You think of Africa and immediately beaches, culture, hot weather, history, heritage, pyramids and safari comes to mind. Africa’s wealth of biodiversity makes it an adventure seeker's paradise.
It’s a continent filled with resilient, friendly communities with smiles to greet you with kind words. Each country in Africa is different, but beautiful in its own way.
Africa has its share of danger. There is a stark contrast between middle class and the poor. Inequality and poverty are major problems in some areas. Due to this you will see an elevated level of crime. It’s vital to practice caution at all times and you need to be smart about what you do.
What’s really encouraging in Africa is seeing change. There is growing awareness to nurture the African biodiversity and heal nature. The process is slow, but the youth are excited to move forward and encouraged to see the growth of sustainable green economies (conservation, renewable energy, sustainability, innovation, job creation).
Five countries I visited in the last few years in Africa are:
South Africa. Known as the Rainbow Nation due to its multicultural population. The country offers beautiful places to see. Cederberg mountains, Hout bay and Table mountain in Cape Town, Drakensburg Mountains ( A World Heritage Site that covers three provinces from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga), Kruger National park in northeastern South Africa, just to mention a few. The culture and heritage sites are a must see and offers incredible lessons.
Namibia. What’s to see? The skeleton coast, old rustic and scenic shipwrecks along the Namib coast, Etosha national park and black rhinos. Namibia’s gem is the Dead Vlei, a dead valley with dried tries that are estimated to be 1000 years old.
Uganda. This country boast green rainforests like the:
Murchison Falls National Park, where the Victoria Nile River surges through a narrow gap over a massive drop. The park wildlife includes birds, chimpanzees, zebras, elephants and hippos.
The Kibale National Park. A rainforest and home to 13 species of primates including chimpanzees.
The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to incredible biodiversity, the mountain gorillas and monkeys.
Uganda has 10 National Parks distributed in various parts of the country. These national parks are home to beautiful biodiversity and landscapes. Murchison Falls National Park is the biggest of all while Semiliki Valley National Park is the smallest.
Tanzania. This country is famous for the Serengeti National Park. The park is home to the largest population of big mammals that still roam the planet, e.g wildebeests, antelopes ( bushbuck, gazelle, impala, oryx). You also get to spot the big five and African civets, birds, cheetahs, hyenas, among other species of wildlife.
You also get to check the Lake Manyara National Park. This is one of the best parks in Africa for birdwatchers and other activities there include canoeing and bike rides along the lakeshore. A unique attraction of Tanzania is the Ngorongoro Crater. This is the world's largest inactive and unfilled volcanic caldera, created approximately two and a half million years ago.Ngorongoro Crater wildlife
Tanzania has around 19 National parks all with amazing insights into the African biodiversity.
Seychelles. This island is surrounded by blue seas and natural beauty and one of the favourite destinations for honeymooners. It’s also famous for the Moyenne Island which is a tortoise haven of beautiful flora and fauna. Other places to see at the Seychelles include:
Mahé . The largest island in the Seychelles and a first stop for tourists.
The Silhouette ( best for diving)
Praslin (offers incredible beaches and sunsets)
La Digue ( nature exploration, coral reef surroundings, The pink sand beach)
Anse Source D’Argent, La Digue
Africa offers so much more and many other eye opening places like, Kenya, Morocco, Cape Verde, Rwanda, The Gambia and Mauritius. The learning never stops. Many who have visited the continent left with a feeling of wanting to come back and see more.
You’ll Never Know Until You Go. Fuel you’re wanderlust!
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