mozambique anywhere in the centre of town and there will be some guys floating around who will happily take you to their place where you can pick out your own chicken and they will peri peri it and cook it for you for only 1 US dollar.
3. Definately have to hit up Antelope Park. It was one of my fave parts of the trip, you can walk with lions there, swim on elephants and see a lion kill….the lion doesnt get killed dont worry, just some helpless impala haha
4. EAT MASS AMOUNTS OF WARTHOG….heaven on a plate
5. Rafting on the great Zambizi River…sooo much fun.
6. In Mozam, visit one of the local primary schools, tey let you come in and play games with the kids, and if you’re prepared, bring them some lollies or something they will be really happy…probably one of the most rewarding and fun days.
Thats pretty much all i can think of now, i will most probably think of many many more…have a great time guys!!!!!!!!!!!
March 21st, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Thanks so much for the posts guys, keep them coming – our to do list can never be ambitious. Here’s another post we’ve copied in which was meant for this category RE: Southern African travels.
Jacques Says:
March 21st, 2010 at 12:16 am e
Howzit Guys,
I’ll say good luck with the trip to start off with, hell of a cool thing you guys are doing! Secondly I am jealous something I wanted to do for a while and something I will do when the right opportunity arises, and hopefully your website and experience will help plan my trip.
Thirdly this is my insight into Africa. I am South African as Benny knows, and my experience is almost exclusively in South Africa. I think you can apply allot of the what’s and what nots to Afrika in general. South Africa is beautiful and i think you guys will have the time of your life there (I am heading back there in July).
The thing to remember is that the far majority of people are wonderful, but as with third world countries there are dangerous people and areas, stay alert vigilant and al will go well. When you touch down on South African soil I am sure you will have no problem networking with people and finding excellent volunteer and community work opportunities. 45-50 million people and the far majority are in poverty, there are people needing help everywhere!
Soak it all in! I think one of the most interesting things of South Africa is the contrast one moment you can be in what is par to any first world country and before you know it you are surrounded by extreme poverty and among it all there is a certain magic about Africa you will find everywhere.
I can recommend the garden route from Cape Town to Port Elisabeth… most beautiful country side in South Africa, Oudsthoorn is another great place! Ostrich farms and the Congo Caves are there and notice how the landscape changes as you go from the coast inland.
Don’t know exactly were you are going in South Africa so if you let me know i can give you advice on those specific places!
Must do’s
1: Climb Table Mountain
2: Drink double Klipdrift & Cola until you drop – every night
3: Obviously go on a Safari
4: Experience Soweto
5: Sun City
6: Ill through in this one just for shits and giggles – don’t know if you are thrill seekers – stupid statement you are travelling through Africa, but go jump the highest bungy in the world Bloukrans..
7: Experience a real Suid Afrikaner braai (bbq) with boerewors, karoo lamb chops, pap en sous
8: Eat biltong en droewors as much as you can that shit is will be the end of me!
9: O did I mention drink double Klipdrift & Cola (singles don’t really exist in south Africa so if you ask for a single drink its more than likely that you will write soft cock on your head and be targets for a fight)
10: Country side – from the Cape to Kwazulu Natal to joburg
11: Spur – best restaurant in the World
12: Wimpy – Vanilla milkshake for a hangover
13: Cream soda and cane (double of course) also known as a Cane Train!
There’s more but this is enough for now!
Some words in the native tongue that might help:
Dankie – Thanks
Asseblief – Please
Waar is ek – Were am I?
Fok jou – Fuck you
Dumela – Hello in most languages!
Oraait guys I suppose I got a bit trigger happy but there is so much useful shit in my head! Good luck!
April 14th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Africa
Afrique, tu m’as fait le meilleur cadeau. celui de vivre deconnecte de notre monde modene, oui touriste de passage. Au loin, enfin, ces verites eclatent de plus belle au grand jour, le mien… je digere, petit a petit. joie solitaire de ce ver qui m a fait vivre toutes ces surprises.
You offered me this gift, living, no thinking. I cannot stop anyway to write. this continent is the forgotten one of our modern world. To keep our comfort, we are still ignoring it. we are doing these mystakes again and again. after the first 2 weeks down there, my feelings confirmed by some other western people living permanently down there is that you know you have nearly no future, we are offering none, and you are living the present. to such extent. yes there are issues in Africa. yes there is corruption, yes, there are forgotten wars, yes there are awful diseases, yes there is a big weight of ancient traditions, some very positive, some very negative. yes, you are struggling to get your everyday food. yes, streets are very dirty, infrasctructure very bad. Aside, yes there is a wonderful panel of people spared from our modernity. that s one gift. you are worth it, you ve got the power to go forward. if only speaking less when setting up something. Senegal was one of a developped country down this continent, and yes that makes me scared. waouh, yes. when are we gonna remove that fold making us blind? Are we gonna still treat you as the waste of our little wars?
you don t have easily access to internet, but you can express it. Tiken jah fakoly, thanks you, yes you gave us our pardon. you haven t forgotten. we are still not worthing it. when are we gonna do the same? when are we going to react not blindly? Yes, I am ashamed. Yes, I will still be living. You offered me this power of simplicity, this desire of equity, this good sense of reality.
