About.com Africa Travel

Zimbabwe on the Up and Up

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:11:28 +0000

Finally, it looks like Zimbabwe is getting out of its terrible economic slump. The coalition, forced on Mugabe after last year's elections, has helped stabilize the country and tourism is on the rise. According to a recent AP report, "The number of tourists visiting Zimbabwe this year has more than tripled". The initial number was so low, this probably sounds better than it is, but at least the trend is in the right direction. With the forced power sharing agreement many foreign governments have lifted their travel warnings, which has undoubtedly helped tourism. Zimbabwe was never very dangerous to visit, even during its worst times, but perception is everything and tourists are quite risk averse, after all they want to enjoy their holiday.

Mugabe's regime itself also put a lot of people off from visiting. The idea that your tourist dollars may end up in his pocket is not very appealing. But, of course, it's the ordinary man and woman in the street that really suffers when tourists don't come. No one to buy their crafts or stay at hotels where they work. Zimbabwe is blessed with the magnificent Victoria Falls, excellent national parks, beautiful landscapes, great fishing, golfing, rafting ... (you name it) and very friendly people. It has always been one of the safest countries to visit in Africa and one of the best to explore independently. Hopefully this recent upward trend will continue and Zimbabwe will be back on every tourist's Southern Africa itinerary. And hey, they're using the US Dollar as their currency now, you won't even have to change money when you get there.

_{Zimbabwean Pottery, Waiting For Buyers -- Getty Images/Neil Beer}

Zimbabwe on the Up and Up originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 08:11:28.

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Why Visit Kenya?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:39:16 +0000

There are plenty of good reasons to visit East Africa. So I thought it would help to give you my short list of� the 10 best reasons to visit Kenya. Kenya is blessed with some of Africa's finest national parks, mountains, beaches and its lakes are filled with flamingos and pelicans. No wonder it's one of Africa's most popular destinations. The country's natural beauty is also complemented by its proud cultural heritage. There are several tribes still living a traditional lifestyle such as the Samburu, Maasai and Turkana. Tourism is well established and there are some incredible eco-friendly boutique lodges and camps to choose from. In this way Kenya can really offer visitors a unique vacation despite its popularity. Check out my list of Kenya's Top 10 Attractions and make sure your itinerary includes at least some of them when you visit.

More About Kenya: Kenya Facts l Kenya Travel Tips l Swahili for Travelers

_{Samburu woman -- Getty Images}

Why Visit Kenya? originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 14:39:16.

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2010 World Cup Africa Qualifiers

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:40:13 +0000

The "Indomitable Lions", Cameroon's national soccer team, did it again by beating Morocco 2-0 to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Nigeria's Super Eagles also managed to clinch a victory over Kenya (3-2) and will be heading to South Africa in the summer. The last available spot in the tournament will go to either Egypt or Algeria, who are scheduled to play their final playoff game in Sudan on Wednesday. In an earlier match, Egypt beat Algeria 2-0 in a heated soccer match, preceded by violence as Egyptian fans stoned the Algerian players' bus, injuring some of the players.

Soccer is HUGE in Africa and this is the first time the FIFA World Cup will be held on African soil. So to make it to the 2010 World Cup is particularly important and the stakes are high.

Just six African nations (out of 53) will take part in the 2010 World Cup. Ghana's Black Stars were the first African team to qualify in September, while the Ivory Coast's Elephants secured their spot about a month ago. South Africa's Bafana Bafana automatically qualify as the host nation.

For the teams that don't make it to the World Cup, the long, drawn out tournament at least paves the way for some to play in Africa's biggest soccer tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations. This will be held in Luanda, Angola in January 2010. Congratulations to The Flames of Malawi for making this tournament today. Angola in the meantime is very busy trying to ready the country. And I'll be keeping my eye on that tournament, so check back.

_{Image of Cameroon Fans celebrating their 2010 World Cup Qualifying Game -- Getty Images/Michael Steele}

2010 World Cup Africa Qualifiers originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 18:40:13.

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Fun Africa Facts (Nne)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:53:27 +0000

My fourth installment of "Fun Africa Facts" is unofficially brought to you by Chappies, the jaw-breaking chewing gum I grew up on in Malawi.

Did You Know...

Morocco was the first nation in the world to recognize the newly independent United States in 1777.
Hippos can't swim, they walk along along the bottom of rivers or lakes.
There is a building called Palacio de Ferro (the Iron Palace) in Luanda, Angola's capital, designed by Gustav Eiffel (same guy that designed the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel tower).
You can cage dive with crocodiles in South Africa.
Hyena poop is white, courtesy of the calcium in the bones it crushes for dinner.
Bamako, Mali's capital is the fastest growing city in Africa and ranked 6th in the world.
White rhinos and Black rhinos are both in fact greyish, it's their upper lips that distinguish the two species. White rhinos have a square upper lip, Black rhinos have pointy upper lips.
The banjo originated in Africa and was brought to America by slaves in the 18th century, they modified the instrument based on traditional folk lutes from Senegambia.
Individual wildebeest can cover over 30,000 miles in their lifetime.
We can thank the Ivory Coast for producing more than 40% of the world's cocoa crop.

More Africa Facts...

_{Image of a Black "check out the lip" Rhino -- &copy Getty Images}

Fun Africa Facts (Nne) originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 12:53:27.

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Too Many Elephants or Too Many People?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:21:43 +0000

The LA Times had an interesting article this weekend that discusses the serious danger elephants in parts of southern Africa pose to villagers living close to wildlife reserves and parks. The fact is, there are many communities in Zambia and Botswana where elephants eat crops, crush homes, and charge people. But no one seems to care because much wealthier folks (i.e. tourists) spend a huge amount of money to come and see these fascinating creatures. As a result, the respective governments go to great lengths to protect the animals, and do seemingly little to protect the local communities.

It's not that easy for the governments. They know it's their job to protect people as well as wildlife, and tourism brings in sorely needed foreign currency as well as employment. Some say there are too many elephants, but one glance tells you that may be true for certain pockets in Southern and East Africa, but as a whole, African elephants are endangered. Others say there are too many people. But the real problem is rarely over-population -- it's usually a matter of unequal distribution of resources.

Now, if local communities could at least benefit from the money being spent on safaris, it may be worth their while to figure out how to keep their family safe, without harming elephants. And that is precisely what needs to be done for humans and wildlife to figure out a way to co-exist peacefully. Because it's difficult to convince a father not to kill the animal that may have just gored his son.

There's no easy answer to this dilemma. It's vitally important to protect wildlife in Africa but it just can't be at the expense of African people.

Read: LA Times: Southern African elephant: treasured killers.

More About: Africa's Most Dangerous Animals l African Safaris l Elephants

_{An elephant getting too close for comfort -- © Norman Norris}

Too Many Elephants or Too Many People? originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 20:21:43.

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My Kids Are Getting Manure This Christmas

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:48:52 +0000

My husband will probably get a donkey and my in-laws certainly deserve a camel, they've been through a lot this year. I'm of course shopping with Oxfam this Christmas season and their list of funusual gifts just keeps growing every year. My children may not appreciate a pile of manure in their Christmas stocking, but luckily for them they won't be smelling it. The beauty of shopping with Oxfam is that your gift will actually go to person who truly needs it elsewhere in the world, and you get to keep the bragging rights.

Oxfam is one of the best charities working in Africa, so you can be assured your gift will end up in the right hands. A camel won't suddenly appear on your doorstep, but the true gift of giving will. If you run out of ideas for teacher gifts, how about getting a pair of school uniforms in their name, it'll set you back just $20 and will truly help a family in need. It's certainly more valuable than adding to their collection of mugs.

More About: Africa Travel Gift Ideas l Christmas in Africa l Shopping in Africa

My Kids Are Getting Manure This Christmas originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 19:48:52.

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Air Travel Around East Africa

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:51:48 +0000

Regional flights in East Africa have always added a significant expense to travel itineraries and to make things worse, the schedules are often sporadic. But despite the suspension of Tanzania's national airline (Air Tanzania) last December, things are looking up. Precision Air seems to have moved into the slot as Tanzania's most important airline, and is now partnered with Kenya Airways. Kenya Airways appears to be doing well and is also adding to its significant portfolio of destinations with new scheduled flights to Bangui, Kisangani and Malabo.