Thanks to you for making me sharing simply your everyday life. changing big thing starts by changing small. yes we ve got to change our habits and we, westerners, do have to bring you along the trip to the finish line.
Thanks. On that no more words …
picasaweb.com/waterprod/senegal
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:19 am
Ben my love! here comes the post!
Firstly, thank you for keeping the legend of the heinous jumper alive in Central and Northern Africa!
Ok so my African adventures took me all over South Africa and into Mozambique (for some shark diving/fishing).
South Africa is truly the country of contrasts.
The southern west cape is the most dynamic part of the world I have ever visited. Cape Town makes you feel alive with culture and history and the people are friendly and honest, always guiding you in the right direction towards a good feed, a good party or the lovely Camps Bay Beaches number one through five (three is my favourite). Robben Island is a must as is the look out point along the peninsula where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. During the summer this spot is a breeding ground for sharks and draws loads of tourists. Dont cable car to the top of Table Mountain, do the walk. It is breath taking. I’m not sure if the famous cloud which sets over the city of the evening is a year round thing, but its called the Table Cloth – when/if you see it, you’ll know why.
The Stellenbosch wine region, just outside Cape Town, is also a must. Just take a stroll through the vineyards – the smell of the air is so rich.
Durban/Umshlanga/Ballito: All part of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Provience.
These are great surfing locations, with lots of hot South African guys and girls flocking there for their summers. Ballito is a small coastal surfing town with very friendly people and a great nightlife. I spent New Years here 05-06 at a club called Boston’s which from my hazy memory, served as a great night spot. The drive from Cape Town to Durban is super pretty and there are lots of great pit stops to check out along the way – case in point: Jeffery’s Bay, where a tonne of surfing comps are filmed each year.
Just outside Joburg is the best game reserve I visited during my stay. The resort was called Kwa Maritane inside of the Pilansberg National Park (there is no malaria in this region which is a plus). I believe that the other reserves up north have this problem. The reserve was teeming with cheetah and a host of other animals, all inclusive of the big 5.
YOU MUST MUST MUST EAT GAME/VENISON WHILE YOU ARE THERE. KUDU IS AMAZING, AS IS THE TASTE OF SPRINGBOK. Please also try lots of biltong- OSTRICH IS BEST/MOST TASTY (dried out curred meat) and the most amazing chips in the world: Ghost Pops. They are a ridiculously good version of Cheezels.
Also, you must try Cane (a sweeter version of vodka) with coke. It’s a very typically South African drink.
And if you meet anyone called Kyle, tell him I said hi. It doesn’t matter if its not the right Kyle, just try your luck out.
Africa is dynamic, dangerous (as I’m sure you know), wonderous and the most complex place you will ever visit. You’ll leave a part of your heart there as I have.
Joburg
June 11th, 2010 at 7:45 am
Very looking forward to the World Cup, should be exceptional
June 12th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Hey there!
I’ve decided this year to go on a spiritual journey. To visit my family in Somaliland, Somalia. To learn about my heritage and deepen my understanding of my religion. After being here for less than a month, I’ve decided to look for a job so that I can learn more about my culture and it’s people; my people. I’ve stumbled upon this wonderful organization called Disability Action Network. They provide physical treatment for those with physical and multiple disabilities. Anyway the people are gracious and they have a great aura about them. learning more about myself in the mist of things. Surrounding myself with great people is the key.
Love it here! On my free times I like taking photographs around my house, because of it’s amazing scenery.
Come and stay with me lol You guys gotta give Somaliland a shot and let it blow you away.
Sincerey with love,
frah
June 17th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
So in Durban you’ll sample the planet’s menu and likewise discover totally new genres of food. Sushi meets roti. The burrito meets Zulu spinach. The samoosa encases a filling of cheese and bacon. And dhal will get poured into an Italian pasta sauce.
June 25th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
In case you are in the mood for normal African fare, you’ll have check pap, that is constituted of maize meal (Africa’s staple food), dumplings, mogodu (tripe) umqushu (samp) and beans, smiley’s (boiled sheep’s head) amadumbe (a potato-like tuber) morogo (African spinach) and all the time inyama (meat).
July 29th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
hi mitch.
when you talking about africa you about realy things,natural things, blessed places, and so amaizing place im African by the way who live and bone in africa, africa is so poor as well and everybody know about this, actualy we are just living in trouble, under sb hand we try to find our right but our govenment still put us in slavery till this moment actualy africa is a goood continent but its has been destroyed by other people, if you want to know african well you just visit our continent its realy blesed.
davies
from sunset africa.