RwandAir is adding flights to Goma, Brussels and Dar es Salaam, and also has a codeshare agreement with Ethiopian Airlines. I'm planning to check out RwandAir's services next June from Kilimanjaro to Kigali. Their handy schedule allows me to take a quick side-trip to check out the gorillas after a Tanzanian safari.

540 the region's only low-cost regional airline is also adding to their growing list of destinations. You can fly from Nairobi to Zanzibar, Malindi, Kilimanjaro, Lamu, Entebbe, Mombasa and now Lodwar (northern Kenya). 540 is an excellent option for independent travelers, you can book online and they e-mail your tickets. Now there's progress.

If only they can figure out a direct flight to East Africa from the US. Ethiopia is the only destination in the region with an "open skies" agreement, but you still have a stop in Rome along the way. Uganda just signed an agreement this week with the FAA but we'll have to wait to see if Entebbe can meet the various conditions required before any flights are actually scheduled.

More About: African Airlines l African Airports l East Africa

_{Image - © 540 Africa's Low-cost Airline}

Air Travel Around East Africa originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 11:51:48.

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Follow Team USA in the 2010 World Cup

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:19:13 +0000

The 2010 World Cup will take place next summer (11 June - 11 July) in South Africa. Team USA will be participating and if you'd like to cheer them on in the world's most exciting sporting event, you should plan your trip now. FIFA, the organization that runs the World Cup tournament, has allocated Team USA match tickets to just 3 tour companies in the US. You can get tickets for all matches the US team will play in, as well as semi-final and final tickets if you book a tour.

It's worth booking a tour since it will be very difficult to find flights, accommodation and transport during the month of the World Cup tournament. South Africa is almost twice the size of Texas, the World Cup will be played out in 10 stadiums scattered across the country, so you'll need some help getting from place to place. There are also just a couple of direct flights a day from the US to South Africa, and seats will fill up quickly. Find out all about tours for the 2010 World Cup, by clicking here.

More About: 2010 World Cup l 2010 World Cup Stadiums l 2010 FIFA Designated Tour Operators

Follow Team USA in the 2010 World Cup originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 15:19:13.

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December Festivals and Events in Africa

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:46:33 +0000

If you're planning to be in Africa this Christmas you may be wondering whether to pack your stocking and santa hat. In most cases it would be entirely appropriate to do so since there will be more than 300,000 Christians celebrating along with you. It's not quite as commercial in Africa as in other parts of the world. Gifts are more likely to consist of a new school uniform rather than a new Wii game. But food, friends, church and family are similarly a big part of celebrating Christmas.

Other events and festivals in Africa this December include a desert festival in Tunisia complete with camel racing; a harvest festival in Swaziland; a music festival in Ethiopia and a carnival in Cape Town.

Find out more about these major festivals in Africa this December including dates and venues.

December Festivals and Events in Africa originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 16:46:33.

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A Crash of Rhinos

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:27:40 +0000

I've always had the sneaking suspicion that animal group names are more poetic than scientific. Come to find out, that many of them actually are made up by some eccentric lady more than 500 years ago. Dame Juliana Berners wrote an essay on hunting in the Book of St Albans in 1486. In the essay she classified groups of animals with nouns that she simply thought sounded good. And so we have a gaggle of geese, an army of ants, a school of fish, a pride of lions, a troop of baboons and some of my favorites:

A crash of rhinos
A cackle of hyenas
A coalition of cheetahs
An obstinacy of buffalo
A conspiracy of ravens
An intrusion of cockroaches
A murder of crows
A tower of giraffes
A bloat of hippos
A leap of leopards

Some groups of animals have more than one name. You can say a herd of buffalo, a troop or a gang. But I think an obstinacy of buffalo sounds best, don't you? The good thing about group names having their basis in poetry and not science is that we can simply make them up ourselves. How about a snort of hippos, a rumble of elephants, or a polka of leopards?

Find more group names from the San Diego Zoo and the NPWRC.

A Crash of Rhinos originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 12:27:40.

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